Passport and visas vital for gap year travellers

Before setting off on a gap year adventure, it is vitally important to ensure you have a valid passport and all necessary visas.

Writing for the Guardian, Jill Insley highlighted the importance of ensuring all key documentation is in order before heading to the airport or ferry terminal.

Gappers need to check their passport is valid, ideally for a minimum of six months after the date they plan to return to the UK, she stated.

"You should also check whether you require visas for the places you plan to visit," Ms Insley advised.

"Bear in mind that these can take several weeks to arrange and are rarely free."

As such, people looking forward to gap years should check with the relevant embassies and start the application process as soon as they have booked their trip.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) urges UK travellers to make a note of their passport number, date and place of issue.

It is also advisable to keep a photocopy of your passport in a safe place, separate to the passport itself as a fall-back in the event of theft or loss.

The full details of your next of kin should also be kept in the passport, in order to provide a contact for anyone finding the document.

Another piece of advice from the FCO is to take a second means of photo-identification away with you, such as an ID card or driving licence.

"Keep your passport in the hotel safe and carry a photocopy with you, unless local laws stipulate that you should carry the original," the FCO said.

"If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, contact the nearest British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate office immediately for advice."

Click here for gap year advice.