Detailed guide: Visiting Antarctica
Updated: Addition of IEE information
Requirements for visiting Antarctica
The Antarctic Treaty signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 preserves the Antarctic continent for peaceful and scientific use.
The Antarctic Treaty’s Protocol on Environmental Protection, signed in 1991, is the only international agreement designed to protect an entire continent. It ensures that all human activity in Antarctica is carefully planned and managed. It enables a range of human activity to take place in Antarctica including scientific research, well-managed, environmentally sensitive tourism, and exploration. Crucially, the Protocol prohibits commercial mining and protects vulnerable areas, animals and plants.
The Antarctic Treaty does not prevent tourists, military personnel or scientific researchers from being present in Antarctica – but they do require an appropriate permit from a Treaty Party.
Permit criteria
Anyone on a British expedition to Antarctica or taking a British vessel or aircraft into Antarctica will need to apply for a permit from the Polar Regions Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
A British expedition is one organised in the UK, or one where the last place of departure for Antarctica is the UK, a British overseas territory, or a Crown Dependency. ‘Expedition’ consists of a single person or group, undertaking a tour or journey of any purpose, including activities such as landing ashore, skiing, kayaking, small boat activities, climbing, diving or any related activity.
You do not need a permit for:
- ships or aircraft travelling to an immediate destination outside Antarctica
- fishing vessels, unless they are carrying out functions related to an expedition
- expeditions organised in and authorised in writing by another contracting party (country) to the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty
It is also unlikely that you will need a permit if you are a passenger on an organised visit to Antarctica, as your tour operator would usually arrange this. However you should confirm this with them before travelling. Contact the Polar Regions Department if you are still unsure.
Applying for a permit
You should submit applications for permits as far in advance as possible. This should be at least 4 months for a new or unusual application, or at least 2 months before the date of your departure if you have previously obtained a permit for summer activities.
Organisers must demonstrate that they are sufficiently prepared for a visit to Antarctica. You should discuss your plans informally with the Polar Regions Department before you begin completing the permit application. This is especially important if your expedition involves specialist activities such as extreme sports, extended trips or multiple transport options.
Application forms and guidance
For a land or vessel based expedition you can download the permit application form and guidance below. For further information please contact the Polar Regions Department. Before completing either application form,
If you plan to undertake more specialist activities in Antarctic (such as wildlife monitoring or scientific research) it is likely you will need a separate permit. For further information please contact the Polar Regions Department.
Once the expedition is complete, you will need to complete a Post Visit Report. Permit holders who are members of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) need only to provide the Polar Regions Department of the Post Visit Report prepared by IAATO.
How to contact the Polar Regions Department
Telephone: 020 7008 1500
Email: polarregions@fco.gov.uk
Address:
Polar Regions Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Room W2.80
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
Publishing application details
Applicants should be aware that within 10 days from the Polar Regions Department confirming receipt of any permit applications, the FCO will openly publish information relating to these applications on this website. This will include application type, applicant name, duration of visit, proposed itinerary and the contact details of the applicant.
Please also see our privacy notice
UK Antarctic enforcement policy and procedures
The FCO is responsible for ensuring that the UK’s Antarctic legislation is fully complied with. See our UK Antarctic Enforcement Policy and Procedures page for further details.
Comprehensive Environmental Evaluations (CEEs) received for activity in Antarctica
| Name | Company | Purpose and location | Date received and CEE |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAS Environment Office information@bas.ac.uk | British Antarctic Survey | Replacement of Rothera Wharf and stabilisation of the area around the runway at Rothera Station | January 2018 – available at www.bas.ac.uk |
Initial Environmental Evaluations (IEEs) received for activity in Antarctica 2018 to 2019
| Name | Company | Purpose and location | Date received and IEE |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAS Environment Office information@bas.ac.uk | British Antarctic Survey | Proposed Deep Ice Core Drilling Project on Skytrain Ice Rise, Antarctica | September 2018 – available at www.bas.ac.uk |
Applications received for expeditions from the 2018 to 2019 season
| Permit applicant | Vessel/Aircraft name | Purpose and date of visit | Brief itinerary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver Plunkett Oliver.plunkett@macswitzerland.ch | SA Agulhas II | Weddell Sea Exhibition 2019 28 December 2018 to 28 February 2019 | Weddell Sea area including Larsen C Ice Shelf |
| Robert Dougall McCallum rob@eyos-expeditions.com | DSSV Pressure Drop | Scientific research 1 January 2019 to 30 January 2019 | Lander deployment, South Sandwich Trench |
| Skip Novak skipnovak@pelagic.co.uk | Pelagic Australis | Tourism 1 December 2018 to 10 April 2019 | South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula |
| Dr Dorothea Bakker d.bakker@uea.ac.uk | Polarstern | Scientific research 15 December 2018 to 7 February 2019 | Weddell Sea |
| Dr Ursula Witte u.witte@abnd.ac.uk | Polarstern | Scientific research 9 January 2019 to 10 April 2019 | Weddell Sea area including Larsen C, Larsen B & A |
| Julian Cope jcope@tglobal.com | DS Wisconsin | Transport construction materials 1 December 2018 to 7 January 2019 | Rothera Wharf |
| Dr Tom Hart tom.hart@zoo.ox.ac.uk | MV Ocean Endeavour | Scientific Research 16 October 2018 to 26 January 2019 | Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands |
| Robert Dougall McCallum rob@eyos-expeditions.com | Rosehearty | Tourism 14 December 2018 to 2 February 2019 | Northern and western parts of the Antarctic Peninsula |
| Jerome Ponchet Golden.fleece@horizon.co.fk | Golden Fleece | Tourism 13 December 2018 to 16 February 2019 | Antarctic Peninsula |
| Peter Watson peter.lb.watson@gmail.com | Grey Wolf | Tourism 16 November 2018 to 24 February 2019 | Antarctic Peninsula |
| Patrick Woodhead patrick@white-desert.com | Tourism 25 October 2018 to 28 February 2019 | Dronning Maud Land | |
| Robert Dougall McCallum rob@eyos-expeditions.com | Legend | Tourism 18 December 2018 to 5 March 2019 | Northern and western parts of the Antarctic Peninsula |
| Emil Grimsson emil@arctictrucks.is | Logistics and Tourism 12 November 2018 to 26 January 2019 | Union Glacier, Ross Ice Shelf, Ronne Ice Shelf, South Pole, Leverett Glacier, Constellation Inlet, Amundsen Coast, Axel Heiberg Glacier | |
| Tim Cochrane timc@noble-caledonia.co.uk | Island Sky | Tourism 23 November 2018 to 24 January 2019 | Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands |
| Robert Dougall McCallum rob@eyos-expeditions.com | Gayle Force | Tourism 16 January 2019 to 2 February 2019 | Northern and western parts of the Antarctic Peninsula |
| Dame Jane Francis janefr@bas.ac.uk | Extraction and use of material in Rothera Wharf redevelopment 14 October 2018 to 31 May 2020 | Rothera Point, Antarctic Peninsula | |
| Katherine Short Katort80@bas.ac.uk | Gamechanger, Legend, Planet Nine | Scientific research 30 November 2018 to 28 February 2019 | Antarctic Peninsula |