International
Vacation Home Exchange has properties all around the globe. If you want to
visit any of these properties, you are going to need two things: a sense of
adventure and your passport. Just one simple mistake can turn your tropical
dream vacation into a staycation at home. And these days, you can’t simply wing
it. Security is incredibly tight at any border in any country, so be sure you
get things squared away with your passport well ahead of your vacation.
Here are common mistakes that travelers
make with passports.
1)
Missing Passport. If you rarely travel
abroad, it could be easy to misplace your passport. Especially if you have
moved recently. The worst thing that could happen is your flight is departing
in a matter of hours and you can’t find your passport. If you know where yours
is at (mine is in a safety deposit box) then continue reading. If you don’t
know where your passport is at, stop reading and go find it.
2) Forgetting to renew your
passport. Depending on what country you reside in,
you will likely need to renew your passport every couple of years. Some
countries have rules that state (in fine print) that passports must be valid
for six months or more. If your passport expires a few days, or even months,
before your departure date, you will not be able to enter the country you’re
trying to visit even with a birth certificate, driver’s license, blood sample,
and note from mom. Bottom line, check the expiration date to your passport. If
it is close to expiring, time to get it renewed.
3) Waiting too long to apply
or renew your passport. If you live in the United
States, it can take anywhere from six to eight weeks for the government to
process your application for a passport once they receive it. You can expedite
the process, but it is going to cost you. It can also take several weeks if you
are simply renewing your passport. Plan accordingly.
4) Errors on your application. If you have any mistakes on your application, your request for a
passport may get denied. You will then have to resubmit an application.
Crossing out errors on an application is a big no-no. Best advice is to fill
out your application using an online form and then printing it.
5) Conflicting names. If you recently got married and changed your name on your driver’s
license, then you will need to change your name on your passport. If there are
conflicting names between your license and your passport, you may not be able
to enter the country. You may be able to change your name on your passport for
free. Again it depends on the country you reside in.
6) Not enough blank pages. This one surprised me. Some countries require that you have at
least two to four blank pages in your passport. These pages are for customs
stamps. This rule is important if you are a frequent international traveler. If
you are, let me just say I am so jealous.
7) Wait, don’t forget about
the visa. Are you traveling to the Summer Olympics
in Brazil in August? Or checking out the Great Wall of China? You will need
more than just your passport. Several countries require that travelers also
have a visa. Obtaining and visa is whole process in itself (and a costly one). I
even wrote
about it a few months ago. If you have questions regarding visas, you can reach
out an embassy or do some research online. There are companies that will help
you through the process of getting a travel visa. I should warn you that if you
opt to use one of these companies, do your homework. There are scammers out
there on every continent that will try to rip you off. Be sure you work with a
reputable visa company.
Best advice is as soon as you book your vacation home exchange and your plane tickets,
to double check and make sure that your passport is up-to-date and not expired.
And as always, safe travels.
Thank
you to guest travel writer Carla Pruitt, follow Carla on Twitter at
@crobscarla.