Rights Your rights Gay and travelling: where aren't we welcome? If you’re gay and travelling abroad, it’s sensible to check the laws governing sex and sexuality in whichever country you’re visiting. Dozens of countries still imprison LGBT+ people, and nine still threaten the death penalty. The list below shows the maximum sentences carried in each country for homosexuality or homosexual behaviour. While it’s useful as a first indicator of a country’s stance, it is no means definitive and tells you very little about the specific laws in each individual location. The different offences resulting in each sentence below may be very different. We recommend that before travelling anywhere you first check the Foreign Office website, search for the desired country, and look for guidance directed at LGBT+ people in the ‘Local laws and customs’ tab. It’s also worth checking guide books and talking to people from the country in question, probably starting with local LGBT+ groups, who can give you a clear idea of how the law is implemented, and what local attitudes are like. Maximum sentences in countries that criminalise homosexuality LIFE India, Gambia, Ghana, Tanzania, Sierra Leone Barbados, Guyana, Bangladesh 20 YEARS Malaysia 17 YEARS Egypt 4 YEARS United Arab States Papua New Guinea Tuvalu Solomon Islands Kiribati Nigeria Kenya Malawi Zambia 10YEARS South Sudan Ethiopia Dominica Granada Jamaica Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Sri Lanka Tonga Zimbabwe Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7 YEARS Botswana Samoa Qatar 6 YEARS Kuwait 5 YEARS Cameroon Senegal Comoros Mauritius 4 YEARS Libya 3 YEARS Morocco Togo Uzbekistan Guinea Eritrea Oman Syria Tunisia 2 YEARS Algeria Burundi Turkmenistan Pakistan 1 YEAR Liberia Bhutan NO FIXED TIME Chad Namibia Swaziland Countries that carry fines for convicted homosexuality Angola - fines and restrictions Countries where a homosexuality conviction carries torture as a punishment Maldives - whipping for 20 strokes Countries that carry the death penalty Brunei Mauritania - for Muslim men Nigeria - northern states that approve Sharia Law Sudan - after a third conviction Qatar - for Muslims, for extra-marital sex Somalia Iran Saudi Arabia Yemen Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Afghanistan - where controlled by Al-Qaeda What do you do if you are not sure? If you are unsure about the destination to which you are travelling, you can check the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association website for more information at www.ilga.org/maps-sexual-orientation-laws. We also recommend checking www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for foreign travel advice.