Expedition rulesAntarcticaLicensed operator onlyCheck · Sep 2026
Antarctica: treaty permits and operators
Under the Antarctic Treaty, each visit needs a permit or advance notification from a national authority; tour operators file these for their passengers.
The permit
- Who issues it
- The national authority of the operator's country (for example the UK Foreign Office or the US EPA), under the Antarctic Treaty
- How to get it
- Licensed operator only. Cruise and fly-cruise passengers are covered by their operator's permit; private expeditions must apply to their own national authority many months ahead.
- Lead time
- 6 months+ · Cruises book 6–18 months ahead for the November–March season; private expeditions need a year or more.
- Cost (check)
- No separate permit fee for passengers; cruises roughly US$7,000–20,000+ per person (check).
- Documents
- Passport
- Argentina or Chile entry for the departure port
- Medical form
- Insurance with evacuation cover
- If you skip it
- Visiting without authorisation breaks the national law of treaty countries and can bring fines or prosecution at home.
- Official site
- IAATO (operators' association)
Worth knowing
- Choose an IAATO member operator: members follow agreed landing limits (no more than 100 people ashore at a time) and biosecurity rules.
Check before you pay
Fees, quotas and closed areas change, sometimes with days of notice. These figures were last checked in Sep 2026; confirm on the official site or with a licensed operator before you book flights.