Getting In, Getting Out: Entering and Exiting Countries

Article Highlights:

• Global Rescue offers fast, expert assistance in replacing lost or stolen passports, saving you time and stress during travel.
• Passport and visa regulations vary by country, so always check requirements and ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your entry date.
• A Global Rescue membership provides crucial support for both emergency and non-emergency travel situations, including passport replacement.

When Maredith Richardson, a U.S. graduate student, lost her passport to a purse snatcher while studying in France, she didn’t know what to do.

Fortunately, she had a Global Rescue membership through her college study abroad program. “My bag was within my eyesight the whole time. One moment it was there, and then I turned away briefly – and it was gone,” she said. “That’s when everything went sour.”.

Richardson’s beach bag was stolen, along with her house keys, wallet, credit cards, assorted personal items and her passport.

She contacted the director of the study abroad program who unhesitatingly told Richardson to call Global Rescue immediately. She did and was quickly surprised. “Normally, when you need help with something there’s a 24-hour delay. Global Rescue responded to me within about 30 seconds,” she said.

Richardson promptly learned that Global Rescue services include streamlining the process to replace a lost or stolen passport or visa. Standard government processing can take up to six weeks, or two to three weeks for expedited service at an additional fee of $60.

How Global Rescue Saved the Day

Global Rescue security experts stepped in, managed the international administrative challenges and quickly helped her obtain a passport replacement in less than a week. “Instead of the process taking weeks, Global Rescue handled it completely, got it hammered out within a couple of hours and got me into the embassy for an urgent passport replacement appointment,” she said. “I didn’t have to do a single thing, except pull my documentation together.”

Passports Are Important, Of Course

Travel requirements, including passport and visa regulations, can change frequently based on diplomatic relations, health considerations and other factors. Following is a general overview of the passport and visa requirements for popular travel destinations:

• Canada – Passport: required. Visa: not required for short stays; an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is needed for air travel. REAL ID cards cannot be used for border crossings into Canada.
• United Kingdom – Passport: required. Visa: not required for stays up to six months.
• France – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 90 days within 180 days.
• Italy – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 90 days.
• Spain – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 90 days.
• Dominican Republic – Passport: required. Visa: not required; a tourist card is needed, however.
• Jamaica – Passport: required. Visa: not required for stays up to 90 days.
• Germany – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 90 days.
• Australia – Passport: required. Visa: An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is required for tourism.

There are several countries with a U.S. State Department Level 2 travel advisory recommending travelers to “exercise increased caution” that remain popular destinations among Americans:

• Mexico – Passport: required. Visa: not required for stays under 180 days; a tourist card may be needed. REAL ID cards cannot be used for border crossings into Mexico.
• South Africa – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 90 days.
• Brazil – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 90 days.
• Philippines – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 30 days.
• Thailand – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 30 days if arriving by air (15 days by land).

There are several countries with a U.S. State Department Level 3 travel advisory recommending travelers to “reconsider travel” yet remain favorite places to visit by Americans:

• Colombia – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 90 days.
• Egypt – Passport: required. Visa: required; can be obtained on arrival or online.
• Turkey – Passport: required. Visa: E-Visa required for tourism.
• Honduras – Passport: required. Visa: not required for tourism up to 90 days.
• Iraq – Passport: required. Visa: required; must be obtained in advance.

Places You Can’t Go or Shouldn’t Go

Having a passport doesn’t necessarily mean you can travel to some countries. Americans cannot travel to several countries due to sanctions, visa requirements or safety concerns.

U.S. passport holders are not allowed to travel to North Korea. The U.S. government restricts all travel to North Korea for American citizens.

Travel is legally prohibited to Cuba for Americans unless working with a licensed operator for family visits, official government business, journalism, professional or educational purposes, religious activities, humanitarian projects, or support of the Cuban people.

There are several countries the U.S. State Department lists as Level 4 – Do Not Travel. These are countries where Americans may face restrictions or advisories against travel due to security challenges or strained diplomatic relations with the U.S.

U.S. passport holders traveling to Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Central African Republic, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela and Yemen must realize that the U.S. government has limited ability to assist them.

A Final Word

• Confirm that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your date of entry, especially since many countries require it including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Nepal, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Botswana, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia and South Africa.
• Ensuring that your passport is valid for at least half a year beyond your date of entry into another country is a common requirement for several reasons.
• Travel plans can change due to various reasons, such as flight delays, unexpected emergencies, or extensions of stay. If your passport is close to expiring, you may find yourself in a situation where you cannot leave the country or face difficulties re-entering your home country.
• Immigration officials may have policies that prevent entry if your passport does not meet the six-month validity rule, even if you have a valid visa. This can lead to being denied boarding by airlines or being refused entry upon arrival.
• Some countries require a passport to have a certain amount of validity for visa applications. If your passport does not meet these requirements, you may be unable to obtain a visa.
• Traveling with a passport that has ample validity provides peace of mind, allowing you to focus on your trip without worrying about potential passport issues.
• Always check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. State Department or the official embassy/consulate websites of the country you plan to visit.

The Global Rescue Connection

A Global Rescue travel membership is NOT only for adventure travelers in case they need emergency medical evacuations from remote corners of the world. While that is an important part of our services, membership, our membership benefits include solutions to general travel issues that might crop up at any moment, like needing a passport replacement due to theft or loss. We consider these our “non-emergency” services, but they can be a huge hassle to deal with on your own when traveling abroad.