plongere
Registered
Thought we would share a couple of travel tips from our recent out of country excursion.
o Lock your airline tickets in the hotel safe. Make several photo copies of your travel itinerary.
o Photocopy your passport (make several copies). Keep the original in the hotel safe and carry the copy with you. If you lose your passport the photocopies are invaluable.
o Put a copy of your passport and a copy of your itinerary along with hotel information in your luggage.
o Before you leave, make a complete inventory of all dive gear, cameras, watches, etc. Make sure you make a note of the serial nubmers. Take inventory to local US Customs office (you will need the items too) and get the forms to fill out and have them sign the forms indicating you have these items before you left. If you don't, you could have to pay duty on re-entry to the county.
o Photocopy your driver's license and social security card. You may need two copies of picture ID's for the police if you lose your passport.
o Photocopy your credit cards (front and back). Call the 800 numbers for lost/stolen cards before you leave and get the direct dial numbers. 800 numbers do not work from overseas.
o Make an inventory of everything in your wallet/purse you are taking with you. Leave behind stuff you don't need. Leave a copy of the inventory at home.
o If you lose anything, make sure you note the name, time and date you reported your loss to for your records.
o If you lose your passport you will need to do the following:
1. Notify local police and get police report. You will need this for the embassy, exit customs and airline.
2. Notify closest US consulate. They will ask for information from your passport (this is where the photocopy makes things a lot easier), a copy of the police report, and a copy of your flight itinerary. Depending on how long you have before your return, you may get either a new passport or a letter asking Customs to readmit you.
3. Contact your airline (in person). Tell them what happened. Show them a copy of your police report and that they should be contacted by the US consulate. They will tell you what procedures you have to follow at the airport to board to return to US.
I suggest working with your hotel, they can be an invaluable help, especially if there are lanugage problems, faxes to be sent,etc.
o Carry police report with you as ID as you complete your journey.
Oh and one final thought form personal experience. If you have dark colored (especially black) Pelican or similar box that you intend to keep things with you on the dive boat, get yourself an AOL or other free CDROM and glue it to the top and bottom of the box. It is impossible to find a black box on a blue green ocean!
o Lock your airline tickets in the hotel safe. Make several photo copies of your travel itinerary.
o Photocopy your passport (make several copies). Keep the original in the hotel safe and carry the copy with you. If you lose your passport the photocopies are invaluable.
o Put a copy of your passport and a copy of your itinerary along with hotel information in your luggage.
o Before you leave, make a complete inventory of all dive gear, cameras, watches, etc. Make sure you make a note of the serial nubmers. Take inventory to local US Customs office (you will need the items too) and get the forms to fill out and have them sign the forms indicating you have these items before you left. If you don't, you could have to pay duty on re-entry to the county.
o Photocopy your driver's license and social security card. You may need two copies of picture ID's for the police if you lose your passport.
o Photocopy your credit cards (front and back). Call the 800 numbers for lost/stolen cards before you leave and get the direct dial numbers. 800 numbers do not work from overseas.
o Make an inventory of everything in your wallet/purse you are taking with you. Leave behind stuff you don't need. Leave a copy of the inventory at home.
o If you lose anything, make sure you note the name, time and date you reported your loss to for your records.
o If you lose your passport you will need to do the following:
1. Notify local police and get police report. You will need this for the embassy, exit customs and airline.
2. Notify closest US consulate. They will ask for information from your passport (this is where the photocopy makes things a lot easier), a copy of the police report, and a copy of your flight itinerary. Depending on how long you have before your return, you may get either a new passport or a letter asking Customs to readmit you.
3. Contact your airline (in person). Tell them what happened. Show them a copy of your police report and that they should be contacted by the US consulate. They will tell you what procedures you have to follow at the airport to board to return to US.
I suggest working with your hotel, they can be an invaluable help, especially if there are lanugage problems, faxes to be sent,etc.
o Carry police report with you as ID as you complete your journey.
Oh and one final thought form personal experience. If you have dark colored (especially black) Pelican or similar box that you intend to keep things with you on the dive boat, get yourself an AOL or other free CDROM and glue it to the top and bottom of the box. It is impossible to find a black box on a blue green ocean!
