Traveling abroad requires some basic documentation that we can’t do without: passports, visas, permits, and vaccines. All of these must be included in the “I have” list before embarking on any venture.
- Passport
Passport: It is the ID that is issued by a government that allows you to travel around the world. Your passport is the most important document you will have throughout your journey. The documentation needed to apply for a passport depends on each country, and it has a different time frame for processing. Make sure you check how long it will take to process your passport and/or renew it before finalizing those travel plans.
2. TRAVEL TICKETS:
Any type of transportation that you take will issue a travel ticket. You take all travel tickets you receive online and on paper with you. Tickets can be airline, ship, bus, ferry, taxi, etc.
3. VISA/Entry Permits
a visa is an endorsement that validates your eligibility and entry to a country. At times, and depending on your passport’s country of origin, you are required to obtain a visa before you travel. However, there are agreements between some nations where a country might not require you to have a visa to travel to your destination. To obtain a visa you must visit the embassy/consulate of the country you expect to travel to ad it is recommended to do it with plenty of time before your desired departure date.
MAKE SURE you check how eligible you are to obtain the visa by checking the country’s embassy information. Each country you travel to has specific requirements; each country establishes how long it will take to process the documentation and the documents you need to present at the embassy or consulate office. It is crucial to know how long it might take to process your visa before you seal any plans for travel. You will be given a specified validity time to travel, a time period that your visa entry is good to enter a country. However, when you enter the country, immigration will establish how long you can stay in the place regardless of your visa time period.
It is very important then, once you arrive in a country, to check the stamp put on your passport and see for how long you are eligible to stay in the country (the expiration date).
4. Vaccinations
As with any other documentation, each country establishes what vaccines you should have before entering its territory. Make sure you throughly check each country’s requirements and the specific type of vaccine/s you might need. Due to the global pandemic, some countries accept certain types of vaccinations and reject others. It is important to take into account how far in advance you need to take those vaccinations. Also, make sure to check the number of shots needed to complete a vaccination series (when there is one) and the time needed to recuperate from some shots (if any) before you plan your travel.
5. Health Insurance:
It is always a must to purchase health insurance for your travels. Health insurance should be purchased. Accidents, emergencies and sickness happen at home and abroad; no questions about it. Many countries, in particular during and after Covid19, demand all travelers to have health insurance for their sojourn. In countries where health insurance is not needed, if you need medical help, it comes from the taxpayers of that country and you do not want to be a burden to their system (in particular in poor nations). Make sure to ask around before purchasing international health insurance. I had my share of disappointments with big companies that are all over online, but they don’t deliver what they preach.
Here is a very basic checklist of documents to have before traveling abroad with a free download of course!
