What are the current rules?
What are the current rules?
As I write this article I am concerned the rules may be revised again by the time I reach the end. There are numerous requirements that have changed in recent years regarding the issuance of passports and visas.
Every U.S. citizen traveling out of the country is now required to be in possession of their own passport, even infants. No longer can a child be included with a parent. There are even some special rules for 16 and 17 year olds.
It is important a new passport applicant allow sufficient time to secure a passport. Difficulties may occur if your name has changed during your life due to adoption, marriage or accepting a parent’s maiden name. All information must be well-documented. If you do not have appropriate proof, be prepared to present copies of a 10 year old tax return and additional documents that prove you are who you say you are, such as an affidavit of birth or affidavit of name change. You may even need to locate a relative you have long lost contact with to prove they knew you “when”. Passports are valid for ten years.
You must appear in person for your first passport and come prepared with a completed application which you can find on line at Travel.State.Gov, two passport size photos (2”X2” in color or black and white), your original certified birth certificate and your photo I.D., plus your check for $95.00 per passport. If you are applying for a child’s passport, you will need all of this except the photo I.D., but they too must appear in person.
The average time to obtain a passport is 4-6 weeks. You can expedite the process by paying an additional fee of $25.00 per passport and this will reduce your time to 2-3 weeks.
As an alternative, a U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry ONLY. The card can be more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, $45.00 ($35.00 for minors). The passport card CANNOT be used for international travel by air.
For nearly all overseas travel it is required your passport be valid for six months beyond your scheduled return date from your trip. Some countries require a traveler have blank pages (no stamps) in their passport before entering their country. Extra pages may be purchased through the Passport Agency prior to departure from the U.S.
United States citizens when planning travel abroad may need a visa for certain countries. The visas are issued by the embassy of the country being visited. Each country who requires a visa has different requirements as to application, photos and other documentation. In general, when traveling to Western Europe, Caribbean, Canada and Mexico a visa is not required. I recommend checking with a travel professional for answers to these questions. Often a visa service may be required to obtain certain visas. A valid passport is required before a visa will be issued for any country.
If you are planning an extended stay in a country, often a visa will be required and possibly a work visa.
Wherever you travel in the world, cold hard cash is your most essential necessity. This is true if you’re buying a cup of coffee in Los Angeles, a silk scarf in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar or a bracelet off a street vendor in Hong Kong. That is why the first thing many travelers look for when they step off the plane in a foreign country is an ATM machine.
ATMs usually solve a traveler’s dilemma of where to safely and quickly obtain local currency. All cash withdrawals, regardless of size, are exchanged based on the wholesale exchange rate of that country, which is usually a few percentage points better than the rate at a local exchange counter.
Recently, debit cards have been the targets of international fraud, prompting banks to block out entire countries where fraud occurs most often including England, Thailand, the Philippines, Romania, Greece, Turkey, Singapore and Japan. I urge you to call your bank before you leave the United States to find out if your debit card will work at your destination. If you pin number is longer than four numeric digits you will also have a problem.
Credit card companies are beginning to charge an additional percentage for international purchases. Once again, check with your individual credit card companies to determine what their fees will be in the countries you plan to visit.
This is the type of useful and current information you will be advised about by a travel professional during your travel planning process. We are informed about changes that will effect our clients on a daily basis.
Over the last ten years the internet has made travel options available in everyone’s home and travel offers are advertised on nearly every website you may visit. In the beginning, the prices promoted through Online Travel Agencies (OTA) were pretty great at some fabulous resorts. The fact is these great rates have gone away unless you are willing to take your chances and wait until the very last moment. Plus most of the rooms sold through these sources were located in the worst area at the resorts. Arranging travel is time consuming and many travelers are concerned who they may be dealing with when they put their credit card on the line, as well you should be. The original price quoted is often not the one finally secured once the transaction is completed. Be cautious.
Many clients have returned to using travel professionals whom they know, or professionals who have been referred. There are some reasonable fees attached to using the services of a travel professional as you would expect to pay any expert, but isn’t your vacation peach of mind worth it?
A travel professional will enhance your vacation by arranging the additions that complete your travel experience including transportation from your home to the airport; research price comparisons for a vacation whether it be a cruise, tour or resort vacation; research the options for travel insurance so you are provided the best coverage to protect your investment; secure theatre arrangements or dining reservations; arrange golf tee times; secure spa reservations; arrange customized car and guide sightseeing; secure theatre tickets.
A good travel professional will encourage clients to research what is of special interest to them in the area they are traveling, and certain all their desires are included in the trip. Every traveler has expectations as well as a budget for their vacation which must be met. However, in today’s business environment it is also important travelers know something about the financial stability of the travel company they are working with.
Even more importantly, your travel professional is there to assist you if something unforeseen occurs on your trip, something an OTA is generally not able to do. This year when the volcano eruption interrupted travel to/from Europe we were there to assist our clients, when a family crisis occurs requiring an early return home, we assist our clients as well.
A good travel professional is anxious to make your travel dreams become a reality and comfort you with the personal caring and concern only a real person can provide.
