Travel makes one feel alive for a number of reasons: You meet new people, try a huge assortment of foods, and learn about different cultures. Traveling to different countries is so much fun, isn’t it? But, traveling internationally is no fun if you turn up to the airport only to know that your passport is not valid or you forgot it or you have lost it while out of the country. Here are 10 passport tips that hopefully will save you time, money and headaches.
- Check the Validity of Your Passport
If you’re planning to travel out of the country next season then today is the time to find your passport and check if it is valid. Many countries has legal requirement that your passport must be valid for at least six months after your arrival date to that particular nation, you’ll get entry after going through this verification. It doesn’t matter if you are only going for a day; if you don’t fulfill six months validity criteria you probably be do not allowed in the country.
- Make Sure If You Need a Visa
Many people show up to the airport only to be turned back from their flight because they overlooked or didn’t know that they needed a visa. Go to the particular authority in order to find out if you need Visa and for how long. This formality should be done in advance in order to get a hassle free traveling.
- Save the Blank Passport Pages
Immigration processes vary from country to country and so do the sizes of the visas or stamps that are put into the passport. Sometimes, few immigration agents stamp the passport’s much valuable blank pages even if they don’t require an entire page. So, if you don’t want to run out of pages, cover blank pages with post-It notes and it’s not rude to ask the agents to not to stamp on particular pages.
- Request Extra Passport Pages When You Renew
You can ask for extra pages when you renew. Most people do not know this, but you can request 52 pages instead of the normal 28 for free during renewal just by checking a box.
- Keep Copies of Your Passport
Scan a copy of your passport, take the print (you can keep the same to your phone also). Keep a copy at home or with a friend (who is not careless) in case you lose your passport in a foreign country. Also keep a printed copy in the checked suitcase for the bad time.
- NEVER Put the Passport in Back Pocket
Carrying wallet and passport in your back pocket is a huge no-no. You make things easy for pick picketers and it is most likely that your things may accidentally fall out somewhere. So, always carry the money and valuables in your front pocket, they’ll be much safer.
- Always Double Check
Whenever you travel, develop the habit of double-checking the back seat of a taxi, the seat back pocket on the airplane and drawers of your hotel room for your personal items. I can’t emphasize this enough. So many people leave their phones, wallets, passports and sometimes MacBook too behind somewhere and all the travel enthusiasm vanishes while tracking them down (If You Can). This simple tip can save a lot of time and irritation.
- Use Travel Jacket with Hidden Pockets
There is a huge assortment of travel jackets present in the market with many hidden pockets (normally 18 to 42). Even if your luggage is stolen, you still have your important belongings with you. Keep your credit/debit cards, cash, passport, gadgets etc. with you.
- Put Personalized Stickers to Passports
There may be multiple stops on international flights and if you are traveling with a big family or group of friends, it’s quite difficult to keep track of whose passport is whose. To avoid this, stick tiny sticker (color-coded) on the back cover of each passport. Just a single glance and problem solved.
- Learn Local Laws and Custom of Other Country (ies)
If you’re planning to land in some other nation, other than travel destination, have a good amount of research regarding the local laws and rules of passport or visa. This will certainly take your little time but can also save you from unforeseen legal emergency.
