Are you into travelling far off destinations? If your answer is yes, then you will definitely need to check Falkland islands out. You might ask, where are the Falkland islands? Do not beat yourself up, if you do not know the answer. Because, like again, it is one of the farthest places and not so many people can travel to Falkland islands. Anyway, back to the answer to the question, Falkland Islands is an archipelago located in the South Atlantic ocean, not far away from South America. It is kind of at the crossroad between South America and Antarctica. These small islands of Falkland cover up a total area of 12000 km2. Let’s have a look at what we know about the archipelago.
There is a controversy about the exploration of the islands. But it is supposed that the first settlers came to the islands from Britain, Spain, and France. It was ruled by Britain for a long time, but in April 1982 the military forces of Argentine took the control of islands as they have their claims on the islands, thereby starting a war. The United Kingdom retaliated and the war ended in June 1982 with the victory of the UK. Thus, islands remained as a part of UK overseas territory.
Around 4000 people live on these islands. The majority of the population is of British descendants. The official language is English. Generally, British influence can be seen in every aspect of life, in these islands.
You might ask, what is special about the islands? Well, Falkland Islands have strategic positions, and they are not heavily populated. Hence, the natural beauty, diversity, remain intact. These islands have vital importance for many rarest species. Many kinds of marine mammals, lead peaceful life at the coasts of the islands. You can enjoy watching movements of elephant seals, southern sea lions, fur seals, dolphins, and many other amazing species. These islands are not only home to humans but also penguins. Here, many different penguin species such as King, Gentoo, Magellanic, Macaroni, populated. Some of them travel between Antarctica and Falkland Islands. Coffin’s Harbour gives perfect opportunities to see nesting black-browed albatrosses and rockhopper penguins. New Island North Nature Reserve is exceptional place. It is home to many species such as black-browed albatrosses and South American fur seals. However, getting a permit to wander around in this reserve is not an easy task.
Port Stanley is the capital of the Falklands. It is a great example of different cultures mixing. You will find examples of buildings designs influenced by South American traits. The city is small and almost everything is a walking distance. Colorfull buildings bring more life to the city. Falkland Islands museum might interest history buffs or people who are curious about the history of the islands. Here, you will find many historical artifacts covering the early days of Islas Malvinas' settlements up to the war. It is definitely worth checking.
The islands are perfect for hiking and walking. During these walks, anyone can enjoy the majestic beauty of nature. You can find many other motives that will entice you to visit the country. What really matters in this context is visa for Falkland islands. Maybe it is too early to say that. Maybe you do not even need a visa to islands after all. who need a visa to visit Falkland islands anyway? Well, you will find answers to such questions in the next paragraph, after looking at the visa policy of the Falkland Islands.
Visa policy of the Falkland islands
The Falkland Islands is part of British overseas territory, but it has also full internal self-government meaning that even though the UK is responsible for foreign affairs of the islands, internal affairs are controlled by the government of Falkland islands. It also includes the visa policy. It defines who need a visa to visit Falkland islands. If you wonder and ask yourself, do I need a visa for the Falkland Islands? Falklands have bilateral agreements with some countries, to abolish visa procedures and endorse free entry to Falklands. You can check the list below demonstrating the visa-exempt countries: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Korea, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Japan, Vatican City Apart from these countries, there are particular groups that can travel the Falkland Islands without having a visa. Who are they? Anyone whose passport or international travel document is issued by the Red Cross or United Nations does not need a visa to enter the Falkland Islands. Furthermore, cruise ship visitors do not require a visa to enter the Falkland Islands unless you arrive in Falklands by air or intending to spend time in the Falklands before or after a cruise. In these cases, you will need a visa. If you are not from one of these countries then you will need visa for Falkland islands. What visas are there for Falkland? Well, they are categorized as visitor visas and long-term visas. Long-term visas actually include permits and they are work permits. Temporary residence permit and permanent residence permit. To start Falkland islands visa application to any of the visa types you will need to meet some requirements.
Falkland Islands Visa Requirements
To travel to Falkland Islands, one might need a visa. Depending on travel reasons, you will apply for different visa types. Although there will be additional required documents for each visa type, the main part will remain the same for almost all of them. You will find these Falkland islands visa requirements on the list below: • Falkland visa application form filled out signed dated by the applicant. • You should present two photos of yourself. They should be colored and be the size of 2x2 inches. They should be taken recently (in the last three months) and they should be high-quality photos. The background in the photos should be white. It should clearly reflect your face. • You should present your passport which has a validity of 6 months along with a copy of your passport’s main page. The passport should be in good shape and possess one blank page for the visa. • A travel itinerary. It should include ticket bookings. • You should prove that you financed your travel. You can prove your financial sufficiency with cash, credit card, bank statement, etc. • Proof of accommodation. It can be a hotel reservation. You might wonder about visa validity and fees. When you arrive in Falkland you get a visitor permit which can be valid for up to 4 weeks. However, they can be extended. To do you will need to give an explanation behind your reasons to stay more. Visa extensions will be processed by Customs and Immigration in Stanley.
How to get a visa to Falkland Islands?
As we already mentioned, foreign matters are under the responsibility of the government of the UK. Therefore, to get a visa to the Falkland Islands, one will need to start Falkland islands visa application at an embassy or consulate of the UK. You are not sure how to complete the process? Well, then you can follow our little guide to get a visa. The first step will be to locate the local embassy of UK. In case there is no UK embassy in your country, you can contact the nearest to your country. There yo make an appointment for your application. On the planned date, you go there, present your documents along with the application form and pay the fees. Your application will be assessed within three weeks. If you want to learn about the fees, you will need to inquiry the embassy about it as fees vary depending on some factors. Your nationality, entry type, and other things may affect the price. The same thing applies to the processing time as well. To wrap up things, Falklands is a place that promises an experience that you can not find in other places. Surronded by the cold waters of the South Atlantic ocean, islands are bustling with activities. However, these almost have no detrimental effect on the surrounding nature and wildlife. A balance between human settlement and nature is remarkable. Therefore, it is perfect for nature lovers. But like everything, traveling to Falkland has its own costs. One of them might be a visa. However, you should not be afraid of visa procedures at all. Pickvisa is ready to help you to fulfill your purpose. You can benefit from the services that Pickvisa offers.
