Travel Tips For Students
Foreword
This pamphlet was prepared by
the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs to provide students, who
are planning to travel or study abroad, with a few reminders about safety.
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Although most trips abroad are
trouble free, being prepared will go a long way to avoiding the possibility of
serious trouble.
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Become familiar with the basic
laws and customs of the country you plan to visit before you travel.
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Remember: Reckless behavior
while in another country can do more than ruin your vacation; it can land you in
a foreign jail or worse! To have a safe trip, avoid risky behavior and plan
ahead.
Preparing for Your
Trip Abroad
Apply early for your passport
and, if necessary, any visas: Passports are required to enter and/or depart
most countries around the world. Apply for a passport as soon as possible. Some
countries also require U.S. citizens to obtain visas before entering. Most
countries require visitors who are planning to study or work abroad to obtain
visas before entering. Check with the embassy of the foreign country that you
are planning to visit for up-to-date visa and other entry requirements.
(Passport and visa information is available on the Internet at
http://travel.state.gov.)
Learn about the countries that
you plan to visit. Before departing, take the time to do some research about
the people and their culture, and any problems that the country is experiencing
that may affect your travel plans. The Department of State publishes Background Notes
on about 170 countries. These brief, factual pamphlets contain information on
each country's culture, history, geography, economy, government, and current
political situation. Background Notes
are available at www.state.gov.
Read the Consular Information
Sheet. Consular Information Sheets provide up-to-date travel
information on any country in the world that you plan to visit. They cover
topics such as entry regulations, the crime and security situation, drug
penalties, road conditions, and the location of the U.S. embassy, consulates,
and consular agencies.
Check for Travel Warnings and
Public Announcements. Travel Warnings recommend U.S. citizens defer travel
to a country because of dangerous conditions. Public Announcements provide
fast-breaking information about relatively short-term conditions that may pose
risks to the security of travelers.
Register with the nearest U.S.
embassy or consulate Register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate
through the State Department's travel registration
website. Registration will make your presence and whereabouts known in case
it is necessary to contact you in an emergency. In accordance
with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts may not be
released without your express authorization. Remember to leave a detailed
itinerary and the numbers or copies of your passport or other citizenship
documents with a friend or relative in the United States. (U.S. embassy
and consulate locations can be found in the country's Consular Information
Sheet.) If your family needs to reach you because of an emergency, they can pass
a message to you through the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at
202-647-5225. This office will contact the embassy or consulate in the country
where you are traveling and pass a message from your family to you. Remember
consular officers cannot cash checks, lend money or serve as your attorney. They
can, however, if the need arises, assist you in obtaining emergency funds from
your family, help you find an attorney, help you find medical assistance, and
replace your lost or stolen passport.
Find out what information your
school offers. Find out whether your school offers additional information
for students who are planning to study, travel, or work abroad. Many student
advisors can provide you with information about studying or working abroad. They
may also be able to provide you with information on any travel benefits for
students (e.g. how to save money on transportation and accommodations, and other
resources.)
Before committing yourself or
your finances, find out about the organization and what it offers. The
majority of private programs for vacation, study or work abroad are reputable
and financially sound. However, some charge exorbitant fees, use deliberately
false "educational" claims, and provide working conditions far different from
those advertised. Even programs of legitimate organ-izations can be poorly
administered.
How to Access
Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public
Announcements
There are four ways to obtain
Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public
Announcements:
- Internet:
http://travel.state.gov
- Telephone: Dial the
Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 202-647-5225.
- Mail: Send a
self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to: Overseas Citizens Services,
Room 4811, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-4818. On the outside
envelope, write the name of the country or countries needed in the lower left
corner.
Top Ten Travel Tips
for Students
- Make sure you have a signed, valid
passport and visas, if required. Also, before you go, fill in the emergency
information page of your passport!
- Read the Consular Information
Sheets (and Public Announcements or Travel Warnings, if applicable) for the
countries you plan to visit.
- Leave copies of your itinerary,
passport data page and visas with family or friends at home, so that you can be
contacted in case of an emergency. Keep your host program informed of your
whereabouts.
- Make sure you have insurance that
will cover your emergency medical needs (including medical evacuation) while you
are overseas.
- Familiarize yourself with local
laws and customs of the countries to which you are traveling. Remember, while in
a foreign country, you are subject to its laws!
- Do not leave your luggage
unattended in public areas and never accept packages from strangers.
- While abroad, avoid using illicit
drugs or drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages, and associating with
people who do.
- Do not become a target for thieves
by wearing conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry and do not carry excessive
amounts of cash or unnecessary credit cards.
- Deal only with authorized agents
when you exchange money to avoid violating local laws.
- When overseas, avoid
demonstrations and other situations that may become unruly or where
anti-American sentiments may be expressed.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLICATION
10679
Bureau of Consular Affair
September 2000
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