# Border Patrol on the North Pole **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 15, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239 "2009-09-15T21:53:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/1 "2009-09-15T21:53:08Z")
Ok, the title’s a little disingenuous, but it rhymes… Anyway, I was wondering if you need a passport to visit Antarctica. Turns out you don’t, but [this site](http://www.iexplore.com/world_travel/Antarctica/Visa+and+Health)says: > [@](#): > > As no one owns the Antarctic continent, no visitors require a visa or passport; however, a valid passport will be required for any stops en route, and visas and passports may be needed for points of departure. Most Western countries are signatories of the Antarctica Treaty and those wishing to visit Antarctica independently must obtain a permit. Must obtain a permit? From who? Who checks when you get there? Is there an international airport with some kind of border control/customs? Do the signatories of the Antarctica Treaty take turns? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/2 "2009-09-15T22:11:02Z")
I googled Antarctica permit and got multiple answers on the first page. If you are American and you wish to undertake certain activities, like entering environmentally sensitive areas, you must apply to the National Science Foundation. If you are British and you wish to undertake an expedition, you get a permit from the Foreign Office. If you are a tourist on a Canadian vessel, you must apply to the Canadian Polar Commission. The laws apparently vary by country. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/3 "2009-09-15T22:39:10Z")
Here’s a related question. I sometimes see cruises to the Antarctic peninsula advertised in magazines, which include the opportunity to land in Antarctica. However in each case where I’ve bothered to read the details, the landing places are invariably on the peninsula’s offshore islands, and not on the continent itself. Is there some code of practice that says that tourist activity in that area should be restricted to offshore islands? ---
**Author:** ![EdwardLost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@EdwardLost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdwardLost)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/4 "2009-09-15T23:24:34Z")
> [@hibernicus](#): > > Here’s a related question. I sometimes see cruises to the Antarctic peninsula advertised in magazines, which include the opportunity to land in Antarctica. However in each case where I’ve bothered to read the details, the landing places are invariably on the peninsula’s offshore islands, and not on the continent itself. > > Is there some code of practice that says that tourist activity in that area should be restricted to offshore islands? We had one landing on the peninsula itself, the rest on islands. Most landings were at or near the sites of bases. Maybe this was to reduce the area of human impact, maybe just to give us something else interesting to look at. I don’t know why the bases were established more often on the islands than on the mainland. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/5 "2009-09-16T04:41:34Z")
Although I presume it’s obvious, the North Pole is at the other end of the planet from Antarctica. And, at least according to Hollywood, the long arm of the law reaches even down there: [Whiteout (2009 film) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiteout_%282009_film%29) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/6 "2009-09-16T11:40:05Z")
And the North Pole, being floating ice, doesn’t really qualify as land. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/7 "2009-09-16T13:53:55Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Although I presume it’s obvious, the North Pole is at the other end of the planet from Antarctica. And, at least according to Hollywood, the long arm of the law reaches even down there: [Whiteout (2009 film) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiteout_%282009_film%29) But what rhymes with Antarctica!! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Apex\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@Apex\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apex_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/8 "2009-09-16T22:36:41Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > But what rhymes with Antarctica!! 😛 You could’ve gone with the more geographically correct “South Pole” 😕 ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/9 "2009-09-16T22:40:29Z")
> [@EdwardLost](#): > > We had one landing on the peninsula itself, the rest on islands. Most landings were at or near the sites of bases. Maybe this was to reduce the area of human impact, maybe just to give us something else interesting to look at. I don’t know why the bases were established more often on the islands than on the mainland. I’m impressed that you’re answering this question from first-hand experience! I think your explanation sounds right - the human sites are often on the islands and so that’s where they bring you to visit. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/10 "2009-09-17T01:07:43Z")
> [@Apex\_Rogers](#): > > You could’ve gone with the more geographically correct “South Pole” 😕 Artistic license. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/11 "2009-09-17T03:42:57Z")
Hereby revoked. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/12 "2009-09-17T13:54:26Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > Artistic license. Perhaps “Arcticstic license” would be better. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/13 "2009-09-17T14:13:46Z")
Yeah, that’s fair. ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/14 "2009-09-17T15:08:22Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Although I presume it’s obvious, the North Pole is at the other end of the planet from Antarctica. And, at least according to Hollywood, the long arm of the law reaches even down there: [Whiteout (2009 film) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiteout_%282009_film%29) [Not just according to Hollywood.](http://www.usmarshals.gov/history/antarctica/index.html) Evidently certain NSF personnel are trained and deputized as Special Deputy Marshals. To try to answer the OP, it seems that people in the Antarctic are subject to the law of their home country and/or the law of the country where their expedition was organised. So it depends where you’re from, and possibly on how you’re getting there. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/15 "2009-09-17T15:15:06Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > And, at least according to Hollywood, the long arm of the law reaches even down there: [Whiteout (2009 film) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiteout_%282009_film%29) The movie has gotten dismal reviews, but it is apparently correct that there is a US Marshal [stationed](http://www.usmarshals.gov/history/antarctica/index.html) in Antarctica at all times. They rotate yearlong tours of duty between Antarctica and Hawaii. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/border-patrol-on-the-north-pole/510239/16 "2009-09-17T16:51:13Z")
Cool - I mean, really cold! 😉 Thanks!