Author: Charlie

Visas, Immigration & Nationality

Bulgaria and Romania Partially Joining Schengen Area: What It Means For Travellers

Romania and Bulgaria, both of which joined the European Union in 2007 and have been attempting for more than a decade to join the Schengen Area, will enter the border-free zone in stages, beginning with air and sea travel on March 31.  This border-free zone, designed to facilitate seamless travel between participating countries, currently grants…
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UK Immigration Health Surcharge Fee Price Hike Delayed

The Immigration Health Surcharge increase, initially planned for January 16, 2024, has been postponed due to a Parliamentary debate. The government’s planned hike to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is now due to be implemented on 31 January 2024 at the earliest. This delay provides a brief window of opportunity for those needing to submit…
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Foreign Office Issues Urgent Travel Warning For British Nationals In Middle East

The Foreign Office has issued updates for travellers to 18 countries in the Middle East following air strikes in the region by the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). The US and UK launched strikes on Houthi rebel targets overnight on 12 January in a bid to stop the Houthis from continuing to…
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UK FCDO Travel Warning: Spain Reintroduces Face Mask Rules

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a travel warning for British nationals heading to Spain due to a surge in flu and COVID-19 cases, prompting the Spanish government to reintroduce face mask rules.  Spain has become the first European country to reinstate face mask requirements in certain settings like hospitals and…
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Borderless Journeys: Top Passport Rankings for 2024

A significant shift has occurred in the realm of passports.  Singapore and Japan held the title for the most powerful travel documents in the last five years, providing their citizens with unparalleled visa-free access, this year marks a change. The latest ranking of the world’s most powerful passports for 2024 has shown a rather unexpected…
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