Claire's Articles
Documentation and Planning
A valid passport, good for at least six months beyond the intended length of stay in your destination, is strongly recommended, if not essential, for travelling to many countries. Each individual-even a newborn baby-must now carry his or her own passport. When you apply for your passport (the application forms can be obtained from various government offices and agencies), read all the instructions carefully, including those that apply to photographs, to children under the age of 16, and to guarantors (those who sign your passport application). You must present a birth certificate (photocopies are not permitted), citizenship papers or citizenship card (if applicable), specially sized photographs (available at almost any camera store or photographer's studio), and the signatures of two guarantors.
You should note that the introduction of new facial recognition technology means strict guidelines for passport photographs, including non-smiling expressions with no teeth showing. You can also expect immigration officials to ask you to remove your hat or headscarf if you're wearing one at the airport so that they can better check your appearance against your passport photograph.
Passports in many countries are now taking longer to process than they did previously, so ensure that you apply for yours well in advance. For the quickest service, visit a passport office in person if possible, especially if you need a rush passport. You can often designate in writing another person to pick up the completed passport for you if necessary, but of course it needs to be you who applies for it. No one can do that part for you. Otherwise, follow the instructions for mailing your application, and be sure to register or otherwise protect your paperwork while it's in the mail.
If you are a frequent traveler you should check how many passport pages you have left, because-like the passport expiration rule-you may need a certain number of blank pages left in your passport to be allowed entry into certain countries. Other requirements when you're entering a country that's not your own may include visas, proof that you can support yourself while you're in the country without working there, and an airline ticket for the next leg of your journey. Some countries also routinely ask you for a destination address while you're in their country, so it's good to have the name and address of your hotel handy.
Dual Citizenship
If you're a citizen of more than one country, the laws of both of those countries may still apply to you, even if you're not a resident there. This may be further complicated if one or more of the countries doesn't recognize your other citizenship. In some cases, travellers who are visiting a country to which they hold (or once held) citizenship can trigger issues such as any compulsory military service required by that country. Always check with all the appropriate governments to ensure that you don't encounter any unpleasant surprises. People have been caught out in the past when their journey was re-routed to an unexpected stopover point because of weather or other urgent situations.
Some people like to travel with more than one passport, usually to speed through customs and immigration line-ups at certain airports by using the passport of the country they're entering. I don't recommend this because it can prompt questions from immigration officials about why you're using different passports. It's possible that they'll consider it a red flag. However, if you do choose to carry two passports, ensure that they contain exactly the same personal information about you, right down to the spelling of your name.
In addition, only use one of the passports when crossing into a different country. The two passports should never be kept together, nor should they be shown together. Keep one with you at all times and keep the other in your carry-on luggage. As well, when you reach your destination, I recommend you keep one in the hotel safe and the other on your person.
Visas and Tourist Cards
Visas, which are essentially a country's approval for you to enter for a particular purpose and length of time, are required for many destinations. You'll more than likely be advised by your travel agent or airline if this is necessary, but ultimately it's your responsibility to find out if you need one. I recommend going to www.visaconnection.com for the most current information about visa requirements.
Your travel agent may be able to help you with the process of obtaining the necessary visas, but normally you apply directly to the country you plan to visit through their nearest embassy or consulate. In some cases you'll obtain the visa at the airport on arrival. It's essential to know ahead of time which countries require visas and how to apply for them.
Tourist or landing cards are documents that governments use to keep track of people crossing both into and out of their country, and are applicable in some countries (e.g., tourist cards in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, and landing cards in the UK). These cards will be available at the airport once you arrive or will be handed out on the aircraft before you land at your destination. Be careful when filling them out because you may have to pay for a new one (anywhere from $10 to several hundred dollars depending on the country) and potentially go through a whole lot of hassle (such as standing in a line-up for several hours) to get it. Some countries do not allow any strikethroughs or scribbles on the cards, so take your time completing them. In some countries you may be given a card on arrival that you need to keep until you leave. Keep the card safe with your passport, so that you don't lose it.
If you're travelling with children you need to be especially careful to have the correct paperwork with you, particularly if the children aren't your own, don't have the same last name as you do, or you're travelling without your partner. A notarized consent form signed by the other parent, or by both parents depending on the situation, is the standard that many countries require.
