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World Cup South Africa 2010 - advice for England fans from Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Friday 28, May 2010

England have qualified for the FIFA World Cup in June 2010. If you are thinking about travelling out to South Africa then this page will provide some useful information and tips.

Passports and visas

• you don't need a visa to enter South Africa provided you don't intend to stay longer than 90 days
• your passport must be valid for at least 30 days after you leave
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises that you have two blank pages in your passport on arrival
• make sure you fill in the emergency contact details page in your passport, this will make it much easier for Foreign and Commonwealth Office to contact someone if necessary

This handy checklist will help you on your way to planning your trip to South Africa

• make sure you book your accommodation before you arrive
• remember it will be winter in South Africa and therefore it may be too cold to camp in some areas
• if you are thinking about hiring a car in South Africa, ensure that you book early as there is a limited amount available
• if you plan to use public transport then make sure you only use licensed taxis or official public transport. For more info on public transport visit www.findyourway.co.za 
• check the local rules of the road. For example, at four way intersections the car that arrives first has the right of way, more information on our travel and transport page.
• not having insurance could cost over £25,000 in medical bills and air evacuation so ensure you're covered. With the high levels of crime it is also important to insure any possessions you take with you
• fake tickets may be in circulation, so make sure any tickets that you buy are genuine by checking with the FIFA World Cup Ticketing Centre. Tickets are also ID specific, and you may be asked to produce photo ID to confirm the ticket is yours. Be prepared to show the Debit/Credit Card used to purchase ticket
• check which vaccinations and medication you need before you travel at NaTHNaC
• there are different laws and policing in South Africa, there will be no tolerance of racist or xenophobic material, and fans deemed too intoxicated may be refused entry to the stadium
• register your details with the FCO's LOCATE system which informs us where you are going so we can provide help in an emergency

Don't forget....

• inform your credit/debit card provider where you are going to avoid your card being blocked for anti-fraud reasons
• check with your service provider to make sure your phone works abroad, and store useful numbers in your mobile phone such as the local police and our nearest office
• tell a friend or relative where you're going and how long for - give them some idea of your itinerary if possible and an emergency contact number

It's a long way... 

Make sure you plan your journeys between stadiums carefully as they are spread far apart. The distance between Cape Town and Johannesburg is 880 miles, which is the same distance as London to Warsaw and would take 17 hours to drive!

On match day 

• arrive early at matches to avoid problems at the gate and missing the start of the match. Build in as much time as possible when travelling, this is especially relevant for Soccer City and Rustenburg which are over 10K from city centre.
• fans who appear inebriated may be refused entry to the stadium

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