• Travel

    Foreign Office guidance tells tourists to update phone before flying to Greece

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    By Sophie Buchan

    Copyright glasgowlive

    Foreign Office guidance tells tourists to update phone before flying to Greece

    Travellers heading to Greece should take precautionary measures and carry out specific safety steps before their holiday. According to the official GOV.UK website, the Foreign Office has stressed to visitors that they must remain on alert.

    On the Foreign Office’s safety and security page, officials have explained the importance of ensuring your phone alerts you to severe weather conditions and natural disasters. The guidance was last updated on August 13 and remains current, with holidaymakers advised to consistently review the website prior to departure, reports Bristol Live.

    The recommendations state: “Greece can experience extreme natural phenomena such as earthquakes, wildfires, extreme heat and flash floods. To be alerted to events near where you are located in Greece, make sure your mobile phone is set to allow emergency alerts.”

    How to activate urgent alerts on iPhone, Android and Samsung devices

    for iPhones go to Settings > Notifications and enable the ‘Emergency Alerts’ option at the bottom for Android 11 and higher go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced Settings > Wireless Emergency Alerts for Samsung devices go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Notifications > Emergency Notifications and enable the ‘Emergency Alerts’ option

    The reason they urge people to do this is so that the Greek government’s Emergency Communication Service can reach you and you can get to safety if needed. The guidance added: “Always keep your phone with you as you will receive alerts according to the location of your phone.”

    Think about assembling an emergency kit containing vital items like:

    passports/ID cards mobile phones and device chargers money and bank cards insurance and other important documents essential medicine and prescription details

    If you’re planning a trip to Greece in the coming month, be prepared for potential wildfires. The Foreign Office has emphasised in its guidance: “There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near your location.”

    The Foreign Office further added in its guidance that “wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly” and therefore it’s crucial to do everything possible to minimise the risk.

    You can do this by ensuring you:

    leave no litter, especially not glass which is known to start fires make sure cigarettes are properly extinguished do not light barbecues

    What are the passport validity requirements for Greece?

    Greece adheres to Schengen area rules. Your passport must:

    have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)

    Remember, entry will be denied if you do not have a valid travel document. Always ensure it’s up to date and that your appearance matches the photo on your passport as any major changes such as surgery which changes your look could cause an issue.

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