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| Before you start packing your bags check your passport is in order before you leave! You will also need to make sure you have the right visas and documentation for all the countries you plan on visiting. If you arrive in a country and find you don't have the correct paper work, you won't be let in! Which could cause you undue stress if you don't understand the language and are tired from a long flight. Here's a list of things to check before you go: Check the expiry date on your passport before you travel. Your passport needs to be valid for at least six months from the date of your return. If you turn up at check-in with an out of date passport, you won't be allowed to travel. Check with your travel agent or the relevant consulate or embassy of the country you plan to visit the visa requirement for that country. If you plan on visiting more than one country allow enough time to apply for your visas, as you may have to send your passport off to each embassy separately. Once you've received your visa application form, photocopy it and fill in the details on the photocopied version. There's nothing worse than having to ask for another form to be sent because you have messed up the original form. For more information on visa requirements for different countries CLICK HERE Apply for your passport in good time. Once you've applied allow a minimum of three weeks for it to be ready, longer if its during a holiday period. Do not make any travel arrangements until you have your new passport. When applying for a passport or visa double check you have sent the correct payment with your application. Delays will be inevitable if your application is returned. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, contact your nearest Consulate or Embassy immediately. They will issue you with an emergency passport or in some cases full passports. Make sure you have enough blank pages for entry stamps in your passport. Some countries demand a completely empty page for their entry stamps and if you are visiting several countries in one trip, you could be caught out. Ensure your passport is in a good condition. If your photo has been damaged or any pages torn or removed, you will need to get a replacement. Remember when you are having your passport taken, have a white background, look straight at the camera, don't smile and don't wear glasses or hats. If you're visiting the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme, you should ensure that you have a machine readable passport. Take photocopies of your passport data pages and keep one copy with you in a safe place whilst travelling and leave one copy with a family member at home. When ever possible lock your passport in the hotel/hostel safe and consider holding your passport details in a secure e-mail account, so should you lose it, you can access the information quickly. |
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