FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HEALTH AND TREATMENT
Healthcare in Guernsey is provided by the Health and Social Services Department and private general practitioners and is outside the UK National Health Service.
Primary care doctors, dentists and other health professionals, such as physiotherapists, are in private practice and all patients are required to pay for treatment provided within primary care. This can be at a surgery, at your temporary residence or at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital including Accident & Emergency.
The Bailiwick of Guernsey’s reciprocal agreement with the British Government for UK residents ended on 31st March 2009. In practical terms this means that UK residents travelling to the Bailiwick will in addition to the above be charged for secondary care medical treatment ie treatment provided within a hospital. There will be a limited number of exemptions to charges for certain contagious diseases and compulsory psychiatric treatment.
There are also charges for the ambulance service and repatriation, to where you are ordinarily resident, if required.
Medical insurance is strongly recommended.
For further information please contact the Health and Social Services Department on +44 (0) 1481 725241 (ext 4544 or 4711).
Countries which have an agreement are: Australia, Austria, Barbados, Iceland, Portugal, Jersey, New Zealand, and Sweden.
However visitors from these countries will be charged for the same aspects of treatment as a local resident and this includes treatment by a GP in the Accident and Emergency Department.
Insurance is strongly recommended.
TRAVELLING WITH PETS
A Pet Passport is not required for pet cats and dogs travelling directly between the United Kingdom and Guernsey. They can travel by sea, including on private yachts and by air, including private aircraft, but no part of the journey can include a place outside of the UK or the Channel Islands.
A Pet Passport is required for pet cats and dogs travelling from mainland Europe, including UK based pets that have travelled to Europe and return via Guernsey. Pets can not travel in private yachts or by air. The only approved route to Guernsey is by Ferry from St Malo on Condor Ferries.
To obtain a Pet Passport, pets must, in the following order: be microchipped, vaccinated against Rabies and have a blood test to demonstrate that the Rabies vaccination has been successful. Pets must then wait 6 months from the date of the blood test before they can travel.
As a safeguard against parasites all pets must receive treatment against ticks and tapeworms 24 – 48 hours before embarkation and this treatment must be recorded in the Pet Passport. Staff in St Malo are required to check the documentation of all pets and those without valid Pet Passports will not be allowed to board the ferries.
Please contact the ferry companies regarding travelling with your pet before making travel arrangements. Pet Passports can be obtained from vets and it takes between 7 and 8 months for a pet to qualify for travel. Pet owners therefore need to plan well in advance of their travel time to ensure that they can take their pets with them. For further information, please Tel +44 (0) 1481 234567 or email agriculture@commerce.gov.gg
or see www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm
MONEY MATTERS
Sterling is the currency of Guernsey, which has its own notes and coins. UK and Jersey currency can also be used within the islands but Channel Island sterling will not be accepted in the UK apart from at banks which will exchange notes. Major credit cards are widely accepted throughout the islands. Some businesses will accept euros, although change will generally be given in sterling. It is advisable to check with the shop before attempting to make a purchase. There is no VAT in Guernsey but it is not a duty-free island. ATM machines are available at most high street banks in St Peter Port, the airport and selected sites, including supermarkets, garages and some out of town banks throughout the island.
ELECTRICITY
Electricity is supplied throughout the islands at 240 volts (50 hertz) You will need an adaptor if you are travelling from Continental Europe or further afield.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Public holidays are the same as the UK with the addition of Liberation Day on 9 May.
CUSTOMS ALLOWANCE
Guernsey is not part of the EU; therefore the maximum allowances are:
Tobacco:
200 cigarettes or
100 cigarillos or
50 cigars or
250 grams of tobacco
Alcohol:
over 22% by volun:ie (spirits/strong liqueurs) 1 litre
or
under 22% volume (inc fortified and sparkling
wine and other liqueurs) 2 litres
and
Still table wine 4 litres
plus four extra litres of still table vvine if no spirits,
liqueurs, fonified or sparkling wines
and
Beer or cider (or a combination) 50 litres
Other Goods:
a) If brought in from a place within the customs territory of the European Community, and provided all duties have been paid, goods to an unlimited value.
b) If brought in from a place outside the customs territory of the European Community by a person
- travelling on a commercial air or sea service, goods to a value of £340
- travelling by private aircraft or private vessel, goods to a value of £240
If you bring something worth more than the monetary limit, you will have to pay duty on the full value, not just on the value above the limit.
If you are travelling as a family or group, you cannot pool your individual allowances towards an item worth more than the limit. You will have to pay duty on the full value of the item.
People under the age of 17 cannot have the tobacco or alcohol allowance.
PHOTO IDENTIFICATION/PASSPORTS
If you are arriving in the Channel Islands direct from the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland, you do not need a passport. However, all carriers will require some form of photographic identification. If in doubt over acceptable forms of ID, please contact your carrier direct.
If you are arriving in the island from outside the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland, irrespective of your nationality, you must have a valid passport or travel document – European Union nationals may use their national identity cards.
Non-British /European Union nationals travelling to the Channel Islands from outside the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland, should check whether they require a visa. If a visa is required it must be obtained prior to travel from a British Consulate or British High Commission in their usual country of residence.
For further details on immigration, please contact the Guernsey Customs and Immigration Office on 44 (0) 1481 741420 or e-mail: enquiries@nationality.gov.gg
DRIVING IN GUERNSEY
Driving in Guernsey is probably a little different to what most visitors are used to. The roads are narrow, there are special rules, and not all the signs will be familiar to you. The maximum speed limit is 35 mph and less in many areas. However, these are maximum speeds, not recommended speeds and in many places a much lower speed is necessary for safe driving. Please take care when driving in Guernsey. We recommend that you read the leaflet ‘Driving in Guernsey is different’ which is available to download at www.gov.gg/ccm/navigation/travel-transport/information-leaflets/ and is also available from the Guernsey Information Centre. Drivers should be insured and have a full driving licence. In Guernesy we drive on the left, the same as the UK.
All public parking in Guernsey is free. However, most on-street parking and car parks in principal shopping areas are marked disc zone and you must use a ‘parking clock’ to indicate your time of arrival, day or night. This parking clock can be purchased from the Visitor Information Centre, Airport Information Desk, the Police Station and other selected outlets.
MOTOR CARAVANS, TRAILERS, CARAVANS AND TRAILER TENTS
Motorhomes may be brought into Guernsey provided that the vehicles are not used at any time for human habitation and are stored under cover (garage or enclosed outbuilding) when not being driven on the island’s roads.
Trailer Caravans are not permitted.
Permission is not required to bring a trailer tent into the Island.
TELEPHONES
The code for Guernsey is 01481 from the UK and 44 1481 internationally. Mobile networks require a roaming facility plus international dialling codes. ‘Pay as you go’ phones only operate in Guernsey where there is an agreement with the network provider. Please check with your provider if in doubt.
GETTING MARRIED IN GUERNSEY
For details on legal formalities, venues, caterers and other details for your big day please visit www.guernseyweddings.co.uk/legalrequirements.htm. Please note that visitors need to ensure that they have met legal requirements to marry in Guernsey. For further information and advice please telephone the Office of the Registrar General on 44 (0) 1481 725277.
LICENSING HOURS
In Guernsey opening hours for public houses are: 10am – 12.45am Monday to Saturday and 12 noon – 12.45am on Sundays for persons over 18. Children are only allowed in designated areas such as gardens or if having a meal.
SMOKING BAN
Smoking is not permitted in public areas in Guernsey. This includes pubs, restaurants and hotels. Some hotels do have bedrooms where smoking is allowed, please check this at time of booking. This includes the Island of Herm. Sark does not currently have this legislation. Alderney is currently considering the introduction of this legislation.
SATISFACTION CHECK
Customer feedback is vital to us in monitoring the standards of accommodation, and your commendations, comments or suggestions are always welcome. Should you encounter a problem with your accommodation, you must raise the issue immediately with the establishment, and also with your holiday provider if you did not book direct, to give them an opportunity to put things right. This will usually achieve the desired result - if you are not satisfied with the response please contact the Quality Development Section immediately on 44 (0)1481 234567, or visit the Guernsey Information Centre for further advice.
Failure to follow these simple steps can prejudice any subsequent claim. Please note that complaints submitted after a holiday is over are often impossible to resolve satisfactorily.
All establishments that offer visitor accommodation in Guernsey and Herm (excluding campsites) are subject to the Tourist Law. This requires the operator to obtain a Boarding Permit from the States of Guernsey, which must be displayed in a prominent position in the main entrance to the premises. Boarding Permits are only valid when certain conditions are fulfilled, including the provision of adequate fire safety precautions and public liability insurance cover, and maintaining the minimum requirements of the appropriate quality grading standard.