5 Things You Must Do Before Travelling Internationally

It feels amazing to book your ticket to an international trip and start visualizing about your gateway to an exotic locale, but there is a lot of homework need to be done. If you want ease and make your overseas journey memorable, you should know this mantra- A good planning leads to a great travelling experience. You should do some research about the place before the trip, read travel guide and know about the culture.

To make your trip run smoothly, we are providing here 5 things you must do before travelling internationally. These tips will make your trip to a faraway land a success.

1. Check the Expiration Date of Your passport and Visa

Before making any international plans, make sure that your visa and passport are up to date. Many countries have strict rules and they may want your passport to be valid for not less than 6 additional months once you enter there. Therefore, if you want to be hassle-free in your foreign trip, it is wise to apply for your passport at least 4-6 weeks before your trip (if you are applying for the first time) or renew it.

Also, some nations, including China, provide multiyear visas, which allow you to have multiple visits. If you are planning to visit the country again very soon, multilayer visas will save a lot of your valuable time.

2. Make Some Extra Copies Of Travel Documents.

In case, you lose your passport while you are in foreign country, leaving an extra copy of your travel documents with your family member or relative can be a lifesaver. Also, you should keep one colour copy of the information page of your passport and the visa page(s) with you. Store them somewhere safe and not in the same place where you will be keeping your passport.

You should also make copies of train ticket confirmations, hotel reservations, and any other travel documents. If you have digital copies of all these in your email, it will also work. However, it would be better if you save them on your mobile device so that no or limited access to the internet connection will not hamper you from checking them.

3. Check for travel Alerts/Advisories

Checking official travel warnings or alerts prior to your trip is vital when travelling abroad. There can be major alerts related to serious issues that can create a risky environment for you. Or there may be minor alerts for travellers like political unrest, transportation strikes, etc. Although these alerts will not derail your journey, they may bring an unnecessary frustration while overseas.

4. Get vaccinated and Keep Non-Prescription Drugs

Before going to a foreign country or remote area, it is wise to check out health information and vaccination requirements for that place. It becomes very important if you are planning to visit a country where a particular disease is widespread. It is wise to pack non-prescription medicines in a carry-on bag.

If you are routinely taking any medicine, ensure that you are carrying enough stock of it, as it may be difficult to get your prescription filled overseas. Also, make sure to read which prescription medicines are illegal in your destination country.

5. Stock Your Wallet

Before you travel abroad, make sure to fill your wallet with one or two credit cards and call your issuers to inform them where you will be. Otherwise, they may freeze your card, as they may find foreign charges with no prior notice suspicious. Also, traveller’s checks are not widely accepted therefore use our bank card to withdraw money from an ATM.