Vital Things to Know Before International Travel
1. If you"re going to a country requiring a visa, ask the consulate of that country whether visas are also issued at the airport there on arrival. In nations such as Egypt and Turkey, it happens to be much simpler and less expensive to get your temp visa there. However, double-check that the consulate is correct.2. Before you leave on your trip, lay out your passport, your driver"s license, insurance cards, and all of your credit cards and copy them all on one or two pages. Write the emergency number for customer service above each card. If you happen to lose your passport, immediately contact the embassy or consulate office and it helps to have that copy of the photo/ID page of your passport. Having a spare passport photo with you will also make things easier.
3. Check the small print regarding passport requirements in various places. For example, to enter Tahiti, you must have at least six months remaining before the passport expires. Also, a few countries, such as South Africa, require two blank pages in your passport so make sure you have them or have them added before you try to enter the country. If you"re divorced, check the legal documents about entering various countries. For instance, Mexico requires a notarized note of intent signed by both parents (or a copy of custody agreement) for minors traveling alone or with one parent. That"s important to know.
4. Some foreign ATMs do not allow access to savings accounts, so make sure your money is in a checking account and that you definitely know your PINs. Bring your bank"s actual phone number also, in case you need to call. Some 800 numbers don"t work internationally.
5. You will hear that traveler"s checks are passУ©. Not true. They can still be useful in some places. For example, on Easter Island many merchants demand to be paid in pesos. Your hotel or some other establishment will likely cash your traveler"s checks for pesos. It"s wise to carry American currency in small bills, an ATM card, a credit card, and traveler"s checks, all squirreled away in different places, so that if, for example your cash is stolen, you will have other sources of money.
6. Some couples or traveling companions like to carry at least three different credit cards, each person holding a unique one. So if your wallet is stolen, you can immediately cancel the cards you had in common and still have one to use that the thief didn"t get.
7. I know it"s another unwanted cost, but it could well pay off big time to invest in travel insurance. Go to a travel insurance comparison site online to compare companies and rates. So stop worrying already about whether financial issues are going to drive you crazy during international travel. You just need to prepare well and keep your wits about you. It helps to ask pertinent questions before you jet to another country rather than find out too late that you missed an important fact.