There are a number of out of date or otherwise innacurate references to Ascension Island on the internet. We hope that the following answers to some commonly asked questions help to clarify things.

Q: How do I get permission to visit the island? I heard it was a closed island and that getting permission to visit was difficult.

A: It is possible to visit the island, though facilities are somewhat limited. You do need the Administrator's permission to enter, in the form of an Entry Permit. This is like obtaining a visa, the process is straightforward.  The fees which were revised on 1 October 2011 can be viewed on page 4 of the Entry Permit Application Guidance document on the Information for Visitors page.

Q: How can I get there? My travel agent hasn't heard of the place.

A: There is a twice-weekly charter flight operated by a commercial airline on contract to the UK Ministry of Defence. There is also a passenger ship from Cape Town via St Helena. We are also on the route for yachts travelling between Cape Town and Brazil/the Caribbean. See the "Information for Visitors" page for further information.

Q: Isn't Ascension just a military base?

A: No. While we play host to both a RAF and USAF presence, we also host the BBC World Service South Atlantic Relay Station and a European Space Agency "Ariane" tracking station among other facilities. Other economic activities include philatelic sales and commemorative coins, and a decision was recently taken to start selling commercial fishing licenses.

Q: Isn't Ascension part of England, like say the Isle of Wight?

A: No. It is part of a UK overseas territory together with St Helena and Tristan da Cunha. The territory is not constitutionally part of the UK, and has its own laws. Perhaps the fact that we still fly the Union flag confuses people! We're working on that - see below about a new flag.

Q: What is the status of the US Air Force on the island?

A: The US Air Force presence on the island is regulated by the 1956 Bahamas Agreement, an international treaty between the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America. This allows the USAF to use agreed designated sites. These are not leased as is commonly, but mistakenly, thought. Nor are the sites US soil and everyone on the base is subject to Ascension Island's laws and jurisdiction. The USAF built and maintain the runway at Wideawake airfield, and provide essential services such as air traffic control. The USAF and contractors employ 218 people, 162 of whom are on contract from St Helena.

Q: Do people working on Ascension pay tax?

A: Yes, income tax was introduced in December 2001 (everyone was given a pay rise so that their take home pay remained unaffected), property tax in March 2002 and duty on alcohol, tobacco and fuel in April of the same year. The highest rate of income tax is 27%. There is no system of national insurance and therefore no contributions. Representation followed taxation in October 2002. The island's fiscal regime is currently under review by the Island Council.

Q: I read somewhere that Ascension is actually run by the companies based there?

A: No, though prior to 2001 the organizations operating on the island were responsible for providing common services for themselves, looked after infrastructure needs, and raised the necessary revenue among themselves to do so. However governance and the rule of law were assured by the Administrator's Office, on behalf of the Governor. In 2002 the first elections were held for an Island Council in order to give those living on the island a say in the island's affairs for the first time.

Q: Why doesn't Ascension Island have its own flag like other UK Overseas Territories?

A: Simply because an agreed design hasn't been submitted for approval yet. In the meantime we use the Union flag. The Ascension Island Council is however working on a design for a flag for the island which can then submitted to the Governor for his approval followed by an application to the UK's College of Arms for Her Majesty the Queen's approval. The public is also being invited to comment on the design before it is submitted (see News page).

Q: Can I buy a property on Ascension Island?

A: No, all property belongs to the Crown and there is no property market. All the houses and accommodation blocks were built to house the workforce of the various organizations on the island, and their dependants.

Q: Is the volcano extinct?

A: Ascension is a dormant rather than extinct volcano. The last known eruption was around 600 years ago. There are occasional undersea earthquakes nearby, reminding us that we are close to the mid-Atlantic ridge where two major tectonic plates meet.

Q: Is there a school? A hospital? Dentist?

A: There has been a school on the island at least as far back as 1830. The current school, Two Boats, is located on the edge of the village of the same name. It caters for children from nursery age through to 16. There is a hospital with limited surgical capability, and a midwife. There is also a well-equipped dental surgery. Education, medical and dental treatment are free for those working on the island and who pay local tax, as well as their dependants. Visitors need to pay however.

Q: What is the best time of year to see the green sea turtles nesting?

A: The nesting season is from November to May. Hatching peaks during the period March to June. The best, and safest way, to witness this amazing spectacle is on a "Turtle Tour" led by the government's Conservation Department.

Q: Does Ascension export fish? Can I take any of my catch with me?

A: Foreign fishing vessels may apply for a licence to fish for tuna in Ascension Island's 200 miles fisheries zone. A separate licence is required to export the small quantity that is currently allowed to be shipped off the island. This can be obtained from the Police Station. You should check the regulations of the country you are travelling to about any import restrictions that may apply there.