Visitors in the United Kingdom are not expected to produce their passports for police checks or other purposes, and thus may store their passports in hotels or residences. In Northern Ireland, however, passports or similar photograph identification should be carried at all times. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Penalties for possessing, using, and dealing in illegal drugs in both the United Kingdom and Gibraltar are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. The United Kingdom is a stable, modern democracy.
Political demonstrations are generally orderly and well policed.
There is, however, a history of terrorist violence related to the political situation in Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, and several such incidents occurred in British cities in 1996. Although U.S. citizens have not been specifically targeted, some have been injured. Some U.S. citizens traveling in Northern Ireland at the time had to seek alternate routes to their destinations when roads were blocked by protestors. No Americans were injured. Roads in the United Kingdom are excellent, but often congested in urban areas.