Passports
All visitors entering from abroad must have a valid passport with at least 2 months' validity remaining. No visa is required. An immigration officer may also want proof of your intention to return to your point of origin (usually a round-trip ticket). If you're planning to fly from the United States or Canada to the United Kingdom and then on to a country that requires a visa (India, for example), you should secure that visa before you arrive in Britain.
For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. For general information, call the National Passport Agency (tel. 202/647-0518). To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center (tel. 900/225-5674); the fee is 55¢ per minute for automated information and $1.50 per minute for operator-assisted calls.
For Residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca).
For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a €12 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) or at most main post offices.
For an up-to-date country-by-country listing of passport requirements around the world, go the "Foreign Entry Requirement" web page of the U.S. State Department at http://travel.state.gov.
Customs
What You Can Bring into Scotland -- The same rules for travel to any part of the U.K. apply to travel to Scotland. From outside the European Union, you can bring in the following for your own use without paying tax or duty: 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, or 250 grams (9 oz.) of smoking tobacco; 60cc of perfume; 2 liters of still table wine; 250cc eau de toilette; 1 liter of spirits or strong liqueurs or 2 liters of fortified wine; £145 worth of all other goods, including gifts and souvenirs. Any amounts over these limits should be declared.
If you bring in goods from a European Union member country on which tax has been paid in that country, no tax or duty is due (as long as they are for your own personal use). Some special rules may apply, however, for tobacco from some E.U. countries.
For up-to-date information on customs, go to www.hmrc.gov.uk and search for "information for travelers."
What You Can Take Home from Scotland -- Canadian Citizens: For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).
U.K. Citizens: For information, contact HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152), or consult their website at www.hmce.gov.uk.
Australian Citizens: A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.
New Zealand Citizens: Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
