Get Informed
- Safety and Security Information: Read the Travel Advisory and Alerts for the countries you will be visiting at travel.state.gov/destination. Review entry/exit requirements, visas, local laws, customs, medical care, road safety, etc. Write down contact details for the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to carry with you in case of emergency while traveling.
- Crisis Planning: Read Crisis Abroad: Be Ready and make an evacuation plan that does not rely on the U.S. government. Consider buying emergency evacuation insurance. If a crisis occurs while you are abroad, check in with loved ones and update your social media status so family and friends know you are okay.
- Health Precautions: Read Your Health Abroad and check out recommendations for vaccinations and other health considerations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO).
- Money Matters: Before going abroad, notify your bank and credit card companies of your travel, and check exchange rates. For information about using cash, debit/credit cards, and ATMs overseas, read information about your destination.
Get Required Documents
Safeguard Your Documents! Make two copies of all your travel documents in case of emergency. Leave one copy with a trusted friend or relative at home and carry the other separately from your original documents. To help prevent theft, do not carry your passport in your back pocket, and keep it separate from your money.
- Passport: Apply several months in advance for a new passport. If you already have one, it should be valid for at least six months after you return home and have two or more blank pages, depending on your destination. Otherwise, some countries may not let you enter.
- Children’s passports: Passports issued for children under age 16 are valid for only five years, not 10 years like adult passports. Check passport expiration dates carefully and renew early.
- Europe Travel via Canada and UK: Europe’s 26 Schengen countries strictly enforce the six-month validity rule. If you are transiting through Canada or the UK : which do not have that requirement : your passport must be valid at least six months, or airlines may not let you board your onward flight to Europe.
- Visas: You may need to get a visa before you travel to a foreign destination. Contact the embassy of the countries you will be visiting for more information.
- Medications: Some prescription drugs, including narcotics and some U.S. over-the-counter medications, are illegal in other countries. Check with the embassy of your destination(s)about regulations and documentation before you travel.
- Consent for Travel with Minors: If you are traveling alone with children, foreign border officials may require custody documents or notarized written consent from the other parent. Check with the embassy of your foreign destination before traveling to see what you may need.
- International Driving Permit: Many countries do not recognize a U.S. driver’s license, but most accept an International Driving Permit (IDP). You may also need supplemental auto insurance. Read more about driving and road safety abroad before you go.