Whether you’re planning a dream vacation or need to travel for business, the amount of preparation you do before you arrive at your destination can make an enormous difference to your experience. Take some time to prepare and plan, so you can relax and enjoy your time abroad.
To help you get prepared, we’ve made a list of some things you should do before your international trip:
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Ensure Your Passport is Valid
The first thing you need to do before booking a holiday or business trip abroad is to check the validity of your passport. Most countries require passports to have a minimum of 6 months left on them before they expire. As well as this, some require you to have at least two free visa pages in your passport to be allowed entry into the country.
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Find Out If You Need a Visa
Another important thing you must check before booking a trip is whether you require a visa. While many countries do not require travelers to have a visa, others do. Thankfully, if you do need a visa, getting one is easier than ever. Most visas can now be applied for online.
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Get Travel Insurance
While it can be tempting to try and cut costs by skipping travel insurance, this isn’t advisable. Travel insurance costs extraordinarily little compared to paying medical expenses if you become unwell abroad.
However, before you purchase travel insurance, it’s essential to be aware that some credit cards come with it. If yours does not, you should buy insurance. Your travel insurance should include medical and judicial expenses, lost luggage, theft, robbery, and missed and canceled flights.
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Check Travel Warnings Before You Fly
Check the State Department’s website to see whether it has issued a travel warning. While traveling to countries with a warning in place is still possible, many travel insurance companies will not cover you for this.
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Choose the Right Flight
If you’re traveling abroad but have an illness or disability, it’s essential to consider your flight options carefully. While people with disabilities or illnesses can travel on standard airplanes, most prefer to book a medical flight. A medical flight gives you the comfort and security of a flight nurse during your flight. They give you all the support you need and ensure a relaxing and comfortable flight.
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Get Vaccinations
It’s essential to check with the CDC to determine your destination’s vaccine requirements. This can include vaccines for diseases such as yellow fever, cholera, and Zika virus. You must be vaccinated at least six weeks before travel for maximum protection from these illnesses.
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Call Your Bank
These days, most people choose to use their credit or debit cards abroad. This saves them from having to carry substantial amounts of cash on them. However, while this may be true, it’s not quite as simple as just taking your cards with you.
If you don’t want to deal with card problems abroad, you must call your bank or credit card provider to tell them about your travels. This will prevent them from freezing your cards or assuming someone is committing fraud in another country.
If you’re planning a trip abroad, follow the advice above. This will ensure a stress-free, happy, safe, and enjoyable vacation.
alison luri
Sekharss