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AuthorizationSince 1 August 2025, any traveller wishing to set foot on South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands — whether on a tourist or scientific expedition — must obtain an electronic travel authorisation called an Entry Permit, or ETA. This British Overseas Territory, situated between the South Atlantic and Antarctica, has introduced this system to strictly regulate access to one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world. The good news: the process is entirely online, quick to complete, and the document is sent directly to you by email. It is, however, wise to plan ahead: your application must be received and paid for at least 8 days before your arrival date, a late fee applies beyond that point, and no application is approved 3 days or fewer before arrival.
01 · The essentials
The Entry Permit has been mandatory since 1 August 2025 for every traveller wishing to land on the archipelago.
The application is submitted entirely through the official portal, with no consulate visit required.
The form is straightforward and quick to complete: a few personal details and your travel information are all you need.
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) form a British Overseas Territory administered from Stanley, in the Falkland Islands. These remote archipelagos, located in the South Atlantic approximately 1,400 km east of the Falklands, are renowned for their exceptional Antarctic wildlife — king penguins, elephant seals, albatrosses — and their landscapes of glacial fjords. Precisely because the ecosystem is extremely fragile, the government (GSGSSI) has established strict entry controls through the Entry Control Order.
The Entry Permit (also referred to as ETA for Electronic Travel Authorization) is the mandatory electronic authorisation governing these entries since 1 August 2025. Unlike a traditional visa stamped in a passport, the ETA is a digital document. Once your application has been validated by the authorities, you receive your authorisation directly by email. No visit to a consulate is required.
It is important not to confuse this Entry Permit with a visa in the traditional sense: it is an electronic travel authorisation for persons who wish to physically land on the archipelago, whether for a tourist visit or a professional mission. The form can be completed in a few minutes on the official portal.
02 · Eligibility
The basic rule is straightforward: all visitors and workers who wish to land on the territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands must hold a valid Entry Permit. This requirement applies regardless of the traveller's nationality and regardless of the purpose of the stay — tourist visit, participation in a scientific expedition, transit with a shore stop on the archipelago, etc.
Categories of travellers concerned include in particular tourists (most often passengers on expedition cruise ships), workers attached to official or scientific missions, students on research programmes, and persons in transit with a shore stop.
However, certain categories of persons benefit from deemed permission and do not need to submit an Entry Permit application. According to the official document "Entry Control: Persons Who Have Deemed Permission" published by GSGSSI, these exemptions apply mainly to:
If you are travelling on an expedition cruise ship and go ashore — even briefly — to watch penguins or explore the ruins of Grytviken, the Entry Permit is mandatory for you. Check this point with your cruise operator before departure.
Every passenger landing on the archipelago, whether on an expedition cruise or a private crossing, must hold a Visitor Permit.
Participants in scientific expeditions who set foot ashore are subject to the Entry Permit requirement according to their status (worker or visitor).
Crew members who do not disembark benefit from deemed permission and are exempt from a formal application.
Certain British government agents on official duty in the territory also benefit from deemed permission.
03 · Required documents
The Entry Permit application is made entirely online, on the official portal. Before you start, gather the following information and documents to avoid any interruption during data entry. The form is designed to be completed in a single session.
Please note that the official SGSSI government portal only works on Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If you are using another browser (Safari, Firefox…), you must switch to one of these two browsers before starting your application, otherwise you may encounter submission errors.
04 · The procedure
The Entry Permit application for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is entirely paperless. Here is the full procedure, from preparing your documents to receiving your authorisation.
Check your passport validity (it must be valid for at least 4 weeks after your departure date from SGSSI). Note your passport number, date of birth, exact dates of your stay, and the name of the vessel or expedition with which you are travelling.
Open Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (the portal does not work on other browsers). Go to the official website of the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.
Fill in all fields: personal details, passport information, email address, travel details (dates, vessel, itinerary). The form can generally be completed in a few minutes if all the information is available.
The Visitor Permit is subject to a fee of £250 €290.96 since 1 July 2026; £275 €320.06 from 1 July 2027, £300 €349.16 from 1 July 2028. Payment is made by credit card on the official portal. For multiple applications, a bank transfer in pounds sterling may be accepted, with bank charges borne by the remitter. An application is only processed once payment has been received.
After payment is confirmed, your application is forwarded to the SGSSI authorities for processing. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by email.
Once your application is approved, the Entry Permit is sent to you by email. Keep this document carefully and have it available at embarkation and upon arrival on the archipelago.
Your application must be received and paid for at least 8 days before your first intended date of arrival in the Territories. Submitted later, it remains admissible but a late application fee of £50 per permit €58.19 is added. And 3 days or fewer before arrival, no application is approved: there is no emergency procedure. Leave yourself a comfortable margin, especially as fees are refunded neither for refused applications nor for permits that end up unused.
before your arrival date to submit and pay for your application without a late fee
05 · Validity and extension
The Entry Permit for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands exists in two forms depending on the nature of your stay. For travellers on a tourist visit, only the Visitor Permit is relevant — the Work Permit, intended for workers and professional missions, is not offered as a service through Visamundi.
Valid for 40 days from the date of entry into the territory. Can be extended by a further 30 days where justified.
Free of charge, valid for 6 months and extendable by a further 6 months where justified. It is not offered as a service through Visamundi.
Once issued, a permit cannot be amended: the smallest correction requires a fresh application, with a new fee. No refund is available, either for refused applications or for unused permits.
The detailed conditions of use of the Entry Permit are published in the document "General Conditions Applying To The Use Of Entry Permits" on the official website.
It is essential to respect the validity period of your Visitor Permit. Remaining beyond the expiry date of your authorisation constitutes a breach of the Entry Control Order, the legal text governing entries and stays in the SGSSI territory. If you anticipate a longer stay than planned, submit your extension request before the current permit expires.
It should be noted that South Georgia is an extremely remote territory: maritime connections are rare and weather conditions can involuntarily extend a stay. Plan for this eventuality in your schedule and ensure you have sufficient margin on your authorisation's validity.
06 · Before you leave
Travelling to South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is an extraordinary adventure that requires careful preparation well beyond simply obtaining the Entry Permit. The territory is one of the most sensitive ecosystems on the planet: every visitor is required to observe strict environmental rules, issued by GSGSSI to protect local flora and fauna.
Here are the main points to check before leaving home:
The Entry Permit for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is an electronic travel authorisation (not a traditional visa), mandatory since 1 August 2025 for any visitor landing on the archipelago. The Visitor Permit is valid for 40 days, costs £250 €290.96 since 1 July 2026, and is obtained entirely online on the official portal — exclusively via Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Submit and pay for your application at least 8 days before your arrival date: beyond that, a £50 late fee applies, and nothing is approved 3 days or fewer before arrival. Finally, arrange insurance covering medical evacuation and repatriation of remains: it is required and remains at your own expense.
Safety
The vigilance level recommended by five foreign ministries, on a shared scale.
Average level
No specific threat reported by the ministries.
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Advice dated September 24, 2025
Normal precautions · South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (British Overseas Territory) travel advice
Levels published by the ministries cited, reproduced unchanged. Visamundi is a private agency with no ties to these administrations.
FAQ
