What is the official risk level in Antarctica today?

Level 2/4 — Exercise Increased Caution, U.S. Department of State, retrieved on 16 October 2026. Is the whole country advised against? United States: no · France: no · Switzerland: no (reading of 27 September 2026). Contractually, only an FDFA, FOPH or WHO advisory against the trip opens Module A (art. 18.1) — that is not the case today. International medical cover, 24/7 number saved, and a read of the areas named under Safety & risks before booking the itinerary. We check these sources every morning and e-mail you the day one changes (Alerts button).

Is the whole of Antarctica advised against, or only some areas?

An area advised against does not rule out the country. Official answers: United States: no · France: no · Switzerland: no. Keep your country of residence's advisory on booking day and on departure day: that is what your policy's clauses cite.

What are the entry requirements for Antarctica with my passport?

The rules depend on the passport, not on the destination alone. French passport (France Diplomatie): No passport or visa formalities are required for Antarctica itself, but check requirements for transit countries. It is strongly recommended to use a specialized tour operator adhering to international and national regulations. Ensure your chosen tour operator holds an activity permit from an Antarctic Treaty Consultative Party. British passport (Foreign Office): British citizens must hold a valid passport to enter Antarctica; entry will be denied if your passport is lost, stolen, or invalid. Anyone on a British expedition to Antarctica or operating a British vessel or aircraft must obtain a permit from the FCDO Polar Regions Department. Tour operators typically arrange permits for organised Antarctica visits; confirm this with your operator to avoid travelling without permission. American passport: the requirements are on the State Department country page (travel.state.gov). Swiss passport: the FDFA refers you to the destination's embassy in Switzerland. Pick your passport at the top of Before you go › Entry: the official text that concerns you comes first, with its “In brief” summary.

Do I need an insurance certificate for a Antarctica visa?

For a Schengen visa, yes: at least €30,000 of travel medical insurance (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, art. 15). Many other countries ask for it on entry or for a visa, case by case: check Before you go › Entry, with your passport. Subscribe: the named certificate arrives by e-mail on payment, with your name, dates and limits (EUR 1.5M medical expenses, unlimited evacuation and repatriation) — the ones consulates check. Attach it to the visa file; if in doubt about the format, write to us.

What does Maximum Insurance do in Antarctica, concretely?

VIP Pack — €990 for twelve months, unlimited trips. EUR 1.5M emergency medical expenses, unlimited medical evacuation and repatriation, search and rescue EUR 50,000, cancellation or change EUR 5,000. One 24/7 number, +41 22 ••• •• ••: Maximum sends its direct payment guarantee to the hospital (art. 2.12). Network of 45,000 providers (art. 6.9); evacuation is decided, organised and paid by Maximum's medical team if the local facility is not enough (art. 6.2.2). Named certificate by e-mail on payment, no medical questionnaire.

What should I do if hospitalised in Antarctica?

Six steps, in this order. 1. Call +41 22 ••• •• •• before paying anything, or have the front desk call: it is the condition for full cover (otherwise: reduced or refused benefits). 2. Ask for a hospital in the Maximum network (art. 6.9). 3. See a doctor the same day and leave with the certificate: without an on-the-spot finding, nothing is covered (art. 33). 4. Admitted for more than 24 h? The front desk calls Maximum: direct payment guarantee, no deposit (art. 2.12). 5. Book no ambulance or flight yourself (art. 6.2.2). 6. Once home, file within 30 days (art. 35.7).

Which emergency numbers in Antarctica?

Local numbers are under Before you go › On site. Maximum, 24/7, before any payment: +41 22 ••• •• ••. Save these numbers before leaving; in immediate danger, call local emergency services first, then Maximum.

Is an Amex, Visa or Mastercard enough in Antarctica?

At today's level 2/4, card by card: Amex Platinum — No area exclusion at this level — but three written limits: deductible and prior approval, 90-day cap, advance under conditions. Visa — No express area exclusion — but a €156,000 cap, 90 days, and the war/instability exclusion in the background. Mastercard — No exclusion in play at this level — but a €155,000 cap and 90 covered days. Three lines to read in your notice: the duration (often 90 days per trip), the settlement (reimbursement afterwards or direct payment of the hospital) and the area exclusion at level 4/4.

Are a health plan or a travel policy enough in Antarctica?

A health plan reimburses at home; here, the hospital asks for a payment guarantee before admission. Health plan — A health plan treats you at home. Here the hospital asks for a guarantee before admission — not a later reimbursement. Travel policy — No area exclusion at this level — compare cap, deductible and covered duration. A travel policy often has a territorial clause at level 4/4 and a 90-day limit per trip. Have your IPID number or the PDF of the terms and ask an expert to call you back: the answer is in the document, not in the brochure.

How do I use the medical network on this page?

The page reads hospitals, pharmacies and doctors from OpenStreetMap, around the point you choose. Type your city, hotel or beach: the map re-centres, 24/7 emergency rooms come first. Each row gives the phone when the source publishes it, the nearest street, directions and the Google Maps listing. The PDF briefing repeats the same places, numbered on a printable map. No customer reviews: OpenStreetMap has none, and we invent none.

Which vaccines and health precautions for Antarctica?

The sourced detail is under Medical network › Health: vaccines, diseases present, altitude, outbreaks. The chosen point is at 3,197 m: altitude sickness is possible in the first days; descend if symptoms worsen. See a doctor or a travel clinic 8 weeks before departure (Foreign Office). Carry your medicines in their packaging, with a prescription using international non-proprietary names (France Diplomatie).

Can I be treated in Antarctica, or will I be evacuated?

The compared figures are under Safety & risks › Health system. When the local facility is not enough, Maximum's medical team decides the evacuation to a suitable centre, and pays for it (art. 6.2.2).

Antarctica: safety, in figures?

Comparable figures (homicides, roads, incidents) are under Safety & risks › Incidents.

Where is my embassy in Antarctica, and why register?

Embassies and consulates are under Before you go › Contacts, sorted by passport. Register before leaving: France: Ariane · Switzerland: Travel Admin · United Kingdom: Foreign Office alerts · United States: STEP. Two minutes, and in a crisis your country's authorities can reach you and count you in an evacuation. Pick your passport at the top of Contacts: your embassy comes first.

Which regions of Antarctica should I avoid, precisely?

No region is advised against by the official readings checked (Global Affairs Canada, Foreign Office and France Diplomatie): the national advice applies everywhere. Your point (Antarctica): country-wide vigilance. Maximum does not exclude these areas: the VIP Pack covers care and repatriation there (sanctions, embargoes and a country already at war at departure remain enforceable).

Which laws and customs should I know in Antarctica?

Local laws apply to every traveller; here is what the official texts say. Canadian citizens must abide by local laws in Antarctica, which are regulated by the Antarctic Environmental Protection Act. Canadian citizens are prohibited from engaging in mineral resource activities, interfering with wildlife, or introducing non-indigenous species without a permit. Canadian citizens require a permit for waste disposal activities or any activity within specially protected areas in Antarctica. British travellers should check how their tour operator or scientific unit plans to follow environmental protection guidelines for the British Antarctic Territory. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the British Antarctic Territory since 2014.

Who can I call at any hour from Antarctica?

Every foreign ministry runs a 24/7 emergency line for its nationals. France — Crisis and Support Centre — French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs: +33 1 53 59 11 00. 24/7 emergency line, standard rate. First contact abroad: the French embassy or consulate. Switzerland — FDFA Helpline: +41 58 465 33 33 · +41 800 24 7 365. 24/7, 365 days a year — helpline@eda.admin.ch. Beware of scam calls spoofing these numbers. United Kingdom — Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: +44 20 7008 5000. 24 hours, for British nationals. United States — Overseas Citizens Services — U.S. Department of State: +1 202 501 4444 · +1 888 407 4747. From abroad; the second number from the U.S. and Canada.

What should I keep after leaving Antarctica, and how do I file a claim?

Keep the entry stamp, the invoices, the prescriptions and the medical report. File within 30 days (art. 35.7) from your client area, with the documents; the official forms are pre-filled. Costs advanced on site are reimbursed against receipts. Fever, persistent diarrhoea or a rash in the following weeks? See a doctor and say where you have been.

What does the Pack VIP Extreme add?

Cancellation or change up to EUR 20,000, special risk EUR 5,000 per person, crisis management and security, optional Kidnap & Ransom. Special risk (Module A): political event, attack, epidemic, natural disaster — opens when the FDFA, the FOPH or WHO advise against the trip (art. 18.1). Epidemic: assistance must be requested within 7 days of the WHO or FDFA qualification (art. 36.2). Crisis management and security: trip registration, monitoring, extraction, evacuation in case of riot, war, terrorism or disaster; Kidnap & Ransom subject to eligibility (art. 18.4). €2,290 a year, unlimited trips.

Travel insurance Antarctica: Level 2/4 on 16 Oct 2026