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For many visa questions, the answer is a simple Timatic search. I'm not suggesting closing and let the OP search himself, but it would be useful to have guidelines for writing a good Timatic based answer. I wrote one such answer, and think I did it OK, but I'm not entirely sure.

Things I would consider:

  • Which site to use? Are all equaly reliable? What's the chance that the link will work tomorrow, or next year (most Timatic links I found in past questions don't work, including the accepted answer on "How to use Timatic?").
  • Can/should you make a query without specifying the traveller's nationality? Most sites don't allow it, but it can make the answer much more valuable for other travellers.
  • To state the obvious - paste the result into the answer, don't add just the link and/or a yes/no answer.

Any other information which would help answer such questions is welcome.

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  • 2
    +1, it's a great idea. We should be more than just a link farm for Timatic.
    – Gayot Fow
    Jul 12, 2017 at 1:12
  • Currently I use TimaticWeb.
    – JonathanReez Mod
    Jul 14, 2017 at 7:35
  • @JonathanReez, timaticweb.com requires user+password. Do you have an account?
    – ugoren
    Jul 14, 2017 at 10:28
  • Check out my link. You can edit the URL to get the results.
    – JonathanReez Mod
    Jul 14, 2017 at 11:29
  • 1
    I frequently use Emirates simply because it's easy and accessible to anyone. In an answer, I do reference that it is the carrier's site, even if that is not the one the passenger is flying.
    – Giorgio
    Jul 14, 2017 at 14:58
  • That's my Default way of answering questions on entry requirements. It's what airlines go by, so is usually the most up-to-date source
    – Crazydre
    Jul 16, 2017 at 4:18
  • @ugoren Flightworx used to be open, but due to being used as the Timatic source on Wikipedia, IATA must've objected whereby Flightworx had to Password protect Timatic
    – Crazydre
    Jul 17, 2017 at 14:36
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    @JonathanReez, Are you sure it's not an abuse of somebody's account? If not, could you make it an answer and explain how to build the URL for useful queries?
    – ugoren
    Jul 17, 2017 at 14:42
  • @Dorothy, could you make it an answer?
    – ugoren
    Jul 17, 2017 at 14:43
  • @Crazydre, Luckily, Travel meta is not Wikipedia. We can hope that a good answer here will not lead to intensive usage and blocking.
    – ugoren
    Jul 17, 2017 at 14:44
  • @ugoren will do, shortly
    – Giorgio
    Jul 17, 2017 at 15:17
  • @ugoren What I meant was that Jonathan said he uses Flightworx, which you used to be able to do without issues because it used to be open.
    – Crazydre
    Jul 17, 2017 at 15:30
  • I have no idea if it's somebody's account, to be honest. For now it works.
    – JonathanReez Mod
    Jul 17, 2017 at 16:01

2 Answers 2

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The best interfaces are those both displaying requirements for a given nationality and Destination (henceforth individual requirements), on one hand, and the generalised rules for a given Country (henceforth general requirements) on the other.

One such Interface is Olympic air. This is where to get individual requirement info, and this is where to get general requirement info

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  • The Olympic site generates direct links to timaticweb.com (unlike Emirates), which, I think, reduces their chances to keep working in the future. On the other hand, the general search is indeed useful.
    – ugoren
    Jul 17, 2017 at 20:26
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    @ugoren Because KLM was used on Wikipedia for a Long time, IATA went so far as to cancel their contract with KLM, meaning KLM no longer has Timatic. If the same happens with Olympic due to Travelstack, there's Surinam Airways and the Pearl Law Group
    – Crazydre
    Jul 18, 2017 at 3:13
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    If publishing Timatic links with Olympic's credentials could get their account cancelled, I think we should avoid them (though it's mainly their fault for providing their credentials on their public site). Also, even if we can switch account, links in published answers would stop working. This makes me prefer the Emirates site.
    – ugoren
    Jul 18, 2017 at 10:29
  • @ugoren I can ask my Timatic contact whether it's an issue to link TimaticWeb on Travelstack as opposed to Wikipedia. I'll let you know what he says
    – Crazydre
    Jul 18, 2017 at 10:55
  • @ugoren Another Thing: Emirates doesn't offer the Seaman and official passport settings
    – Crazydre
    Jul 18, 2017 at 10:57
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    @Crazydre: Does that mean that Timatic is not currently a good source for finding out whether someone in an unusual visa situation can expect trouble boarding a KLM flight?
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Jul 20, 2017 at 9:05
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    @HenningMakholm As far as I understand, check-in staff in Amsterdam still use Timatic regardless of Airline. Rather, KLM cannot have Timatic on their Website anymore
    – Crazydre
    Jul 20, 2017 at 9:35
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The Emirates web site has an accessible and easy tool, linked to IATA Timatic, available not just to those flying the carrier but to all:

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