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Your Trip Abroad

Department of State Publication 10542
Bureau of Consular Affairs
April 1998

FOREWORD

Whether you are traveling overseas for business, pleasure or study, the best way to ensure a carefree and relaxing trip is to prevent problems before they happen. The more you learn about passports, visas, customs, immunizations, and other travel basics, the less likely you are to have difficulties during your travels.

We have written this guide to help you organize and take a pleasant, trouble-free trip. In the back of the book, we refer you to other sources of travel information covering such matters as customs regulations, agricultural restrictions, visa requirements, U.S. embassy addresses, foreign country information, and more. For your convenience, the addresses of the U.S. passport agencies are listed at the end of the pamphlet.

The Department of State in Washington, D.C., and its more than 250 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, as well as other U.S. Government agencies, are ready and pleased to offer assistance whenever possible. This is your trip. Make it an enjoyable one.

YOUR TRIP ABROAD

BEFORE YOU GO

There is much that you can do to prepare for your trip abroad, depending on where you are going, how long you are staying, and your reasons for traveling.

LEARN ABOUT THE COUNTRIES THAT YOU PLAN TO VISIT

The following suggestions and sources may be useful:

• Read as much as possible about the countries in which you plan to travel. Informing yourself about a nation's history, culture, customs and politics will make your stay more meaningful. Such information can be found in most libraries, bookstores and tourist bureaus. Although English is spoken in many countries, it is a good idea to learn what you can of the language of the country in which you will be traveling.
• Travel agents can provide brochures and tourist information about the countries that you wish to visit.
• Most international airlines can supply you with travel brochures about the countries that they serve. Many countries have tourist information offices in main cities in the United States where you can obtain travel brochures and maps.
• Foreign embassies or consulates in the United States can provide up-to-date information on their countries. Addresses and telephone numbers of the embassies of foreign governments are listed in the Congressional Directory, available at most public libraries. In addition to their embassies, some countries also have consulates in major U.S. cities. Look for their addresses in your local telephone directory, or find them in the publication, Foreign Consular Offices in the United States , available in many public libraries, or on the Internet http://www.state.gov
• The Department of State publishes Background Notes on countries worldwide. These are brief, factual pamphlets with information on each country's culture, history, geography, economy, government, and current political situation. The Background Notes are available for approximately 170 countries. They often include a reading list, travel notes and maps. To purchase copies, you can contact the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, or call (202) 512-1800. Select issues are available from the Department of State's home page on the Internet at http://www.state.gov.
• The Consular Information Program provides pertinent information for travelers. The U.S. Department of State issues fact sheets, known as Consular Information Sheets, on every country in the world. You should obtain the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet for any country that you will visit. The sheets contain information about crime and security conditions, areas of instability, and other details pertaining to travel in a particular country.

The Department of State also issues Travel Warnings and Public Announcements . Travel Warnings are issued when the Department of State recommends deferral of travel by Americans to a country because of civil unrest, dangerous conditions, terrorist activity and/or because the United States has no diplomatic relations with the country and cannot assist an American citizen in distress. Public Announcements are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term and/or transnational conditions, which would pose significant risks to American travelers.

If the Department of State has issued a Travel Warning or Public Announcement for any country that you plan to visit, you should obtain this information. Instructions on how to access the Consular Information Program follow.

How to Access Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements

Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements may be heard at any time by dialing the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, American Citizens Services and Crisis Management, Bureau of Consular Affairs, at (202) 647-5225 from a touchtone phone. The recording is updated as new information becomes available. Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements may also be obtained from any regional passport agency, from most airline computer reservation systems, from U.S. embassies or consulates abroad, or by sending your request, (indicating the desired country on the lower left corner of the envelope), in a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Room 4811, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818.

By Internet

Information about travel and consular services is available on this site. Visitors to the site will find Travel Warnings, Public Announcements, Consular Information Sheets, passport and visa information, travel publications, background on international adoption and international child abduction services, and international legal assistance.

Tips for Travelers Series

The Department of State publishes a series of brochures on travel to specific regions of the world. The brochures cover a variety of topics such as import and export controls, customs and currency regulations, dual nationality, crime information, health precautions, and photography restrictions. The publications are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, D.C. 20402. (Availability and prices are subject to change without notice. Please check with the GPO at telephone 202-512-1800.)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Travel document requirements vary from country to country, but you will need the following: a U.S. passport or other proof of citizenship, plus a visa or a tourist card, if required by the country or countries that you will visit. You may also need evidence that you have enough money for your trip and/or have ongoing or return transportation tickets.

A Valid Passport

Who Needs a Passport?

A U.S. citizen needs a passport to depart or enter the United States and to enter and depart most foreign countries. Exceptions include short-term travel between the United States and Mexico, Canada, and some countries in the Caribbean, where a U.S. birth certificate or other proof of U.S. citizenship may be accepted. Your travel agent or airline can tell you if you need a passport for the country that you plan to visit. Information on entry requirements is available from the booklet Foreign Entry Requirements , from the Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colorado 81009; telephone 719-948-4000; Internet http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/ The embassy or consulate of the country where you plan to travel can also advise you about its entry requirements.

Please Remember!

Even if you are not required to have a passport to visit a foreign country, U.S. Immigration requires you to prove your U.S. citizenship and identity to reenter the United States. Make certain that you take with you adequate documentation to pass through U.S. Immigration upon your return. A U.S. passport is the best proof of U.S. citizenship. Other documents to prove U.S. citizenship include an expired U.S. passport, a certified copy of your U.S. birth certificate, a Certificate of Naturalization, a Certificate of Citizenship, or a Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States. To prove your identity, either a valid driver's license or a government identification card that includes a photo or a physical description is adequate.

With the number of international child custody cases on the rise, several countries have instituted passport requirements to help prevent child abductions. For example, Mexico has a law that requires a child traveling alone, or with only one parent, or in someone else's custody, to carry written, notarized consent from the absent parent or parents. No authorization is needed, if the child travels alone and is in possession of a U.S. passport. A child traveling alone with a birth certificate requires written, notarized authorization from both parents.

Beware of a Passport That Is About to Expire!

Certain countries will not permit you to enter and will not place a visa in your passport, if the remaining validity is less than 6 months.

All U.S. Citizens Must Have Their Own Passport.

Since January 1981, family members are not permitted to be included in each other's passports. Even newborn babies need their own passports to travel.

When to Apply

Every year, demand for passports becomes heavy in January and declines in August. You can help reduce U.S. Government expense and avoid delays by applying between September and December. However, even during those months, periods of high demand for passports can occur. Apply several months in advance of your planned departure, whenever possible. If you need visas, allow additional time - approximately two weeks per visa.

How to Apply for Your Passport in Person

For your first passport, you must appear in person with a completed Form DS-11, Passport Application , at one of the 13 U.S. passport agencies or at many Federal and state courts, probate courts, at some county/municipal offices, or at U.S. post offices authorized to accept passport applications. The addresses of passport acceptance facilities in your area are available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov or by calling 1-877-487-2778.)

All minors must appear in person when applying for a passport. Minors under age 14 must appear, and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Applicants age 14 and older may apply on their own IF they have acceptable identification. The parent or legal guardian may be contacted by the Passport Agency to ensure that they are giving permission for issuance of the passport. If the applicant does not have identification, then the parent or legal guardian must accompany the applicant. For information on special requirements for children under age 14, visit travel.state.gov or call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.

If you have had a previous passport and wish to obtain a new one, you may be eligible to apply by mail.

For more information on obtaining a U.S. passport, you can obtain a copy of the publication Passports: Applying for Them the Easy Way . This pamphlet provides basic information about applying for a U.S. passport, and it is available from the Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colorado 81009; telephone 719-948-4000; Internet http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/

What to Bring When You Apply for a Passport in Person

1. A properly completed, but unsigned, passport application (DS-11). Do not sign it!

2. Proof of U.S. citizenship (a, b, or c):

a. Use your previously issued passport or one in which you were included. If you are applying for your first passport or cannot submit a previous passport, you must submit other evidence of citizenship.

b. If you were born in the United States, you should produce a certified copy of your birth certificate. This must show that the birth record was filed shortly after birth and must be certified with the registrar's signature and raised, impressed, embossed, or multicolored seal. Certified copies of birth records can be obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the city, state, county, or territory where you were born. ( Notifications of Birth Registration or Birth Announcements are not normally accepted for passport purposes.) A delayed birth certificate (one filed more than one year after the date of birth) is acceptable, provided it shows a plausible basis for creating this record. If it does not, you will need to submit the best secondary evidence possible.

If you cannot obtain a birth certificate, you may submit a notice from a state registrar stating that no birth record exists, accompanied by the best secondary evidence possible. This may include a baptismal certificate, a hospital birth record, notarized affidavits of persons having personal knowledge of the facts of your birth, or other documentary evidence such as an early census, school records, family Bible records, and newspaper files. A personal knowledge affidavit should be supported by at least one public record reflecting birth in the United States.

c. If you were born abroad, you can use:

• A Certificate of Naturalization
• A Certificate of Citizenship
• A Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (Form FS-240)
• A Certification of Birth (Form FS-545 or DS-1350)

If you do not have any of these documents and are a U.S. citizen, you should call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 for assistance.

3. Proof of identity.

You must also establish your identity to the satisfaction of the person accepting your application. The following items are generally acceptable documents of identity, if they contain your signature and if they readily identify you by physical description or photograph:

• A previous U.S. passport
• A Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship
• A valid driver's license
• A government issued (Federal, state, municipal) identification card

The following are not acceptable:

• A Social Security card
• A learner's or temporary driver's license
• A credit card of any type
• Any temporary or expired identity card or document
• Any document that has been altered or changed

I f you are unable to present one of the first four documents to establish your identity, you must be accompanied by a person who has known you for at least 2 years and who is a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident alien of the United States. That person must sign an affidavit in the presence of the same person who executes the passport application. The witness will be required to establish his or her own identity. You must also submit some identification of your own.

4. Photographs.

You must present two identical photographs of yourself that are sufficiently recent (normally taken within the past 6 months) to be a good likeness. Passport Services encourages photographs where the applicant is relaxed and smiling.

The photographs must not exceed 2x2 inches in size. The image size measured from the bottom of your chin to the top of your head (including hair) must be not less than 1 inch nor more than 1-3/8 inches with your head taking up most of the photograph. Passport photographs may be either black and white or color.

Photographs must be clear, front view, full-face, and printed on thin, white paper with a plain, white or off-white background. Photographs should be portrait-type prints taken in normal street attire without a hat and must include no more than the head and shoulders or upper torso. Dark glasses are not acceptable except when worn for medical reasons. Head coverings are only acceptable, if they are worn for religious reasons.

Applicants may use photographs in military uniform only if they are on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and are proceeding abroad in the discharge of their duties.

Newspaper, magazine and most vending machine prints are not acceptable for use in passports.

5. The correct fee for applying for a passport in person.

Applicants age 16 and over, who are required to appear in person, must pay $85 for their passport. This includes a $30 execution fee. The passport is valid for 10 years. Applicants age 15 and under must pay $70 for their passport. This includes a $30 execution fee. The passport is valid for 5 years.

You may pay by check, bank draft, or money order, payable to Passport Services. You may also pay in cash (exact change only) at a passport agency and at some, but not all post offices and clerks of court.

How to Apply for a Passport by Mail

You may apply by mail if you meet the following requirements:

• You can submit your most recent passport.
• Your previous passport was issued on or after your 16th birthday and was issued within the past 15 years.
• You use the same name as that on your most recent passport or you have had your name changed by marriage or court order, and can submit proof of the change in name

How to Proceed

Obtain Form DS-82, Application for Passport by Mail , from one of the U.S. passport agencies, from a Federal or state court, from a U.S. post office that is authorized to accept passport applications, from your travel agent, or from the Internet at http://travel.state.gov Complete the information requested on the reverse side of the form.

1. Sign and date the application.
2. Include your date of departure. If no date is included, passport agents will assume that your travel plans are not immediate, and you will receive your passport within 25 working days from receipt of the application at the passport agency.
3. Enclose your previous passport. (Your previous passport and other documents that you may have submitted will be returned to you with your new passport.)
4. Enclose two identical 2x2 photographs.
5. Enclose the $55 passport fee. (The $30 execution fee is not required for applicants eligible to apply by mail.)
6. If your name has changed, submit the original or certified copy of the court order or marriage certificate that shows the change of name.
7. The person that you list to be notified in case of an emergency should be someone who could act on your behalf. The person should be someone to whom you have given or could give a power of attorney.
8. For processing, mail the completed application and attachments to the National Passport Center, listed on the application form. An incomplete or improperly prepared application will delay issuance of your passport.
9. If requesting Expedited Service, include the $60.00 expedite fee.

How to Pay the Passport Fee

The following forms of payment are acceptable when you apply by mail:

• A bank draft or a cashier's check
• A check: either a certified check, a personal check, or a traveler's check (The check should be made out for the exact amount
• A money order: either a U.S. postal money order, an international money order, a currency exchange money order or a bank money order
• Checks must be made payable to Passport Services.

When You Receive Your Passport

Sign it right away! Fill in page 5, the personal notification data page. (For the emergency contact, do not include the name of your traveling companion; instead, write in pencil the name, address, and telephone number of someone who is not traveling with you.) Your previous passport and other documents that you may have submitted will be returned to you with your new passport.

Other Passport Information

Expedited Service

It normally takes 25 business days from receipt of the complete application by a passport agency to return your passport. If you wish or need to receive your passport sooner, you may request expedited service for processing of the passport within 3 business days from receipt of the application by a passport agency. The fee for expedited service is $60.00 per application, which is in addition to the regular passport fee.

If you request expedited service, your departure date should be clearly shown on the application. Anyone who pays the $60.00 expedite fee and submits a complete application will be given expedited service.

If you plan to travel in more than two weeks, but need a passport urgently, it is strongly recommended that you arrange for two-way overnight delivery of the passport to prevent delays. If you are leaving within two weeks, it is recommended that you go to the nearest passport agency to apply.

For additional details, you may check with the National Passport Information Center.

If you plan to travel abroad frequently or if you stay overseas for long periods of time, your relatives or associates in the United States should have valid passports as well. That way, if you were to become seriously ill or involved in some other emergency, they could travel without delay. Also, you should leave with them your passport number and the date and place of the passport's issuance.

Diplomatic and Official Passports

If you are being assigned abroad on U.S. government business and are eligible to apply by mail for a no-fee passport (no-fee regular passport, official passport, diplomatic passport), you must submit the mail-in application form, your authorization to apply for a no-fee passport, your previous passport, and two photographs to the Special Issuance Agency in Washington, D.C. for processing. The address is 1111 19th Street, N.W., Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20522-1705.

Additional Visa Pages

Should you require additional visa pages before your passport expires, you can obtain them by submitting your passport to one of the passport agencies listed at the back of this pamphlet. If you travel frequently to countries requiring visas, you may request a 48-page passport at the time that you apply. There is no additional charge for extra pages or for a 48-page passport.

Change of Name

If you have changed your name, you will need to have your passport amended. Fill out Form DS-19, Passport Amendment/Validation Application , which is available from any office that is authorized to accept passport applications. The form can also be downloaded from this site. Submit the DS-19 along with proof of the name change (a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or certified court order) to:

Charleston Passport Center
Attention: Amendments
1269 Holland Street
Charleston, SC 29405

There is no fee for this service, except if expedite service is requested.

An Altered or Mutilated Passport

If your U.S. passport is mutilated or altered in any way (other than changing the personal notification data), you may render it invalid, cause yourself much inconvenience, and expose yourself to possible prosecution under the law (Section 1543, Title 22 of the U.S. Code).

Mutilated or altered passports should be turned in to passport agents, authorized postal employees, or U.S. consular officers abroad.

Loss or Theft of a U.S. Passport

It is important that you safeguard your passport. Its loss could cause you unnecessary travel complications as well as significant expense.

If your passport is lost or stolen in the United States, you should apply for a new passport and complete Form DS-64, Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport , which is available at U.S. passport agencies, or it can be downloaded from this site. You may also report your passport lost/stolen by calling 202-955-0340.

If your passport is lost or stolen abroad, you should report the loss immediately to the local police and to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. If you can provide the consular officer with the information contained in your passport, it will facilitate issuance of a new passport. Therefore, it is a good idea to make two photocopies of the data page of your passport. Keep one copy separately from your passport to take with you on your trip, and leave the other copy with a relative or friend in the United States. It is also a good idea to carry two extra passport size photos with you.

Do You Have Other Questions About Passports?

Additional passport information may be obtained from the National Passport Information Center (NPIC). Callers can dial 1-877-487-2778 to receive passport applications or additional information about passport emergencies, applying for a U.S. passport, and to check on the status of a passport application. Automated information is available 24-hours/day, 7 days/week. Operators can be reached Monday-Friday, excluding Federal holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Services are provided in English, Spanish and by TDD (1-888-874-7793).

How to Obtain Visas

A visa is an endorsement or stamp placed in your passport by a foreign government that permits you to visit that country for a specified purpose and a limited time - for example, a 3-month tourist visa. It is advisable to obtain visas before you leave the United States because you may not be able to obtain visas for some countries once you have departed. You should apply directly to the embassy or nearest consulate of each country that you plan to visit, or consult a travel agent. Passport agencies cannot help you obtain visas.

Foreign Entry Requirements

The Department of State publication M-264, Foreign Entry Requirements , gives entry requirements for every country and tells where and how to apply for visas and tourist cards. It can be ordered from the Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colorado 81009; telephone: 719-948-4000; Internet http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/ Please Note: The publication is updated annually, but it may not reflect the most current requirements. It is advisable to verify the latest visa requirements directly with the embassy or consulate of each country that you plan to visit.

Because a visa is stamped directly onto a blank page in your passport, you will need to give your passport to an official of each foreign embassy or consulate. You may also need to fill out a form and submit one or more photographs with the form. Many visas require a fee. The process may take several weeks for each visa, so it is wise to apply well in advance of your trip, if possible.

Tourist Card

If the country that you plan to visit only requires a tourist card, you can usually obtain one from the country's embassy or consulate, from an airline serving the country, or at the port of entry. There is a fee for some tourist cards.

Proof of Citizenship

Check with the embassy or consulate of each country that you plan to visit to learn what proof of citizenship is required of visitors. Even if a country does not require a visitor to have a passport, it will require some proof of citizenship and identity. Remember that no matter what proof of citizenship a foreign country requires, U.S. Immigration has strict requirements for reentry into the United States.

Immunizations

Under international health regulations adopted by the World Health Organization, a country may require international certificates of vaccination against yellow fever and cholera. Typhoid vaccinations are not required for international travel, but are recommended for areas where there is risk of exposure. Smallpox vaccinations are no longer given. Check your health care records to ensure that your measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis immunizations are up-to-date. Medication to deter malaria and other preventative measures are advisable for certain areas. No immunizations are needed to return to the United States.

Information on immunization requirements, U.S. Public Health Service recommendations, and other health guidance, including risks in particular countries, are included in the book, Health Information for International Travel . It may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. Orders by telephone and a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) can be made by calling 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250. In addition, you may obtain information on health from local and state health departments or physicians. The information is also available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 24-hour hotline at 1-888-232-3228, from their automated faxback service at 1-888-232-3299, or from their home page on the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov.

It is not necessary to be vaccinated against a disease to which you will not be exposed, and few countries refuse to admit you if you arrive without the necessary vaccinations. Officials will either vaccinate you, give you a medical follow-up card, or, in rare circumstances, put you in isolation for the incubation period of the disease that you were not vaccinated against. It is a good idea to check immunization requirements before you depart.

If vaccinations are required, they must be recorded on approved forms, such as those in the booklet PHS-731, International Certificates of Vaccination as Approved by the World Health Organization. If your doctor or public health office does not have this booklet, it can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954; telephone 202-512-1800, or Government Printing Office bookstores. You should keep the booklet with your passport.

An increasing number of countries require that foreigners be tested for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prior to entry. Testing is usually required as part of a medical exam for long term visitors (i.e., students and workers). Before traveling abroad, you can check with the embassy or consulate of the country that you intend to visit to learn about the latest information concerning entry requirements and, particularly, whether or not an AIDS/HIV test is a requirement.

Health Insurance

Obtaining medical treatment and hospital care can be costly for travelers who are injured or who become seriously ill overseas. The Social Security Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide coverage for hospital or medical services outside the United States. Before you leave the United States, you should be informed about which medical services your health insurance will cover abroad.

Senior citizens may wish to contact the American Association of Retired Persons for information about foreign medical care coverage with Medicare supplement plans.

If your health insurance policy does not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs abroad, you are urged to purchase a temporary health policy that does provide this type of coverage. There are short-term health and emergency assistance policies designed for travelers. You can find the names of companies that provide such policies from your travel agent, your health insurance company, or from advertisements in travel publications. Useful information on medical emergencies abroad is provided in the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs' flyer, Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad . In addition to health insurance, many policies include trip cancellation, baggage loss, and travel accident insurance in the same package. Some traveler's check companies have protection policies available with the purchase of traveler's checks.

Medical Evacuation

Although some health insurance companies may pay "customary and reasonable" hospital costs abroad, very few will pay for medical evacuation back to the United States. Medical evacuation can easily cost $10,000 or more, depending on your location and medical condition. One of the main advantages of health and emergency assistance policies is that they often include coverage for medical evacuation to the United States. Even if your regular health insurance covers you for emergencies abroad, you should consider purchasing supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation.

Whichever health insurance coverage you choose for travel overseas, remember to carry with you both your health insurance policy identity card and claim forms.

Do You Need Travel Insurance?

You may not need travel insurance, if you are already adequately covered by other insurance policies.

Depending on the travel insurance plan, travel insurance usually promises to cover you for cancellation or interruption of your trip, some form of emergency medical care while you are traveling, lost or stolen luggage, and various other troublesome occurrences.

Before you decide on a travel insurance plan, it is wise to investigate the plan carefully and read the fine print. You should closely check any agreements with your travel agent, tour operator, airline, or other companies involved with your travel plans. The agreements may include written guarantees.

If you have a fully refundable airline ticket, you may decide that you would not need trip cancellation/interruption insurance.

On the other hand, it may be worthwhile noting that certain insurance plans can protect you by covering the financial costs in case of the following situations:

• A sudden, serious injury or illness to you, a family member, or a traveling companion.
• Financial default of the airline, cruise line or tour operator.
• Natural disasters or strikes that impede travel services.
• A terrorist incident in a foreign city within 10 days of your scheduled arrival in that particular city.

The fact that you, a traveling member of your family, or a traveling companion were quarantined, served with a court order or required to serve on a jury.

A circumstance in which you were directly involved in an accident enroute to departure for your trip.

It is a good idea to check your other insurance policies. For instance, your homeowners or tenants insurance may cover the loss or theft of your luggage.

Certain credit cards may also provide additional travel insurance, if you have used them to purchase the ticket for your trip.

Your health insurance may provide certain coverage, regardless of where you travel. But it is very important to note that some policies only partially cover medical expenses abroad. Moreover, as previously explained in the section on Health Insurance, Medicare/Medicaid will not cover hospital and medical services outside the United States. (Please see section on Health Insurance for more details about health emergencies abroad.)

Your travel agent should be able to advise you about the right plan for you. Before purchasing travel insurance, review the plan carefully, and be wary of buying coverage that you may already have.

How to Bring Money

Traveler's Checks

It is wise not to carry large amounts of cash. You should take most of your money in traveler's checks and remember to record the serial number, denomination and the date and location of the issuing bank or agency. Keep this information in a safe and separate place so, if you lose your traveler's checks, you can quickly get replacements.

Credit Cards

Some credit cards can be used worldwide, even for cash advances. Keep track of your credit card purchases so that you do not exceed your limit. Travelers have been arrested overseas for mistakenly exceeding their credit limit! Leave all unnecessary credit cards at home. Record the numbers of the credit cards that you do bring, and keep the list separately from the cards.

You should immediately report the loss or theft of your credit cards or traveler's checks to the credit card companies and to the local police. If you plan to stay in one place for some time, you might consider opening an account for check cashing and other transactions at a U.S. bank that has an overseas affiliate. U.S. embassies and consulates cannot cash checks for you.

Before leaving on your trip, you may wish to check with your bank to see if the country or countries that you plan to visit have Automated Teller Machine (ATM) service. The bank should be able to tell you if you can use your ATM card during your trip abroad.

Prepare for Emergency Funds

It is a good idea to keep the telephone number for your bank in the United States with you, in case you run out of cash and need to transfer money. In some countries, major banks and certain travel agencies can help arrange a transfer of funds from your account to a foreign bank. If you do not have a bank account from which you can obtain emergency funds, you should make arrangements in advance with a relative or friend to send you emergency funds should it become necessary. If you find yourself destitute, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance in arranging a money wire transfer from a relative or friend in the United States.

Foreign Currency

Before departing, you may wish to purchase small amounts of foreign currency to use for buses, taxis, phones, or tips when you first arrive. Foreign exchange facilities at airports may be closed when your flight arrives. You can purchase foreign currency at some U.S. banks, at foreign exchange firms, at foreign exchange windows, or even at vending machines in many international airports in the United States.

Some countries regulate the amount of local currency that you can bring into or take out of the country; others require that you exchange a minimum amount of currency. For currency regulations, check with a bank, a foreign exchange firm, your travel agent, or the embassy or consulate of the countries that you plan to visit.

If you leave or enter the United States with more than $10,000 in monetary instruments of any kind, you must file a report, Customs Form 4790, with U.S. Customs at the time. Failure to comply can result in civil and criminal proceedings.

Valuables -- Do Not Bring Them!

Do not bring anything on your trip that you would hate to lose, such as expensive jewelry, family photographs, or objects of sentimental value. If you bring jewelry, wear it discreetly to help prevent snatch-and-run robbery.

Other Things To Arrange Before You Depart

Lodging

Try to Make Lodging Reservations in Advance

Many travelers wait until they reach their destination before making hotel reservations. Some train stations and airports have travel desks to assist you in finding lodging. However, when you arrive, you may be tired and unfamiliar with your surroundings, and could have difficulty locating a hotel to suit your needs. Therefore, when possible, reserve your lodging in advance and confirm your reservations along the way. During peak tourist season, it is important to have a hotel reservation for at least the first night that you arrive in a foreign city.

An alternative to hotels and pensions is the youth hostel system, which offers travelers of all ages clean, inexpensive, overnight accommodations in more than 6,000 locations in over 70 countries worldwide. Hostels provide dormitory-style accommodations with separate facilities for males and females. Some hostels have family rooms that can be reserved in advance. Curfews are often imposed and membership is frequently required. For more information, you may contact: American Youth Hostels, P.O. Box 37613, Washington, D.C. 20013-7613; telephone (202) 783-6161.

Organized Programs

The majority of private programs for vacation, study, or work abroad are reputable and financially sound. However, some charge exorbitant fees, use deliberately false "educational" claims, and provide working conditions far different from those advertised. Even programs of legitimate organizations can be poorly administered. Be cautious. Before committing yourself or your finances, find out about the organization and what it offers.

Travel Benefits for Students and Teachers

Students and teachers can save money on transportation and accommodations, and obtain other discounts if they have one of the following:

An International Student Identity Card - for students age 12 and older. You must be a junior high school, high school, college, university or vocational school student at least 12 years of age. Also, you must be enrolled in a study program leading to a diploma or degree at an accredited institution.

An International Teacher Identity Card - for full-time teachers and faculty at an accredited institution.

A GO 25 International Youth Travel Card - for youths ages 12 - 25. You must be at least 12 years of age, but not over 25 at the time that you apply.

These cards are available with proof of your status and a small fee from: Council on International Educational Exchange; 205 East 42nd Street; New York, New York 10017; telephone 1-888-COUNCIL; Internet http://www.ciee.org/

The international identity cards offer the following benefits:

• Reduced airfares on major international airlines
• Discounts in the United States and abroad, including transportation, accommodations, international phone calls, car rentals and museum admissions
• Toll-free, 24-hour, emergency Help Line
• Basic insurance to cover sickness, accident and emergency evacuation while traveling outside the United States ( only for cards purchased in the United States.)
• International student/teacher/youth recognition.

For more details and information about applying for international identity cards, contact the Council on International Educational Exchange aas listed above.

Pre-Paid Telephone Card Service

You never know when you may wish or need to telephone home during your trip. For such purposes, you might consider purchasing a pre-paid telephone card. You can check with telephone companies about pre-paid telephone card service. They should be able to provide you with information about prices, sales locations in the United States and ordering the service by telephone. If you decide to purchase a pre-paid telephone card, be sure that the card you choose will work outside the United States.

Transportation

At the time of publication, U.S. citizens in the United States, who are traveling abroad, are required to pay a $12 airport departure tax and a $6 federal inspection fee that are included in the price of the air ticket.

Charter Flights and Airlines

There have been occasions when airlines or companies that sell charter flights or tour packages have gone out of business with little warning, stranding passengers overseas. If you know from the media or your travel agent that an airline is in financial difficulty, ask your travel agent or the airline what recourse you would have, if the airline ceased to operate. Some airlines may honor the tickets of a defunct airline, but they usually do so with restrictions.

It is a good idea to purchase tours only from operators that guarantee the safety of your money through a consumer protection plan.

Before you purchase a charter flight or tour package, read the contract carefully. Unless it guarantees to deliver services promised or give a full refund, you may consider purchasing travel insurance. If you are unsure of the reputation of a charter company or tour operator, consult your local Better Business Bureau or the American Society of Travel Agents at 1101 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, Tel. (703) 739-2782. They will help answer your questions and tell you whether or not a company has a complaint record.

Driver's License/Auto Insurance

If you intend to drive overseas, check with the embassy or consulate of the countries where you will visit to learn about requirements for driver's license, road permits, and auto insurance. If possible, obtain road maps of the countries that you plan to visit before you go.

Many countries do not recognize a U.S. driver's license. However, most countries accept an international driver's permit. Before departure, you can obtain one at a local office of an automobile association. The U.S. Department of State has authorized two organizations to issue international driving permits to those who hold valid U.S. driver's licenses: AAA and the American Automobile Touring Alliance. To apply for an international driving permit, you must be at least age 18, and you will need to present two passport-size photographs and your valid U.S. license. Certain countries require road permits, instead of tolls, to use on their divided highways, and they will fine those found driving without a permit.

Car rental agencies overseas usually provide auto insurance, but in some countries, the required coverage is minimal. When renting a car overseas, consider purchasing insurance coverage that is at least equivalent to that which you carry at home.

In general, your U.S. auto insurance does not cover you abroad. However, your policy may apply when you drive to countries neighboring the United States. Check with your insurer to see if your policy covers you in Canada, Mexico, or countries south of Mexico. Even if your policy is valid in one of these countries, it may not meet its minimum requirements. For instance, in most of Canada, you must carry at least $200,000 in liability insurance, and Mexico requires that, if vehicles do not carry theft, third party liability, and comprehensive insurance, the owner must post a bond that could be as high as 50% of the value of the vehicle. If you are under-insured for a country, auto insurance can usually be purchased on either side of the border.

U.S. Customs Pre-Registration

It is a good idea to be informed about U.S. Customs regulations. Foreign-made personal articles taken abroad are subject to U.S. Customs duty and tax upon your return, unless you have proof of prior possession such as a receipt, bill of sale, an insurance policy, or a jeweler's appraisal. If you do not have proof of prior possession, items such as foreign-made watches, cameras, or tape recorders that can be identified by serial number or permanent markings, may be taken to the Customs office nearest you, or to the port of departure for registration, before you depart the United States. The certificate of registration provided can expedite free entry of these items when you return to the United States.

The ATA Carnet

If you are interested in establishing business overseas, you may consider obtaining and ATA Carnet, which is an international Customs document for temporary, duty-free imports. The ATA Carnet offers many advantages for international business. For example, it reduces the cost of exporting by eliminating the value-added (VAT). It also simplifies the extensive Customs procedures by allowing temporary exporters to use a single document for all transactions and make arrangements for many countries and many trips in advance at a predetermined cost. For more information about obtaining an ATA Carnet, please contact the U.S. Council for International Business, 1212 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036; telephone 212-354-4480; fax 212-944-0012.

Documentation for Medications

If you go abroad with preexisting medical problems, you should carry a letter from you doctor describing your condition, including information on any prescription medicines that you must take. You should also have the generic names of the drugs. Please leave medicines in their original, labeled containers. These precautions make customs processing easier. A doctor's certificate, however, may not suffice as authorization to transport all prescription drugs to all foreign countries. Travelers have innocently been arrested for drug violations when carrying items not considered to be narcotics in the United States. To ensure that you do not violate the drug laws of the countries that you visit, you may consult the embassy or consulate of those countries for precise information before you leave the United States.

If you have allergies, reactions to certain medicines, or other unique medical problems, you may consider wearing a medical alert bracelet or carrying a similar warning.

Information About Physicians and Hospitals Abroad

Several private organizations provide listings of physicians abroad to international travelers. Membership in these organizations is generally free, although a donation may be requested. Membership entitles you to a number traveler's medical aids, including a directory of physicians with their overseas locations, telephone numbers and doctors' fee schedules. The physicians are generally English-speaking and provide medical assistance 24 hours a day. The addresses of these medical organizations are in travel magazines or may be available from your travel agent.

U.S. embassies and consulates abroad usually keep lists of physicians and hospitals in their area. Major credit card companies also can provide the names of local doctors and hospitals abroad.

For detailed information about physicians abroad, the authoritative reference is the Directory of Medical Specialists , published for the American Board of Medical Specialists and its 22 certifying member boards. The publication should be available in your local library.

More medical information may be found in the Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs' brochure, Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad , available by autofax service at 202-647-3000.

Places to Receive Mail

If you are traveling for an extended period, you may want to arrange for the delivery of mail or messages to you abroad. Some banks and international credit card companies handle mail for customers at their overseas branches. General Delivery (Poste Restante) services at post offices in most countries will hold mail for you. U.S. embassies/consulates do not handle private mail.

Learn About Dual Nationality

Whether you are a U.S. citizen from birth or were naturalized as a U.S. citizen, a foreign country may claim you as its citizen if:

• You were born in that country.
• Your parent(s) is or was a citizen of that country.
• You are married to a citizen of that country.
• You are a naturalized U.S. citizen, but you are still considered to be a citizen under that country's laws.

If any of the possibilities for dual nationality applies to you, check on your status (including military obligations) with the embassy or consulate of the country that might claim you as a citizen. In particular, Americans may have problems with dual nationality in certain countries in the Middle East, in South America, and in Africa. Some foreign countries refuse to recognize a dual national's U.S. citizenship and do not allow U.S. officials access to arrested Americans.

Some Things to Leave Behind

Your Itinerary - Leave a Paper Trail

You should leave a detailed itinerary (with names, addresses, and phone numbers of persons and places to be visited) with relatives or friends in the United States so that you can be reached in an emergency. Also, include a photocopy of your passport information page.

Other Important Numbers

It is a good idea to make a list of all important numbers - your passport information as well as your credit card, traveler's checks, and airline ticket numbers. Leave a copy of the list at home, and carry a copy with you.

While You Are Overseas

How to Deal With the Unexpected

If you change your travel plans, miss your return flight, or extend your trip, be sure to notify relatives or friends at home. Should you find yourself in an area of civil unrest or natural disaster, please let your relatives or friends at home know as soon as you can that you are safe. Prior to your departure, you should register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate through the State Department's travel registration website. Registration will make your presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency. In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts may not be released without your express authorization. Remember to leave a detailed itinerary and the numbers or copies of your passport or other citizenship documents with a friend or relative in the United States.

Safety Tips

Protect Your Passport

Your passport is the most valuable document that you will carry abroad. It confirms your U.S. citizenship. Please guard it carefully. Do not use it as collateral for a loan or lend it to anyone. It is your best form of identification. You will need it when you pick up mail or check into hotels, embassies or consulates.

When entering some countries or registering at hotels, you may be asked to fill out a police card listing your name, passport number, destination, local address, and reason for travel. You may be required to leave your passport at the hotel reception desk overnight so that it may be checked by local police officials. These are normal procedures required by local laws. If your passport is not returned the following morning, immediately report the impoundment to local police authorities and to