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If
you are traveling abroad here are 10 tips, to
help make your trip easier (taken and
adapted from the U.S. Department of State website):
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1.
Make sure you have a signed, valid passport
and visas,
if required.
For women, if you have been married since your
last trip abroad, make sure your married name is on
your passport. (If you changed your name.) Also,
before you go, fill in the emergency information
page of your passport!
2. Read the Consular Information Sheets (and Public
Announcements or Travel Warnings, if applicable)
for the countries you plan to visit.
It's a good idea to check with the CDC
(Center for Disease Control & Prevention)
for outbreaks
in the countries you plan to visit and any necessary
vaccinations, if applicable.
3. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs
of the countries to which you are traveling. Remember,
the U.S. Constitution does not follow you! While
in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws.
4. Make 2 copies of your passport identification
page. This will facilitate replacement if your
passport is lost or stolen. Leave one copy at
home with friends or relatives. Carry the other
with you in a separate place from your passport.
5. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or
friends at home so that you can be contacted in
case of an emergency.
6. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public
areas. Do not accept packages from strangers.
7. Prior to your departure, you should register
with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate through
the State Department’s travel
registration website
.
Registration will make your presence and
whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact
you in an emergency. In
accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your
welfare and whereabouts may not be released without
your express authorization. Remember to leave a
detailed itinerary and the numbers or copies of your
passport or other citizenship documents with a
friend or relative in the United States.
8. To avoid being a target of crime, try not to
wear conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry
and do not carry excessive amounts of money or
unnecessary credit cards.
9. In order to avoid violating local laws, deal
only with authorized agents when you exchange
money or purchase art or antiques.
10. If you get into trouble, contact the nearest
U.S. embassy. For obvious reasons, avoid
demonstrations and other situations that may
become unruly or where anti-American sentiments
may be expressed.
Adopting
a Child from Overseas?
Adoption
outside the U.S. has been steadily growing
in numbers. While most adoptions go
through without any problems, it's important
to keep in mind that overseas adoptions are
considered private matters. That is,
it's between the adoptive parents and the
foreign court. The U.S. government
cannot intervene or be involved in the
adoption process.
If
you need more information on the
government's stand on overseas adoptions,
you should visit the State Department's International
Adoption
webpage.
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