Tasks for World Travelers
If you're leaving the United States, you'll have a few more things to do to get ready for your trip than you would if you were traveling in this country.
Here is your checklist:
___ Apply for your passport and/or visa well in advance.
• Make photocopies of your passport. Take the copies with extra passport pictures of yourself with you on your trip.
• Keep the copies separate from your real passport. If your passport is lost or stolen, go the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country that you are visiting. Take the copies along so that you can get a new passport.
___ Get all your needed shots. Find out about other medicines that you may need.
• Talk to your doctor or call the international travelers' hotline at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: (404) 332-4559. Also, you can check online at: www.cdc.gov/travel.
• Ask about any vaccinations or booster shots that you might need. Find out if you'll need any special medicines to keep you safe from diseases in the country that you will visit
___ Check your health insurance.
• Call your health insurance company to find out what they cover when you're out of the country.
• Ask if you need to call the company before you see a doctor when you're in a foreign country.
___ Make sure you're traveling to a safe place.
• Call the U.S. State Department to find out if there are any concerns about safety in the country where you will be visiting. The phone number is (202) 647-5225 and their website is http://www.state.gov/travel.
Next: Before You Leave Home
