Which travel formalities must you undertake?
General
Are you planning to make a trip abroad soon? Then be sure not to forget to check the travel formalities for your destination country and request the necessary documents in good time. The latest information on this can be found at the embassy of the country of destination, or on the website of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation: http://diplomatie.belgium.be/
At check-in
At check-in, every traveller must comply with the required travel formalities of the country of origin and the destination country. The name shown on the travel document must be the same as the name given when making the reservation. If the traveller is unable to present the required documents, s/he is not allowed to board. All costs resulting from this are paid by the traveller.
For non-Belgians and naturalised Belgians:
For travellers who have a nationality other than Belgian, separate rules apply. These also apply to naturalised Belgians for certain countries.
In most cases, a passport is sufficient. The residence permits of non-Belgians are not valid as travel documents. In some cases, you must be in possession of a visa and must be able to present a return ticket.
Please always contact the respective embassy or consulate for more information.
Thomas Cook Airlines must comply with certain restrictions for the sale of tickets to Aqaba (Jordan), according to which sale to non-EU nationals is not permitted. If these rules laid down by the local authorities are not complied with, a fine is charged both to the passenger and to Thomas Cook Airlines.
For travellers of Belgian nationality:
If you are travelling to a country in the European Union, your ID card is sufficient. (It must be valid for at least three months after your return.)
For countries outside the European Union, a passport is normally required. (It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return.) Children under the age of 12 must also have a valid identification card with a photo.
IMPORTANT: please be aware of the procedure for children. it takes about 3 weeks to order a new Kids ID for children under the age of 12 (applicable in most cities)
When travelling to certain tourist destinations, travellers will be asked either on the outward flight or upon arrival to fill in a tourist card or pay a visa fee.
Below you will find all the info about the documents required for a tourist trip of maximum 90 days, for all countries to which Thomas Cook Airlines offers flights. This information is constantly subject to change.
Bulgaria
Cape Verde
- Passport
- You can by your visa upon arrival at the airport. This costs € 56 p.p.!
Cuba
- Passport
- Certificate from your mandatory travel insurance
- Tourist card (included in the price of the return flight you booked with Thomas Cook Airlines; to be obtained from the Thomas Cook Airlines desk in Brussels and correctly filled out in block capitals prior to check-in)
- A visa for a stay of longer than 30 days
- Restrictions: The Cuban authorities forbid travellers to bring in portable DVD players, GPS applications, Playstations and suchlike.
Croatia
Cyprus
Dominican Republic
- All travellers with Belgian nationality must have an international passport valid up to 6 months after return. The ID card is as from then not accepted anymore. Children and babies also need to have an international passport.
- Tourist card (included in the price of the return flight you booked with Thomas Cook Airlines; to be obtained from the Thomas Cook Airlines desk on departure from Brussels)
Egypt
- ID card for stays shorter than 1 month (still valid for at least 6 months after your return flight)
- Passport for a stay of 1 month or longer (still valid for at least 6 months after your return flight)
- The visa which you obtain on arrival at the airport from the employees of Bright Sky Travel, our local agent. For this you need 2 passport photographs and must pay EUR 17 per traveller (subject to conditions).
France
Greece
Italy
Jamaica
- Passport
- Tourist card: obtained during the flight or on arrival, to be filled in personally
Jordan
- ID card (still valid for at least 6 months after your return flight)
- Important note: Passport is required if you booked your ticket within 5 working days prior to departure, if you have booked a diving package or if you wish to make an excursion into a neighbouring country.
- Upon reservation, you must provide the following information on all travellers to Thomas Cook Airlines: nationality, card number and the validity date of your ID card and passport
- You can acquire a visa upon arriving at the airport in Aqaba, and it is free. Bring 2 passport photos per passenger, including children.
- You must pay a departure tax of around JOD 25 upon leaving Jordan, including therefore when you make an excursion to a neighbouring country.
Kenya
- Passport (still valid for at least 6 months after your return flight)
- You can acquire a visa upon arriving at the airport in Mombasa by handing in a completed request form given out during the flight. Payment for a visa on arriving in Kenya can only be made in USD and costs USD 50 (USD 25 for children under the age of 16, preferably in exact change). Note: If you are combining your stay in Kenya with a stay in Zanzibar, you must request a visa for ‘multiple entries’ on arrival in Kenya. If you are travelling through en route to Tanzania, a separate visa is obligatory (USD 50 on arrival). (prices can change at all times)
- visa can be obtained in advance at the embassy of Kenya in Brussels
Maldives
- Passport (still valid for at least 6 months after your arrival at the Maldives)
- You can acquire a visa upon arriving at the airport
Malta
Morocco
Mexico
- Passport
- Tourist card: obtained during the flight or on arrival, to be filled in personally
Montenegro
Portugal
Senegal
- Passport (still valid for at least 3 months after your date of arrival)
Sri Lanka
- Passport (still valid for at least 3 months after your date of return)
- You can acquire a visa upon arriving at the airport
Spanish mainland, Balearic Islands and Canary Islands
Thailand
- Passport (valid for at least 6 months counting from the outward flight)
- Visa, for stays of longer than 30 days
Tunisia
- Passport
- except for citizens with both Belgian and Tunisian nationality: Tunisian passport
Turkey
- ID card
- You can obtain a visa upon arrival at the airport in Turkey upon showing your ID card subject to a payment of EUR 15 (subject to conditions). Be sure to keep your document safe, as it will be requested when you leave the country
Zanzibar (Tanzania)
- Passport (still valid for at least 6 months after your return flight)
- You can acquire a visa upon arriving at the airport in Zanzibar by handing in a completed request form given out during the flight. This visa costs 50 US dollars on arrival (preferable in exact change). Note: If you are combining your stay in Zanzibar with a stay in Kenya, you must pay for a separate visa at arrival in Mombasa/Kenya (50 UD dollars, 25 US dollars for children under the age of 26) (prices can change at all times)
- visa can be obtained in advance at the embassy of Tanzania in Brussels
More information
If you are bringing your pet with you on the trip:
Your pet, too, must fulfil the required travel formalities. Ask your vet for information in good time. If you are travelling to a country outside the European Union, you would do best to contact the embassy or consulate of the destination country.
If you wish to rent a car while on holiday:
The Belgian driver’s licence is not valid everywhere. In certain countries, you can only rent a car if you possess an international driver’s licence. Ask the embassy or consulate of the country to which you are travelling for this information.