Wayzata World Factbook 1996/The World Factbook - 1996 Edition - Wayzata Technology (3079) (1996).iso/pc/text/trvltops/trip.top

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YOUR TRIP ABROAD
(Consular Affairs Topics)




Before You Go

There is a lot you can do to prepare for your trip, depending upon
where, how long and why you are going.

LEARN ABOUT THE PLACES YOU WILL VISIT

Here are some good sources:

A travel agent can provide brochures and tourist information about
the countries you plan to visit.

Your travel agent should also be able to provide you with the Department
of State travel advisory for any country you plan to visit, if an
advisory has been issued for the country. If your travel agent cannot
provide travel advisories, you can obtain them 24-hours a day by
calling [phone] (see page 4).

Look in your local bookstore and public library for books on foreign travel.

Many countries have tourist information offices in large cities that
can give you brochures and, in some cases, maps. International airlines
may also supply you with travel brochures on the countries they serve.

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.
Check on Travel Advisories

The Department of State issues travel advisories to alert U.S. citizens
to conditions overseas that may affect them adversely. There are
three types of travel advisories:

Warning: recommends deferral of travel to all or part of a country.

Caution: advises about unusual security conditions, including the
potential for unexpected detention, unstable political conditions,
or serious health problems. It is not intended to deter travel to a country.

Notice: provides information on situations that do not present a
broad scale risk, but which could result in inconvenience or difficulty
for traveling Americans.

Travel advisories are posted at U.S. passport agencies, Department
of Commerce field offices, and at U.S. embassies and consulates around
the world. They are distributed to the travel and airline industry
and can be found through airline computer reservation systems. If
you plan travel to an area or country where there is some concern
about existing conditions, find out if there is a travel advisory
by contacting the nearest passport agency or your travel agent or
airline. You may also listen to recorded travel advisories, 24-hours
a day. Call the Department of State's Citizens Emergency Center
on 202-647-5225.

THINGS TO BE SURE YOU HAVE

Travel document requirements vary from country to country, but you
will need the following: a passport or other proof of citizenship,
plus a visa or a tourist card. 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. Your travel agent or airline can
tell you if you need a passport for the country you plan to visit.

WARNING! Even if you are not required to have a passport to visit
a country, U.S. Immigration requires you to prove your U.S. citizenship
and identity when you 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 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 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. If you return to
the United States with an expired passport, you are subject to a
passport waiver fee of $100, payable to U.S. Immigration at the port of entry.

All persons must have their own passport. Since January 1981, family
members are not permitted to be included in each others' passports.

WHEN TO APPLY

Every year, demand for passports becomes heavy in January and begins
to decline in August. You can help reduce U.S. Government expense
and avoid delays by applying between September and December. However,
even in 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 IN PERSON

For your first passport, you must appear in person with a completed
Form DSP-11, Passport Application, at one of the 13 U.S. passport
agencies or at one of the several thousand federal or state courts
or U.S. post offices authorized to accept passport applications.
You may be able to find the addresses of passport acceptance facilities
in your area in the government listings of your telephone book.
If you cannot find a listing, contact one of the 13 U.S. passport
agencies listed on page 39 at the end of this pamphlet.

Applicants between age 13 and 18 must appear in person, accompanied
by a parent or legal guardian. For children under age 13, a parent
or legal guardian may appear on their behalf.

If you have had a previous passport and wish to obtain another, you
may be eligible to apply by mail (see page 10 below for details).

WHAT TO BRING WHEN YOU APPLY

1. A properly completed, but unsigned, passport application (DSP-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 you cannot obtain a birth certificate, 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, 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 take all available proof of citizenship to the nearest
U.S. passport agency and request assistance in proving your citizenship.

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 (federal, state, municipal)
-- identification card.

The following are NOT acceptable:

-- Social Security card.
-- Learner's or temporary driver's license.
-- Credit card of any type.
-- Any temporary or expired identity card or document.
-- Any document that has been altered or changed in any manner.

If 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.

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 or 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.

Applicants age 18 and over who are required to appear in person,
must pay $65 for their passport. This includes a $10 execution fee.
Their passport is valid for 10 years. Applicants under age 18 must
pay $40 for their passport. It is valid for 5 years.

You may pay in person by check, bank draft, or money order. You
may also pay in cash at a passport agency and at some, but not all
post offices and clerks of court.

HOW TO APPLY BY MAIL

You may apply by mail if all of the following are true:

-- You have been issued a passport within 12 years prior to your
  new application.
-- You are able to submit your most recent U.S. passport with your
  new application.
-- Your previous passport was issued on or after your 16th birthday.
-- You use the same name as that on your most recent passport or
  you have had your name
  changed by marriage or court order.

HOW TO PROCEED

Obtain Form DSP-82, Application for Passport by Mail, from one of
the offices accepting applications or from your travel agent, and
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
your passport will be processed in about two to three weeks.
(3)  Enclose your previous passport.
(4)  Enclose two identical 2x2 photographs (Specifications listed
later in this file.).
(5)  The $55 passport fee. (The $10 acceptance 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)  For processing, mail the completed application and attachments
to one of the passport agencies listed at the back of this pamphlet.
An incomplete or improperly prepared application will delay issuance
of your passport.

HOW TO PAY THE PASSPORT FEE

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

-- Bank draft or cashier's check.
-- Check: either certified, personal, or travelers (for exact amount).
-- Money order: U.S. postal, international, currency exchange, or bank.

Do NOT send cash through the mail!

WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR PASSPORT

Sign it right away! Then fill in page 4, the personal notification
data page. Your previous passport and the original documents that
you may have submitted will be returned to you with your new passport.

OTHER PASSPORT INFORMATION

OBTAINING A PASSPORT IN AN EMERGENCY

Passport agencies will expedite issuance in cases of genuine, documented
emergencies. If you are leaving within five days and need a passport,
you can pay to have your passport delivered to you by express mail.
But you must arrange and pay for this in advance. Check with the
post office or court house that accepts your application or with
the nearest passport agency for specific details.

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, should you
become seriously ill or involved in some other emergency, they could
travel without delay.

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,
official, diplomatic), 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 Passport Agency in Washington,
D.C. for processing.

ADDITIONAL VISA PAGES

If you require additional visa pages before your passport expires,
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 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 DSP-19, Passport Amendment/Validation Application,
which is available from any office that is authorized to accept passport
applications. Submit the DSP-19 along with proof of the name change
(a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or certified court order)
to the nearest passport agency. There is no fee for this service.

AN ALTERED OR MUTILATED PASSPORT

If you mutilate or alter your U.S. passport 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 of 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

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, report the
loss or theft immediately to Passport Services, 1425 K Street, N.W.,
Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20524 or to the nearest passport agency.
Should your passport be lost or stolen abroad, 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, photocopy the data page of your passport and keep it
in a separate place. In addition, leave the passport number, date,
and place of issuance with a relative or friend in the United States.

OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT PASSPORTS?

Additional passport information may be obtained from the passport
agencies listed at the end of this pamphlet.

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 will not be able to obtain visas for some countries once
you have departed. Apply directly to the embassy or nearest consulate
of each country you plan to visit, or consult a travel agent. Passport
agencies cannot help you obtain visas.

"Foreign Entry Requirements"
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 for $0.50
from the Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colorado 81009. Note:
The publication is updated annually but may not reflect the most
current requirements. It is advisable to verify the latest visa
requirements with the embassy or consulate of each country 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 will also need to fill out a form, and
you may need one or more photographs. Many visas require a fee.
The process may take several weeks for each visa, so apply well
in advance of your trip.

TOURIST CARD
If the country you plan to visit only requires a tourist card, 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 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 your reentry into the United
States. Information on U.S. Immigration requirements are later in this file..

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 insure 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 hints are included in the book,
Health Information for International Travel, available for $5.00
from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.
You may also obtain such information from local and state health
departments or physicians. This information is also available on
the Centers for Disease Control 24-hour hotline: [phone].

It is not necessary to be vaccinated against a disease you will not
be exposed to 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 you
were not vaccinated against. Check 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 obtained for $2 from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 or Government
Printing Office bookstores. Keep it with your passport.

Some countries require certification from long-term visitors that
they are free of the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV). Generally,
this has little bearing on tourists and short-term visitors. Check
with the embassy or consulate of the countries you will visit for
the latest information.

HEALTH INSURANCE

For travelers who become seriously ill or injured overseas, obtaining
medical treatment and hospital care can be costly. The Social Security
Medicare program does not cover hospital and medical services outside
the United States. Before you leave the United States, learn what
medical services your health insurance will cover abroad.

If your health insurance policy does not cover you abroad, you are
urged to purchase a temporary health policy that does. There are
short-term health and emergency assistance policies designed for
travelers. You can find the names of such companies from your travel
agent, your health insurance company, or from advertisements in travel
publications. In addition to health insurance, many policies include
trip cancellation, baggage loss, and travel accident insurance in
the same package. Some travelers check companies have protection
policies available for those who purchase travelers checks.

MEDICAL EVACUATION
One of the chief advantages of health and emergency assistance policies
is that they often include coverage for medical evacuation to the
United States. Medical evacuation can easily cost $5000 depending
upon your location and medical condition. Even if your regular health
insurance covers you for emergencies abroad, consider purchasing
a supplemental insurance policy to cover medical evacuation.

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



HOW TO BRING MONEY

TRAVELERS CHECKS
Do not carry large amounts of cash. Take most of your money in travelers
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 travelers checks
you can get replacements quickly.

CREDIT CARDS
Some credit cards can be used worldwide, even for cash advances.
Keep track of your credit card purchases so as not to 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 in a separate place from the cards.

Always report the loss or theft of your credit cards or travelers
checks immediately to the companies and notify the local police.
If you will stay in one place for some time, 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.

PREPARE FOR EMERGENCY FUNDS
Keep the telephone number for your bank in the United States with
you in the event you run out of cash and need to transfer money.
In some countries, major banks and certain travel agencies can help
you 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, 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, or at foreign exchange windows
or even vending machines at many international airports in the United States.

Some countries regulate the amount of local currency 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, foreign exchange firm, your travel agent, or the embassy
or consulate of the countries 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≡DON'T 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 avoid grab-and-run
robbery.

OTHER THINGS TO ARRANGE AHEAD

LODGING

RESERVE 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 meet your needs. Therefore,
when possible, reserve your lodging in advance and reconfirm your
reservations along the way. During peak tourist season, it is important
have a hotel reservation for at least the first night you arrive
in a foreign city.

An alternative to hotels and pensions is the youth hostel system,
offering 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 often required.
You may write to: American Youth Hostels,
P.O. Box 37613, Washington, D.C. 20013-7613.

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.

STUDENT TRAVELERS
Students can save money on transportation and accommodations, and
obtain other discounts if they have an International Student Identity
Card. This card is available with proof of student status and a
small fee from: Council on International Educational Exchange; 205
East 42nd Street; New York, New York 10017. Membership also provides
some accident and health insurance while abroad.

TRANSPORTATION

At the time of publication, U.S. citizens traveling abroad are required
to pay a $12 federal inspection fee and a $6 federal departure tax
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 from
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.