You ever log onto Instagram and come across heaps of sparkly travel photos with people traveling all over the world? Skydiving in Dubai, posing in colorful Moroccan medinas, blowing kisses to the sphinx in Egypt or even petting elephants in Thailand?
It looks so liberating and doesn’t seem like much of a task at all. Welp, if you think international travel only requires booking a round trip airline ticket + lodging accommodations then you are wrong. Depending on where you’re deciding to travel to, some destinations are easy to travel to and some are challenging. I want to break down what you need to know and obtain before you book a flight anywhere outside of your own home continent or country.
I am in North America, specifically in the USA so my experiences with travel will be explained from the point of view of a solo traveling U.S. citizen.
Passport
A passport is a travel document, usually issued by a country's government to its citizens, that certifies the identity and nationality of its holder primarily for the purpose of international travel. You can’t travel to another country under any circumstance without a passport.
If you do hold a passport you’re awesome and I salute you! Before booking any trip please make sure that your passport is valid for 6 months before leaving to your destination. Being stranded in your local airport on the day of your departure because your passport expired would be very devastating. An American passport expires 10 years from the date you receive it. You should also have enough blank pages for stamps that you will receive at the international airports you leave and enter.
If you currently don’t have a passport I would suggest visiting the link below. Note: The link provides info on how to get a U.S. passport.
Visa
A visa is a conditional authorization granted by a territory to a foreigner, allowing them to enter, remain within, or to leave that territory. Some countries do not have Visa requirements and some countries do. You’ll have two options when applying for a visa:
Find a consulate in your town or close to your town and drop off all of your materials in person. You can expedite the process or do a standard application. Of course the price will vary depending on what you choose.
Mail all of your materials to a visa travel service and have them mail all of your documents and your visa back to you.
When I obtained my visa to go to Ghana I traveled almost 5 hours to New York to get it because there is no Ghana consulate in Boston, MA where I live. Keep in mind that you may not have the appropriate consulate in your city. Doing this in person was WAY cheaper than mailing documents to an external visa travel service. It is entirely up to you and you can figure out what works best for you.
Follow the links below to see a full list of every location in the world that does and does not require a Visa and what materials and info are needed to obtain a visa.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is also one of those things that you should absolutely purchase and have while you’re traveling. Most people will think they are fine and nothing will happen to them before their trip and during. I’m lucky enough that during all of my international trips I didn’t get hurt or sick BUT if I did, travel insurance would’ve helped me with any medical costs if I had to visit a hospital. Not only does insurance help with medical costs, it can cover flight cancellations and lost luggage among other things. I provided a link below with the insurance that I use when I travel.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are also an important part of international travel because some countries will not let you enter without proof of being vaccinated. To avoid being stranded at the airport or having to pay a fine, get your vaccinations and make sure to have your vaccination certificate with you during your travels. The link that I provided below is very helpful and gives you info on which destinations do and don’t require vaccinations. You’ll also find updates and information on diseases and how much precaution to exercise depending on where you go.
I also want to note that sometimes you don’t have to get a physical shot to protect against certain diseases. For some diseases you’ll have to take oral medicine in the form of pills.
U.S. Embassy
Registering with the U.S. embassy is quick, easy and free and is a relatively simple online process.
When you're planning a trip abroad, registering with the U.S. embassy gives you extra security and can facilitate staying connected with your country and your loved ones. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) makes it easier for you to replace a lost or stolen passport and ensures that you receive information relevant to your trip. Information such as warnings about inclement weather and civil unrest. In case of emergency, STEP can also make it easier for your loved ones back home to contact you while you're abroad, and vice versa.