Travel documents are one of the first things you'll need. When traveling outside the United States, you need to carry a passport, the only form of identification recognized everywhere in the world that verifies your citizenship. Depending on the length of stay, there are a few areas of the world such as Canada, Mexico and some Caribbean countries that allow US citizens entry without a passport. However, a valid passport is always the best form of identification. Some countries will also require an additional entry document called a visa. Passports are issued by your country of citizenship, while visas-usually a stamp on a page of the passport, though they can be a separate certificate-are issued by the country to be visited. Apply early for your travel documents. Normal processing time for passports is four to six weeks, but this can take longer and visa requirements and processing times vary by country. Also valuable may be a student identity card that will identify your student status and may entitle you to discounts on anything from airline tickets to museum entrance fees.

Many study abroad programs take care of participants' international travel and housing arrangements. If this is not the case with your program, then it will be your responsibility to arrange for travel to your program site and/or find your own accommodations. You may also want to consider making plans for your own transportation and housing if you decide to do additional traveling at the end of your program.

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The contents of this handbook are intended for the use of students, advisers, and administrators. The contents of this handbook are the property of EducationDynamics and author Bill Hoffa, and are protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America.