Many people love to travel and even in these tough times, is still popular. Taking it a step further, travel & living abroad can be an experience of a lifetime. So why wait?
The first thing to do is to cover the basics of what you would need. Depending on if the travel is just for vacation, or for a prolonged stay (2-6 months or more) at some fantastic spot, your needs will be a little different. For U.S. citizens, the State Department (http://travel.state.gov) has a number of resources and suggestions for both vacation travel and living abroad.
For vacation travel overseas, the following suggestions (from the same site) can be helpful:
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. This is a free online service at https://travelregistration.state.gov. that will help the U.S. State Department contact you if there is a family emergency in the U.S., or if there is a travel alert where you are traveling. Your welfare and location will not be released to others without your express authorization.
- Be sure to sign your passport and/or Visa (if necessary), and fill in the emergency information.
- Leave copies of itinerary and passport data page with family or friends, so you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
- Ask your medical insurance company about overseas coverage and what it will do (emergencies, medicines, etc.). Obtain alternative supplemental insurance if need be.
- Check with the State Department at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html to understand local conditions and laws of the country you are planning to visit.
- Avoid being a target of crime by not carrying excessive amount of cash, lingering in unsafe locations, etc. Do not leave unattended luggage in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.
- In an emergency contact your local U.S. Embassy. Consular personnel at U.S. Embassies are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. Contact information for U.S. Embassies and Consulates appears on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov. Also note that the Office of Overseas Citizen Services in the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs may be reached for assistance with emergencies at 1-888-407-4747, if calling from the U.S. or Canada, or 202-501-4444, if calling from overseas.
If you are planning on living abroad for some time, you may want to read the article ,Travel & Living -Abroad.
