London 2012 Olympics & Paralympics

27 July-12 August 2012

The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic games were from held 27 July-12 August 2012 and 29 August-9 September 2012 respectively.

The official London 2012 website was www.london2012.com

The U.S. Olympic Committee announced the 530-member 2012 U.S. Olympic Team on Tuesday, 10th July 2012 (read their blog entry).  Find out who the Team USA members are as well as some fun facts about the team!

Information for American Citizens

Information for American Citizens visiting the United Kingdom during the Games Information for American Citizens visiting the United Kingdom during the Games (Embassy photo)

Information for American Citizens visiting the United Kingdom during the Games is available by clicking on this link.   The top-ten Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are answered in this Youtube video.

American Citizen Services (ACS) provide a variety of emergency and non-emergency services to Americans in England and Wales, including Passport Services.  Please click here for further information.   

 You can also follow us on our blog and twitter. 

Denied Entry to the UK ?

U.S. citizens are generally allowed to travel to the U.K. without a visa if they are coming only for tourism and only for a short time.  However, the decision on admission to the U.K. is made by British authorities (the UK Border Agency – UKBA) in accordance with British law.  Under British law, some common activities may not be considered “tourism.”  Religious volunteers, charity workers, interns, prospective students and others pursuing special programs may need to get a visa before traveling to the U.K.  Read more.

Avoid Scams !

There are numerous scams in circulation concerning the 2012 Olympics. There are also a number of unauthorized websites claiming to offer tickets for the event.

Don’t be a victim! Visit the official London 2012 Olympics website for further detailed information.

If you’re booking accommodation for the London 2012 Games, the Metropolitan Police Service’s Operation Podium has some advice on accomodation fraud (PDF) to protect you and your personal details from being exploited by criminals.

In An Emergency

Remember:  in a medical emergency, or if you need the police, dial 999.