Travelling

You have your invitation, visa, flights and accommodation booked - now you are ready to go! You can check out our Pre-Travel Checklist in the Tools section. Below are some key considerations to reduce your risk while travelling.

Your Route, Itinerary and Check Ins

If someone else is arranging your travel, make sure you are aware of all of the details, including any parts of the travel that you may need to arrange yourself (e.g. transport from your home to the airport).

Inform a friend or relative about your travel route and itinerary, including details such as flight numbers, times of arrival and the address of your accommodation. Remember to share with them the contact details of your delegation lead or another member of your group in case of an emergency.

Create a check-in plan with a trusted person who is not travelling. This means agreeing on points during your itinerary when you will contact your trusted person (your check in buddy) to let them know you are ok. They will expect your contact and can raise the alarm if you remain uncontactable for an agreed period of time. Agree what action they will take if you become uncontactable and identify possible actions they can take in case you experience any difficulties during your journey.

Exercise: Create a Check In Plan

With your buddy, agree how frequently to check in during your journey (e.g. before boarding the plane, after landing, after passing border control, and after arriving at your hotel, as well as daily at set times during your stay)

  1. Agree how you will check in (e.g. via a Signal message).

  2. For each check in, estimate the timeframe for the check in, allowing for some flexibility to account for normal delays, etc. Your buddy may want to set themselves phone reminders for when they should expect your message.

  3. Identify action steps in case you miss a check in and remain uncontactable. The actions may escalate based on the time you remain out of contact. Think about having different levels of escalation as the time out-of-contact increases - e.g. if you're out of contact for three hours, six hours or 12 hours.

  4. Ensure your buddy has contact numbers for people they can reach out to in case you encounter any difficulties during your travel. For example, your delegation organiser or event buddy.

Scenario:

You checked in with your buddy when boarding your plane, but you missed your scheduled check in message after landing. You agreed that your buddy would wait 90 minutes after landing to hear from you. Your buddy checks the arrivals board on the airport website and sees your plane landed two hours ago. They first try to contact you, but your phone appears to be off. After waiting for another hour as you agreed, they try to reach another YCA who was known to be travelling in your delegation.

Outcome 1: The YCA has seen you get off the plane and spots you in the queue for border control, which they communicate to your buddy. All resolved!

Outcome 2: The YCA saw you get off the plane but was ahead of you in the queue and already passed through border control. The queue was long so the YCA suggests waiting another 30 minutes and will keep trying to contact you in the meantime. After this time has passed, your buddy and the YCA follow the back up plan to contact your delegation lead for additional support. The delegation lead contacts a lawyer who is able to find out that you have been held for additional questions due to irregularity in your paperwork and helps ensure the issue is processed quickly so you can continue your journey.

Crossing Borders & Checkpoints

Preparation

You may be asked questions at border control when arriving in your destination country (i.e. when you get your passport and visa checked by the border official). You may also be asked questions about your trip by airline staff when checking in, boarding your flight or when transiting between flights in a third country.

Exercise – Crossing Borders & Checkpoints

Think in advance about how you will answer certain questions. When you respond it is important to stick to the information you gave in your visa application or invitation letter and answer as factually as possible. Keep your responses concise and avoid giving more information than is asked.

Here are some examples of questions that you could be asked:

  • What is the purpose of your trip?

  • How long are you staying? / What is the date of your return flight?

  • Have you visited this country before? If yes, for what purpose?

  • Where will you be staying?

  • Are you visiting anyone? Do you have friends or family already living in this country?

  • Who is your sponsor? (i.e. who is your invitation letter from)

  • Who is paying for your trip? Do you have available funds to cover your expenses?

  • Will you be participating at the climate event? (e.g. COP)

  • Will you be engaging in demonstrations or actions?

If you are not sure how to answer these questions safely, discuss them with your delegation organiser or group.

Also consider what questions could be asked based on publicly available information about you (i.e. things that may have been noted when your visa was processed).

If you are travelling to a country where LGBTQIA+ people are subject to discrimination, harassment and criminalisation, be aware that border guards may ask you questions about your gender or sexual orientation which could lead to you being denied entry to the country. Considering in advance what information is publicly available about you is particularly important. See also the section on additional considerations for women, BIPoC and LGBTQIA+.

Documentation

It is important to always keep the following documents with you:

  • Your passport + two photocopies (ideally kept in different places in your luggage)

  • Travel tickets (don’t throw away your boarding pass at the end of your flight! You may still need to show it at border control, or give it to the organisation which has paid for your travel for accounting purposes)

  • Invitation letter (or for COP, your UNFCCC letter of acknowledgement)

  • Other supporting documents you submitted as part of your visa application (e.g. proof of funds)

  • Important phone numbers and travel information written down in case your device is seized, stolen, or lost (do not include any sensitive details such as real names or action plans)

  • Medical insurance policy & hotline number 

You might also want to share copies of the above documents with a friend or family member, and/or keep them in an accessible, secure online location.

Appearance

How you look or dress may impact your risk while travelling, in particular in how you are treated by border guards. For example, by drawing unwanted attention, harassment or discrimination. Check out the section on clothing for more information.

Device Checks

Border guards may demand to look at your devices (your smartphone, laptop or tablet). The level of check may vary depending on the circumstances, but it is wise to take basic steps to limit access to things that are sensitive (e.g. notes about planned actions) or reveal about aspects of your identity that may increase your risk of harassment or discrimination (e.g. screensaver photo of you with your with same-sex partner, installed LGBTQIA+ dating apps). See the section on Preparing your Devices for Travel and the Digital Security Checklist for more information.

It is not uncommon for officials conducting device checks to look at the following:

  • Your photos (including hidden and recently deleted photos)

  • Your recent messages (including WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram)

  • Your social media apps

  • Your recent documents

  • Your browser history

If a border guard takes your phone or laptop out of your sight, you should consider the possibility that your data has been copied for later review, or that spyware has been installed on it for continued surveillance. Locked and fully updated iOS devices, and computers with drive encryption (FileVault on MacOS and BitLocker on Windows) are more resistant to attacks related to copying data from the device.

Overall, remember that most security officials are not very technical and that their attention will be spread over many people. Unless you arouse suspicion, device checks are likely to be cursory.

Luggage Checks

Most border control or customs measures aim to identify illegal activities (such as the trafficking of drugs) or finable offences (such as carrying high sums of undeclared cash or avoiding import tax on goods). 

However, the power to search can also be used to intimidate or harass. At the time of large international events such as COP, it is common that checks are be increased. Closely monitored activists and people who are perceived as suspicious at border crossings may be searched more extensively. See the section What Not to Pack for more information.

Key Risks - Travelling

  • Prevented from travelling due to documentation issues (no or incorrect visa, incorrect documentation)

  • Increased security checks at airport

  • Being stopped, questioned or detained by border control

  • Luggage or devices searched (possible sensitive or prohibited items found)

  • Luggage lost by airline handlers

  • Not permitted to enter Egypt

  • Identity-based harassment or discrimination (at border control or land checkpoints)

  • Check points on road entry to Sharm El-Sheikh

  • Heavy presence of security personnel/authorities in Sharm El-Sheikh