Travellistics.com

Visa and Passport Issues: Be Prepared to Verify Your Citizenship

By Charles Harmon

Applying for a new passport can take several months, especially during high travel season such as summer time and popular holidays. To find out what processing times are, you can visit the US State Department website at http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html. To obtain a new passport, you will need to apply in person at a passport agency with two photographs, proof of citizenship, and a photo ID such as your driver’s license.

If you haven’t applied for a passport in a number of years the fees are probably higher than you paid previously and in some instances the length of the passport is longer, depending on when you last got yours. Renewing your passport can usually be done by mail, if you have enough time.

For any travel abroad you will need to apply for a passport, as well as a visa for each country you plan to visit. If you already have a passport, make sure that it is valid, and will remain so for at least sixty days. Some countries require it be valid for longer than 60 days so be sure to check long before you plan to leave.

If your passport will expire within two months, you should go ahead and renew it. Renewal processes are easier than applying for a new passport, but you will want to do so at least a couple of months prior to your trip to make sure that you will have time to use the passport to get your required visas.

Most European countries, such as France, do not require you to get a visa if your visit will be for less than three months. However, if the country you are visiting does require a visa or your stay will be more than three months, you will want to apply for your visa at least one month in advance to make sure that it is processed in time for your trip. Most visa applications require your passport, proof of citizenship, and other proof of identity.

Be aware that visas may not be free. In fact in some countries it is as much as $100. To find out whether or not a visa is required, or to find out what documentation is needed to get your visa, visit the US State Department or contact the US Embassy in the country you will be visiting.

We hope that your trip overseas will be eventful and exciting, but in a way that allows you to have fun, not face emergency issues. However, sometimes things happen when people travel abroad. Robberies, lost luggage, misplaced carry-on luggage, or a mugging might result in the loss of your passport or visa, as well as other important documents. For these reasons, you should make copies of your travel and identification documents and leave them with a friend back home, as well as keep a copy with you but separate from the originals. This will help prove your citizenship and identity in the case that your actual travel documents are lost or stolen.

In the event your passport or visa are lost or stolen, there are certain steps that will be necessary in order to continue your stay in that country or return to the United States. The first thing you will need to do is contact or visit the US Embassy in the country that you are visiting. In Europe that could be another country you are close to. You will need to apply for a new passport or visa, furnishing the copies of your identification documents. You did make a copy as advised, didn’t you? You will also need to write and sign an affidavit that gives details about the incident where your passport and visa was lost or stolen. Other documentation or verification may be required.

You cannot re-enter the United States, nor safely travel throughout Europe or most other countries without a passport. If you lose your passport or if it is stolen, you need to contact the US Embassy nearest to you immediately, or as soon as you are aware that your passport is gone. This is important for your safety and for your return to the United States.

In most cases, replacing the lost or stolen passport while you are in Europe is not difficult, but it should be taken care of immediately nonetheless. In some countries in other areas of the world it can be difficult and time consuming replacing the lost or stolen passport, so take particular care to keep it safe, and be sure to have backup copies of your documents.

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