Tucked away in the innards of the Qantas website are a couple of tools that are useful for everybody, no matter which airline you are flying, or which destination you’re flying to.

The country information search provides details about a country’s:

• visa requirements:
• health requirements (e.g. vaccination requirements);
• passport requirements (e.g. whether a passport must be valid only for the length of stay or longer);
• airport taxes, which may not be included in the ticket price;
• duty free allowances and other customs regulations;
• restrictions on currency movements and thresholds above which currency must be declared.

Additionally QANTAS allows you to create a customised report of the relevant visa and health requirements. The website will display details not only for your ultimate destination, but also any countries through which you may be transiting. The report will specify vaccination, visa and onward requirements to enter or transit. Some restrictions might be be obvious; Malaysia may, for instance, refuse admission to foreign ladies in an advanced stage of pregnancy.

If you don’t check all this before you leave you’re airline is likely to before you board;  airlines are often stricter than overseas customs officials because should you be denied entry the airline will be required to deport you back to the flight’s country of origin at their own cost, often with a fine thrown in for good measure.

All the data is provided by the IATA, so it’s a source is rock-solid. Got any other great travel hints or tips? Please leave a comment!

[Image credit Paul Davidson on Flickr]