2016

Losing Your Passport Abroad

When traveling abroad, it’s critical to keep a close eye on your passport. While losing it or having it stolen is a major headache, it doesn’t mean you’re forced to remain within the county. Because there is always that risk of it being lost, you should always carry a photocopy of your passport or a digital picture as a means of proving your United States citizenship.

If you lose your passport and there is no copy available, head to the nearest United States consulate or embassy and report it to the consular section. Each country has a website you can visit to find out how to contact the consulate or embassy. In fact, you may wish to have this information readily available prior to leaving, especially if you don’t speak the local language.

Prior to heading to the embassy, find a place where you can have a new passport photo taken. This step will significantly speed up the process for you once you arrive at the embassy/consulate.

Upon arriving at the embassy or consulate, inform the officer that you’re the victim of a crime if your passport was in fact stolen and also let them know when you plan on leaving the country. This is particularly important if your departure date is within a couple of days so that there is a sufficient time available to receive a limited or full Validity Emergency Passport.

Keep in mind that you’ll still need to provide identification to receive your new passport. Besides the photo you should also have identification such as a driver’s license, your travel itinerary, and your passport application. Also keep in mind that you’ll still be required to pay the $140 fee to receive your new one.

If you receive a Limited Validity Passport due to immediate travel plans, remember that this passport will only serve to get you back into the United States. Upon returning home you’ll still need to return your emergency passport in order to receive your “full fledged” passport should you wish to travel abroad again.

This update is provided by travel insurance provider Trawick International. Some of our travel insurance plans include international and domestic inbound and outbound travel insurance, missionary travel insurance, trip protection and cancellation, visitor insurance, and Schengen Visa. Call 877-233-4591 for more information.

By Administrator at 15 Jun 2016

Useful Apps for Traveling

Not every trip means you’ll be unplugging. There are many of us who depend heavily on our cell phones to stay connected, to document our trips, or even when navigating around a foreign country where there may be a language barrier. With that in mind, it’s worth taking a look at some of the best travel apps currently available.

If you travel frequently, consider TripCase which can dramatically simplify your travel plans. You can keep track of multiple flights and hotel reservations in one central place instead of fumbling around with multiple apps. What’s more, you can easily allow your approved contacts to keep track of where you are, removing the need to constantly provide updates.

It can be a little intimidating when you arrive in a country where you don’t speak the language, but thanks to Bravolol, you’ve essentially got a portable Rosetta Stone in your pocket. Phonetic spelling is provided and the app will pronounce everything for you, perfect if you’re unfamiliar with an alphabet. Best of all, once you’ve downloaded a language you won’t have to depend on an Internet connection, which can often be costly in foreign countries.

Speaking of Internet connection, CityMaps2Go allows you to download entire maps for more than 7,000 destinations throughout the world. There are also articles and suggestions provided for many itineraries so you can prepare your own itinerary while you’re there.

While there are many apps available for currency conversion, the appropriately named Currency is one of the best apps. You can add over ten different currencies if your itinerary includes multiple countries. Make sure that you download the latest exchange rates while you still have a data connection.

This update is provided by travel insurance provider Trawick International. Some of our travel insurance plans include international and domestic inbound and outbound travel insurance, missionary travel insurance, trip protection and cancellation, visitor insurance, and Schengen Visa. Call 877-233-4591 for more information.

By Administrator at 8 Jun 2016