Guadeloupe Travel Advice, Embassies & Tourist Offices

Before you travel 

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you: 

• women travellers 
• disabled travellers 
• LGBT+ travellers 
• solo and independent travel 
• volunteering and adventure travel 

Travel insurance  

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. 

About FCDO travel advice 

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.  

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated. 

This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel. 

Guadeloupe is an Overseas Department of France (‘Département d’Outre-Mer’). The authorities in Guadeloupe set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the French Consulate General in the UK.    

COVID-19 rules 

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Guadeloupe. 

Passport validity requirements 

Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave Guadeloupe. 

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.  

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen. 

Visa requirements 

Guadeloupe is an Overseas Department of France and so is part of the EU. 

You can visit Guadeloupe without a visa for up to 90 days, for tourism or business. To stay longer, to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons, check the visa application process and timelines on the French visa website. 

UK residents of Guadeloupe  

Carry your residence document, as well as your passport, when entering or exiting Guadeloupe. If you have applied but not yet received your document, carry your certificate of application. You will have received this as an email.  

Vaccine requirements  

You must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.  

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Guadeloupe guide. 

Customs rules 

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Guadeloupe. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. 

Taking food into Guadeloupe 

You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions such as powdered baby milk, baby food and special foods or pet feed required for medical reasons.  

Taking money into Guadeloupe 

Check what cash and valuables you need to declare to bring them into Guadeloupe. 

Terrorism  

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.      

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad. 

Terrorism in Guadeloupe 

Although there is no recent history of terrorism in Guadeloupe, attacks cannot be ruled out. 

Crime 

Protecting yourself and your belongings 

Avoid isolated areas, including beaches, after dark.   

Do not carry large amounts of cash or wear expensive-looking jewellery or watches on the street. Put valuables and travel documents in a safety deposit box or hotel safe.    

Outdoor activities 

Swimming safety 

See water safety on holiday from the Royal Life Saving Society. 

Scuba diving 

Diving schools may have limited resources and do not always observe safety and maintenance standards. Always:    

• check a dive operator’s credentials 
• check the conditions on your insurance policy – some policies require dive instructors to have certain qualifications 
• make sure safety equipment is available on the boat, particularly oxygen 
• ask about safety precautions, including the ability to transfer divers to a hyperbaric chamber 

If you have not had any previous diving experience, check what to do if something goes wrong, including how to call for help while at sea. 

Transport risks 

Road travel 

If you are planning to drive in Guadeloupe, see information on driving abroad and check the rules of the road in the RAC’s France guide as French driving rules apply. The guide lists driving regulations and other legal requirements you need to be aware of. 

Check with the local authorities or your car hire company what documents you need. You may need an international driving permit (IDP) as well as your UK driving licence. 

Extreme weather and natural disasters 

Hurricanes  

The hurricane season in Guadeloupe normally runs from June to November. Monitor local and international weather updates from the World Meteorological Organization and the US National Hurricane Center. 

Find out what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards. 

Before you travel check that: 

• your destination can provide the healthcare you may need 

• you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation 

This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant. 

Emergency medical number 

Call 15 or 18 and ask for an ambulance. 

Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment. 

Vaccine recommendations and health risks 

At least 8 weeks before your trip: 

• check the latest vaccine recommendations for Guadeloupe  
• see where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page 

See what health risks you’ll face in Guadeloupe, including: 

• Zika virus 
• dengue

Medication 

The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries. 

Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro. 

Healthcare in Guadeloupe 

General healthcare facilities in Guadeloupe are very good. The standard of health service hospitals and GP practices is equivalent to mainland France. Specialist treatment is also available.   

Health insurance cards  

To get medically necessary state healthcare in Guadeloupe, you need a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).  

The NHS’s getting healthcare abroad webpage has details about: 

• how to apply for a GHIC 
• how to get temporary cover if you lose your card or it does not arrive in time 
• who qualifies for a new EHIC instead of a GHIC 
• what treatment counts as medically necessary 

A GHIC or EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. You may have costs your GHIC or EHIC does not cover, including: 

• changes to travel and accommodation bookings 
• additional standard costs for treatment 
• medical repatriation to the UK 
• treatment that is ruled non-urgent  
• private healthcare  
• private clinics 

Healthcare for residents 

If you plan to live in Guadeloupe, consult the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about long-term entitlement to healthcare under the French national system.  

DWP Overseas Medical Benefits helpline: +44 (0)191 218 1999 

You can also get English-language information about French social security services online or on +33 (0)820 90 42 12. You can get French-language information online about state services in Guadeloupe. 

Travel and mental health 

Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro. 

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel. 

Emergency services in Guadeloupe 

Telephone: 112 (ambulance, fire, police) 

or 

Ambulance: 15  

Fire: 18 

Police: 17 

Distress at sea: 196 

Contact your travel provider and insurer 

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do. 

Refunds and changes to travel 

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first. 

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including: 

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider 
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim 

Support from FCDO 

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including: 

• getting help if you’re a victim of crime  
• what to do if you’re in hospital  
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack 

Contacting FCDO 

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. 

You can also contact FCDO online.  

Help abroad in an emergency 

There is no British Embassy in Guadeloupe and the British Embassy in Paris, France, supports British nationals who need emergency help from the UK government. 

FCDO in London 

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad. 

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours) 

Find out about call charges