Traveling internationally is by far one of my favorite things to do! This world has so much to offer and there is no better way to learn about various cultures, food, history, and landscapes than to experience them first hand. When traveling internationally, you need to make sure that you do some legwork up front. If you put in the time before you head to the airport, it will ensure your trip kicks off on the right note. At ChasingBebe we believe in stress-free travel; therefore, we’ve compiled a list of 13 important things to do before traveling internationally. To help make things as easy and painless as possible, we’ve included links and tips as well!
Whether this is your first time traveling internationally or your hundredth, it’s important that you have a checklist to ensure you don’t miss or forget any of these important items. In order to help you, we’ve created a free printable document for you to keep on hand while preparing for your next trip! To receive a copy of our checklist and additional tips and information to help you create memorable and stress-free trips, sign-up below!
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Apply for a Passport / Make Sure Your Passport is Up-to-Date
If this is your first time traveling internationally, the first thing you need to do is apply for a passport. This process can take several weeks (unless you pay extra $$$), so don’t wait until the last minute. All the information you need for applying for a new passport can be found on Travel.State.Gov.
Many countries require that your passport be valid for six months after your return date. If the expiration date does not extend long enough to meet the rules of the country you plan to visit you will be denied entry and turned away at the airport. This is not a United States rule, but a rule of many foreign countries. If your passport will expire within six months or less of your trip, play it safe and renew your passport prior to your trip. For an up-to-date list of passport validity requirements by country, check the Travel.State.Gov website.
Tip: Everyone in your party (including infants) need a passport. Children’s passports are only valid for 5-years.
Verify if You Need a Tourist Visa
Tourist visas are needed to visit many countries around the world. The application process and processing time vary greatly from country to country. Depending on the country, it can take days, weeks or sometimes months for your visa application to be processed, so plan ahead!
Schengen Agreement – If you are planning to visit or travel in Europe, it’s important to understand the rules governing this agreement and how they might affect you. For U.S. citizens, with a valid U.S. passport, you can stay up to 90 days for tourism and 180 days for business. Make sure to not overstay and to read up on the rules as well as verify the countries you are traveling to are a part of the Schengen Agreement.
Research Entrance and Exit Fees
Regardless of whether a country requires you to obtain a tourist visa, it may levy an entrance and/or exit fee against you. Travel.State.Gov is the most reliable resource for determining whether a country charges these fees. Go to the specific countries page and look under the Entry, Exit & Visa Requirements tab for complete information.
Check Travel Warnings/Alerts and Advisories
The US government issues travel warnings/alerts and advisories for each country. The warnings/alerts are short-term events such as protest, avalanche danger, etc. A travel advisory is a more long-term event such as civil war, a rise in crime, etc. The government wants you to carefully consider traveling to countries with higher level travel advisories. Travel advisories are broken down into four levels.
- Lv 1: Exercise Normal Precaution
- Lv 2: Exercise Increased Precaution
- Lv 3: Reconsider Travel
- Lv 4: Do Not Travel
Level 2 through Level 4, have additional indicators (crime, terrorism, health, etc.) in order to establish a clear reason for the travel advisory level assigned.
Get Vaccinations and Check Requirements for Traveling with Prescriptions
It is always a good idea to visit your doctor before traveling internationally. It’s important to make sure you are up to date on your vaccinations and to get additional vaccinations depending upon your travel destination. Additionally, it is important to get any necessary prescriptions updated and filled. When traveling internationally, you want to make sure that all prescriptions are maintained in their original labeled bottles. Talk to your pharmacist if you need smaller labeled bottles. This will give you the ability to take a smaller portion of a prescription with you while still maintaining it in a labeled bottle.
The CDC website is a good source of information for the type of vaccines needed for traveling to various countries as well as information on the health risks of consuming contaminated water/food and ways to prevent their consumption. Additionally, the website provides a “Healthy Travel Packing List” for each country that includes nonprescription items to pack, as well as, specific health tips for people traveling with children, pregnant women, etc.
For more information and tips on vaccinations and traveling with prescription medication, check out the Health Abroad section of Travel.State.Gov
Tip: Check the “Drugs and Perscription Medications” section under the Local Laws and Special Circumstances section on the U.S. Department of State’s country information page to learn which prescription drugs are illegal in your destination country. (For example, Marijuana and CBD oil may be legal in some States in the U.S.; however, in Mexico, if caught with them, you could be charged with international drug trafficking.)
Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program is a free service that allows U.S. citizens to receive the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate when traveling or living abroad. Additionally, the STEP program allows you to receive safety and security information from specific countries, as well as, allows the countries U.S. embassies or consulates to contact you in an emergency.
Contact Banks/Credit Cards
When preparing for your trip, take the time to clean out your purse/wallet. Make sure to only bring the cards that you intend to use. Contact their associated banks or credit card companies to notify them of your travel plans, including the dates of your travel and the countries that you will be traveling to/through.
Keep in mind that some banks and credit cards charge foreign transaction fees. These fees can add up! Make sure to research this when choosing which cards to take. Also, take into consideration the protection your cards offer if your identity or account number is stolen and used fraudulently (i.e. will they immediately refund your money or will you have to wait for an investigation, etc.).
Tip: European banks have switched almost completely to the more secure chip-and-PIN technology, and fewer businesses abroad are accepting the outdated magnetic-strip cards.
Tip: In the US you can use a credit or debit card almost anywhere, but that is not always the case in other countries. Plan to carry some cash on you.
Make Copies of Important Documents
If your passport/visa or other important documents are stolen or lost, it will make it much easier to prove your citizenship and obtain new documents if you have copies of your original documents. Additionally, you may want to upload a copy to your Google drive or e-mail them to yourself. This will give you the ability to access them if your hard copies are lost. You may also want to have a hard copy of your reservations, accommodations, and tickets (i.e train, tours, etc.) as unfortunately having a confirmation number and digital copy on a smartphone isn’t always enough or not available when you need it.
Tip: When traveling, make sure to store your passport/visa and copies in separate locations (i.e. hotel safe, on your person, etc.)
Tip: Bring with you the address/phone number of the U.S. embassy or consulate for the countries you will be traveling in. These will be important in the case of an emergency or if you lose your passport/visa. Additionally, if a crisis occurs, like a natural disaster or political upheaval, they can help assist in getting you back to the U.S. They can also help you locate missing American members of your party. Additionally, they will also give you advice if you find yourself in financial trouble, need medical or legal advice, are a victim of a crime, or if you have an emergency, such as a death or arrest.
For overseas emergencies you can call: Overseas Citizens Services, Washington, D.C., 888-407-4747 (toll-free U.S. and Canada), +1 202-501-4444 (from overseas)
Leave a Copy of Your Itinerary/Important Documents with a Trusted Family Member or Friend Back Home
In the event of an emergency, it is important if a trusted family member or friend has a copy of your important document. Additionally, if you lose your important documents, it will make it easier to get replacement documents. This includes a copy of your passport, visa, itinerary, reservations, accommodations, and tickets.
Research/Purchase Insurance
It is highly likely that your normal health insurance won’t cover you while you’re traveling abroad. Don’t fret though! There are insurance options out there to cover you during your adventure.
When deciding on insurance, take into consideration where you’re traveling, your individual health, activities you have planned, etc.. Health issues are rarely planned; therefore, you may consider buying medical evacuation and emergency medical insurance. Additionally, if your trip requires expensive plane tickets, a large down payment, or is booked several months in advance, trip insurance can provide valuable protection from unexpected health or travel issues.
There are several types of insurance available for when traveling, including medical/medical evacuation, travel health, trip cancellation, etc. For more information on the different types of insurance, check out Travel.State.Gov’s “Insurance Providers for Overseas Coverage“. For information on dealing with emergencies and other health-related topics while abroad check out “Your Health Abroad“.
Tip: There are multiple companies like World Nomad that specialize in and offer insurance just for traveling. Check into companies like these in order to obtain the exact coverage you need all through one company. This will keep you from having to piecemeal your coverage through multiple companies. Bonus: They will give you a quote and your coverage details up front!
Research/Purchase the Correct Power Adapters and Converters
Electrical outlets in the U.S. are designed for 100-120V, while many other countries range between 200-240V. When traveling, you will most likely need both a power adapter and a power converter. Power adapters will vary depending upon what country(s) you are traveling to. They can easily be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers. Power converters can also be purchased online. You will need one for electronics that are not dual/multi-voltage.
Tip: Dual/multi-voltage electronics are designed to operate with more than one type of electricity. All electronics should be labeled with their voltage designations. This applies to hair dryers, straighteners, phone chargers, camera battery chargers, etc.
Tip: For more information on the difference between power adapters and power converters, as well as, the different type of power adapters based on the country you are traveling to, check out this article from Destination Go.
Activate Your Cellphone’s Global Capabilities
Contact your cellphone company to add international calling and data to your cellphone plan. This option is typically preferred over paying roaming charges and international rates.
Do your plan rates seem high? Are you going to be traveling for an extended amount of time? If so, look into plans provided by other retailers or Google Fi. For reviews on various plans available from some of the main cellphone companies, check out review.org.
International Driver’s Permit
Are you planning to rent a car to tour the countryside or take a road trip along the coast? If so, make sure that the country you are traveling in will recognize your U.S. driver’s license. If they won’t, don’t fret! You can obtain an international driver’s permit through AAA. Keep in mind that your auto insurance policy will most likely not cover you abroad; therefore, you may need to purchase additional insurance as well. Check out Travel.State.Gov for more information on driving and road safety abroad.
Tip: International driver’s permits cannot be issued more than six (6) months in advance of the desired effective date, so don’t jump the gun and apply to far in advance.
We hope you enjoyed our list of 13 Important Things To Do Before Traveling Internationally! If you have any additional suggestions, please leave them in the comments! For more information on traveling internationally check out our Family Travel page!
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