Passports and tourist visas are the keys to foreign countries and they open the doors to wonderful adventures. Without those documents, travelers can be locked out from most international travel.
For United States citizens interested in international travel, a passport is required to gain entry into most countries. The same goes for tourist visas. The key difference is that passports must be acquired before a trip while a tourist visa can be purchased at an airport upon arrival.
It is recommended that you check the status of your passport before making any reservations to ensure that it 1) will not expire before the trip and 2) meets the passport validity requirement of the country you are visiting.
Passports
Whether you are applying for your first passport or renewing a current one, the process can be a tad overwhelming. Below, I share some points to help simplify matters and to highlight key things travelers should be aware of.
For additional information, the US Government has the following two sites:
Adult Passport vs Child Passport
The process for adult and child passports is different so do not assume you can follow the same steps for both. Another key difference is the validity period and renewal ability; adult passports are valid for 10 years and are renewable in most instances, whereas passports for children 16 and under are valid for 5 years and are not renewable.
In-Person vs Online
New applications must be made in person at a passport acceptance facility while qualifying renewals may be completed online or via mail. Note that not all passport acceptance facilities take passport pictures, so confirm with the location when making an appointment or before showing up.
Timeline
The Department of State offers 4 types of processing: Routine, Expedited, Urgent, and Life or Death. The last two options require an appointment with a qualified passport agency or passport center not a passport acceptance facility. Urgent processing is for travel happening in 2 to 3 weeks while Life or Death is travel occurring in less than 14 days. If the trip is in less than 8 weeks, travelers will need to select Expedited and this option does incur an additional fee.
Passport Acceptance Facility vs Passport Agency/Passport Center
A passport acceptance facility can be found in most towns, with larger cities having multiple locations, and can include government offices, libraries, and post offices. A passport agency/passport center is managed by the US Department of State and not every state has a location.
Passport Photos
To save money, travelers can opt to take their picture with a digital camera and then either print it for the in-person process or upload it for online renewals. Note that it is important that all rules for the digital photo are followed because if not, the application may be denied, delaying the process.
For my recent passport photo, I used a Cannon digital camera and the 10-second timer setting. The background for the picture was a plain, white wall in my apartment. It took a few tries but I was able to finally get a nice passport photo! 📷
Documents
Fortunately, the amount of paperwork involved in the application and renewal process of a passport is not extensive. All required forms are available on the sites I listed above and one can either print and complete them by hand or fill-in online. Note that if applying in person, certain forms cannot be signed beforehand; they need to be signed in the presence of staff at a passport agency or passport acceptance facility.
First-time applicants will be required to provide additional documentation so when trying to determine the processing time for your passport also take into consideration the time it will take to search and acquire the documents.
Important Notes Concerning Passports
Passport Validity
Most countries require that a traveler’s passport be valid for a specified number of months beyond the planned departure date. Some countries list both a required and a recommended number of months.
For example, Czechia requires that passports be valid for at least 6 months after the planned departure date. So if a traveler’s return flight is January 1st, then the passport has to be valid at least through July 1st.
Blank Passport Pages
Countries also require that a traveler’s passport contain a certain number of blank pages. Germany, for example, requires 2 pages, whereas Egypt only requires one.
To learn more about your destination’s passport validity and blank passport page requirements, visit the Department of State’s page on “Learn About Your Destination“. This site will also provide key information such as currency restrictions, vaccination requirements and current travel advisories.
Tourists Visas
A tourist visa is another key item required for international travel. Tourist visa requirements vary greatly amongst countries; some require a visa from all visitors while others will only require one if a stay goes beyond a certain number of days. The following are some examples of visa requirements: Egypt, all visitors; Germany, if a visit will be more than 90 days; United Kingdom, for stays greater than 6 months.
Fortunately, unlike passports, tourist visas can be purchased at the airport when you arrive at your destination. For my two trips to Egypt, I purchased the required visa at Cairo International Airport and it was a simple, straightforward process. After landing, I walked over to the area designated for tourist visas, handed my passport to security personnel, along with payment, and then, after a few minutes, the visa was placed in one of the available blank pages. The tourist visas were relatively inexpensive; I paid $15 in 2010 and $25 in 2018.
Note that purchasing a visa beforehand may be considerably more expensive due to processing and shipping fees. For example, if you decide to purchase a tourist visa for Egypt ahead of your trip, the fees will set you back $69 to $99. The actual visa is just $28.
For those wondering what a travel visa looks like, the following is an image of my Egyptian trip visas. The visas actually serve as a nice souvenir of your travels.
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