Frequently Asked Questions

• Research the specific legal, policy and social context for people living with HIV and key populations in your destination.
  • Use the Countries pages to learn more about legislation, entry or stay restrictions, medicine customs control, access to healthcare and the experiences of other travellers around the world.
  • Use the HIV Criminalisation Database to learn more about laws and cases of HIV criminalisation around the globe.
  • ILGA World Database on the criminalisation of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (https://database.ilga.org) 
  • NSWP global mapping of sex work laws (https://www.nswp.org/sex-work-laws-map) 
• Research about overall societal norms and attitudes towards sex, LGBTIQ+, public manifestations of affection.
• Find out how you can get consular protection, if needed. Check the website of your country’s representatives (e.g. Consulate, Embassy or High Commission) in your destination.
  • Learn what they can do for you, in case of need. Find out and follow the recommendations of the authorities in your home country.
  • Consider registering in travel registration programmes, if your government has one, particularly if it generally offers support to people living with HIV or LGBTIQ+ people.
  • Make a note of all the ways (email, phone, physical building address) to contact protection authorities if legal or other assistance is required, but bear in mind that foreigners are always expected to comply with the law of the country they are visiting, even if their own country has stronger protective laws in place for people living with HIV, LGBTIQ+ people, or other groups.
  • If you need protection during your stay, contact your national authorities through your consulate or embassy.

• Consider approaching NGOs and other civil society organisations, if for any reason your government is not in the position to provide the kind of support you might need. Other relevant organisations might include universities and, in some instances, religious groups. In the Countries pages you can find information about organisations who can advise you in the country you are travelling to.

• Find out if your school, university or college has student support groups for foreign students, people living with HIV or LGBTIQ+ people or other groups that can offer peer support and counselling.
• Find out which administrative area can provide legal or medical guidance if needed.

• Verify you have a valid passport and the appropriate visa for your travel purposes.
• Ensure you know all the documentation you might need to enter your destination country.
  • Proof of vaccination. Some countries demand proof of vaccination for specific diseases or for travellers arriving from specific countries or regions. Ensure you understand what these are and the specifications demanded by the destination country (for example, that the vaccine is from a certified establishment or has a specific validity period, considering this might be different from international best practices).
  • Travel and medical insurance. Ensure you have appropriate travel insurance and that it covers your travel and destination. Bear in mind additional coverage might be needed. Some insurances might not cover preexisting conditions – such as HIV – but are still helpful in covering other conditions and situations, such as emergencies or in cases of medical evacuation.
  • Prescriptions. In the following sections we explain why this is important both for your treatments and other medicines you might need.

Before Your Appointment

• Research your destination country’s requirements for importing prescription medication; you might need a prescription or a doctor’s letter, or there might be bans for importing certain substances.
• Make a list of all medications you regularly take and will be taking while travelling, including its ingredients, dosage and frequency, so your health provider can include these in a letter if it is required or provide further indications.
• Decide if you are comfortable disclosing your HIV status in the letter (consider restrictions in your destination country, see “Before you travel” section).

At Your Doctors Appointment

•  Discuss your travel plans and destination to:
  • Identify potential precautions to take for your overall health, including required vaccinations. See “documentation” section.
  • Consider additional medication you would need to take with you for general health conditions, such as for allergies or digestive issues.
• Discuss any adjustments to your current medication and dosage that should be made. Some sources https://www.hivjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/HIV-and-travel.pdf suggest considering temporarily switching to injectable HIV treatment if appropriate. Do not take this decision on your own without consulting your particular situation with your doctor.
• Request a letter on official clinic/hospital letterhead, and preferably written in English or another language relevant to your destination, that identifies the medications you take, dosage and frequency.
  • Some sources suggest that such a letter could indicate that the medications are for a chronic medical condition, without specifying HIV. However, keep in mind that, depending on location, to not disclose HIV status might be in violation of entry regulations and may result in legal repercussions, including detention and/or deportation.
• Ask your doctor for any additional prescriptions or documentation required by your destination country.

• Research any prohibitions for bringing medicines with you for both destination country AND any transit locations. Some countries with strict drug controls will require that all medicines are in their original package and accompanied by a prescription (See “Talk To Your Doctor” section). Bear in mind that bringing HIV treatment might indicate your HIV status and, in countries with an HIV entry ban, could result in deportation.
• Research if there are limitations to the number of doses you may bring into the country you are visiting. Some countries impose limits to ensure you only bring medicines for personal use, for example permitting doses for no more than 30 or 90 days.
  • If there are prohibitions or limitations on your treatment, talk to your healthcare provider to analyse alternative treatments, but do not stop your treatment; this might cause other problems to your health. (See “Talk To Your Doctor” section).
  • If you plan to stay longer than the allowed dose limitation, plan ahead and ensure you know how to continue your treatment without interruptions. (See “Access To Healthcare” section below).

• If there are no prohibitions on bringing your medication into the country, ensure you have enough doses to cover your entire stay and any delays or unforeseen events that may occur. Be aware that in the country you are travelling to, your treatment may not be available or may be difficult to obtain.

These precautions also apply for HIV prevention medications such as PrEP, hormone treatments and other non-HIV medication. Bear in mind some locations might have stigmatising attitudes towards these types of medication and even misunderstand their purpose. If you need access to these types of medication, you should also research their availability and import rules, and if appropriate, bring sufficient to comfortably cover the trip as they may be unavailable locally if you run out. Confirm national regulations before travel:

• If allowed, make sure to bring enough along with its prescription and original packaging.
• If not allowed, discuss with your doctor or healthcare provider.

• Plan for taking your medicines on time. This means accounting for crossing time zones and jet lag, making sure to have water and adapting your eating schedule, if you take your pills with food.
• Remember: If you’re taking a long flight and travelling across time zones this will affect the time you take your medication. You should speak to your doctor if:
  • your viral load is not fully suppressed.
  • you have HIV which is resistant to some of the drugs you are taking.
  • you have complex travel plans involving many time zone changes within a few days.
• Take precautions to avoid your medication getting lost. Some sources advise transporting it and its documentation in hand luggage, while others recommend carrying double the amount you need in case either is delayed or goes missing: one in your carry-on bag and one in your checked baggage.

Taking your medicines

• Again, plan for taking your medicines on time. With the excitement of an adventure or the routine disruption, it is easy to forget one or more doses. Take some time to set up alarms, sticky notes or any other strategy you can think of to ensure you maintain your adherence.

Getting new medicines

• Find local alternatives for getting medicines you might need. To do so, you could approach:

• An HIV clinic or a clinician specialised in HIV.

• The embassy or consulate of your government, if they have health programmes for nationals abroad or if they offer guidance. Generally they will not be in a position to directly provide medical assistance, but they might be able to guide you and find options.
• Local NGOs, peer groups; they might be able to guide you and help you approach local HIV clinics. (Use the Countries pages to find the names of local organisations.)

In restrictive countries, exercise special caution. Ensure getting in contact with strangers does not put you at risk of prosecution or deportation under the laws of your destination country; you could consider approaching with a pseudonym, through someone you trust, or another way that makes you feel comfortable.

• Contact your health insurance to find out if you are covered in your destination country. (EU & EEA residents are covered by health insurance within Europe under cross border agreements.)
• If not, and you are only visiting for a short stay (up to 90 days) ensure you obtain travel insurance that covers HIV.
• Bear in mind that most travel insurance will not cover any claim relating to HIV if the person claiming was asked whether they had HIV and did not disclose their HIV status. (This does not apply to insurance companies which do not ask about HIV.)
• Withholding information about your HIV status or lying in your application for insurance comes with risks, including having the policy cancelled. You may waste money on a policy that does not pay out when you make a claim.
• If you choose travel insurance which does not cover pre-existing conditions and fall ill while abroad, you may have difficulties claiming medical expenses. Some simple cases of travel illness not related to HIV have required lengthy battles to prove this and insurers have tried to refuse to meet the claim.

• Develop a plan in case of illness, how to access coverage provided by your insurance.
• Research how the healthcare system works and take steps to ensure you know how to see a doctor and how to get treatment.
  • Look for information from official sources in the country you are travelling to.
  • Some embassies and consulates offer information to guide you.
  • In some countries civil society, some religious organisations or universities provide guidance to migrants to navigate the local health system. Use the Countries pages to find local organisations. 
• Take into account that the healthcare system will most likely work very differently from how it works in your country. HIV organisations, civil society, some religious organisations or universities provide guidance to migrants to navigate the local health system.

• Make yourself aware of local attitudes towards sexual health, sexual orientation and gender identity and access to sexual health services.
• Note that some countries may have legal or cultural norms against the use of condoms or other forms of sexual protection/contraception. Research these norms prior to travel, and be aware of possible issues travelling with these in your possession and/or accessing them when in-country.

• Remember that the  laws of one country also apply to foreigners when in the territory, and in some instances basic human rights are not recognised and identity manifestations might even be criminalised. In some countries, authorities go so far as to surveil meeting places or even websites and apps with fake accounts. Be very cautious about using such websites and apps as there have been cases of arrest under local laws arising from entrapment operations.
• LGBTIQ+ communities may face additional challenges accessing sexual health services, particularly in countries that criminalise or stigmatise same-sex activity and gender identity.
• Do not disclose your HIV status unnecessarily. Not to other travellers, not to customs or immigration officials – it is not their business. Be aware that people with HIV are stigmatised in many countries. Be careful of outing yourself by wearing a red ribbon.

Familiarise yourself with other precautions you might need to take to protect your health and safety during your travel and stay.

CONSULAR PROTECTION

Remember that, regardless of your HIV status, international law – as established in Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Relations – stipulates that in cases of detention, the authorities of the receiving country must notify the consulate of which the detained person is a national. In this regard, if you are subject to detention, you may request the presence of consular staff from your country (if it is not worse) who can assist with administrative formalities. Please note that consular notification does not remove the responsibility of each person travelling to comply with local laws and that your country may not have the administrative capacity to support you, particularly if it does not have representation in the country where you are.

https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_2_1963.pdf

It is recommended that you carry your consular protection telephone number handy or carry in your wallet the card that you obtain when you register, if any, in the system that your country has established for the protection of nationals abroad.

You can also download a summarised version of these tips. (Depending on your device, this may open first and then you can select the download icon – usually located in the top left or right corner of the screen dependent on which version you have installed.)

General

Medicines 

Treatment and healthcare access

Your safety