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The detailed information
on these two pages is provided as a starting point for your
search for information. As part of our service to our clients we
work together on these details, and with our business partners
who are knowledgeable in these areas. If you come across a link
that isn't working, shoot us a quick
email
and we'll get it updated.
Disclaimer: we are not experts in these areas and
do not guarantee the accuracy of the information; we do not
recommend, represent or endorse the agencies or companies
listed, or their products or services (*unless specified); to
the best of our knowledge, the information was current when
posted to this website (fall 2007).
A passport is an internationally recognized travel document
that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. A
valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave most
foreign countries. Only the U.S. Department of State has the
authority to grant, issue or verify United States passports.
To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in
person to one of over
9,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United
States with two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S.
citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such
as a driver’s license.
You can renew by mail if: your most recent passport is
available to submit and it is not damaged; you received the
passport within the past 15 years; you were over age 16 when
it was issued; you still have the same name, or can legally
document your name change.
As of January 1, 2008 a US passport will be required for
travel to/from Canada and Mexico.
Links
US Department of State
US
Postal Service
Where is the nearest location to apply for a passport?
Passport Express: Passport and Visa Expediting*
(discount available for our clients, call us)
American Passport Express: Visas, Passport Renewal and New
Passports Expedited
A. Briggs Passport and Visa Expeditors
Travel Document Systems
(TDS)
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A visa is a permit issued by a foreign country allowing an
individual U.S. citizen to travel to the issuing country. The
visa is issued in the U.S. by the embassy or consulate of the
country to which you are traveling. Each country that requires a
visa has its own requirements, fee and application forms.
Links
Passport Express: Passport and Visa Expediting*
(discount available for our clients, call us)
American Passport Express: Visas, Passport Renewal and New
Passports Expedited
A.
Briggs Passport and Visa Expeditors
(also has immunization
requirements)
Travel Document Systems
(TDS)
(back to top)
• Argentina: Passport required. Visa not required for
business/tourist stay up to 90 days.
• Australia: Passport required. Electronic Travel
Authority (ETA) or non-electronic label visa required
• Bahamas: Passport required.
• Belize: Passport, return/onward ticket and sufficient funds
(at least $60/night) required. etc...
• Brazil: Passport and Visa are required for travel to Brazil.
• Canada: Passport required.
• Chile: Passport required. Visa not required for stay of up to
90 days.
• Costa Rica: Passport and onward/return ticket required.
• Dominican Republic: Passport required.
• Guatemala: Passport required for stay of up to 90 days.
• Iceland: Passport required. Visa not required for stay of up
to 90 days.
• Mexico: Passport required. Visa not required of US citizens.
• Mozambique: Passport and visa required. Invitation required*.
• Namibia: Passport, onward/return ticket and proof of
sufficient funds required. Visa not required for
business/tourist stay up to 90 days.
• New Zealand: Passport, onward/return ticket, proof of
sufficient funds required. Visa not required for
business/tourist stay up to 3 months.
• Nicaragua: Passport, onward/return ticket and entry fee
required for stay up to 30 days.
• Panama: Passport, onward/return ticket, proof of sufficient
funds, visa or tourist card (available from airline serving
Panama for $10 fee).
• Russia: Passport and visa required. Invitation required*.
• South Africa: Passport required.
• Venezuela: Passport, onward/return ticket and proof of
sufficient funds required. Visa not required for stay up to 90
days.
• Zambia: Passport and visa required.
• Zimbabwe: Passport, visa, onward/return ticket and proof of
sufficient funds required for stay up to 6 months. Visas
issued upon arrival in Zimbabwe (about $30 fee). Anti-malaria
pills recommended.
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*Invitations
Many countries require visa applicants to secure an invitation
from a business, institution or person in that country. In most
cases, a faxed copy of the invitation is acceptable; however, in
some cases, the inviting party must send the invitation directly
to that country’s Embassy in the U.S. In some cases such as
Saudi Arabia, the invitation is usually telexed to the Embassy
and faxed to the applicant. In such cases, submit the faxed copy
of the invitation when applying for your visa. It's not a
bad idea to have an invitation from the outfitter when traveling outside of the
United States and Canada, even when a visa is not required.
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Criminal inadmissibility to Canada
applies if you have committed or been
convicted of a criminal offense, you may
not be allowed to enter Canada.
Criminal offenses include both minor and
serious offenses such as all felonies,
theft, assault, manslaughter,
shoplifting, dangerous driving and
driving while under the influence of
drugs or alcohol.
Routine screening upon entry into Canada
includes the question "Have you ever
been convicted of a crime?" Almost
all convictions can make a person
inadmissible to Canada. Regardless
of when the conviction occurred.
It is always the final decision of the
Border Patrol Officers, as to whether or
not a person should be granted entry
into Canada.
Think carefully before answering this
question. Don't lie about any
convictions, regardless how "trivial."
since 911, increased cooperation between
the US and Canada means the Border
Patrol Officer could already have access
to your criminal records. Lying or
forgetting about a conviction could
result in being barred from Canada for
many years.
- Depending upon the nature of the
offense, the amount of time that has
elapsed and your behavior since the
offense/sentencing, you may no longer be
considered inadmissible to Canada with
the appropriate documentation.
-
• Deemed Rehabilitation: depending upon the nature of the
offense at at least 5 and as many as 10 years have passed
since you completed the sentence imposed for your crime
- • Individual Rehabilitation: you have been committed or been
convicted of a crime but are not eligible for "Deemed
Rehabilitation" and at least 5 years have passed since you
completed all of your criminal sentences.
- • Temporary Resident Permit: if less than 5 years have
passed since the end of the criminal sentence, of if
justified by compelling circumstances, foreign nationals who
are inadmissible to Canada (including people with a criminal
conviction) may be issued temporary resident permits.
Such permits are only issued in exceptional circumstances,
if there are reasons of national interest or strong
humanitarian or compassionate grounds. A temporary
resident permit may be cancelled at any time.
If you have a conviction, Canadian law
prohibits you from entering Canada for
at least 5 years from the completion of
your sentence, with no other convictions
during that time. After the 5 year
waiting period, Americans can apply for
"criminal rehabilitation." This is
a lengthy process that can sometimes
take 1-2 years. There is no way to
expedite the application.
In brief, the
application requires copy of
passport, passport photos, FBI police
certificate, state police certificate,
copies of court documents (including
charge, section of law violated,
verdict, sentencing), proof of sentence
completed (along with fines paid, court
costs, ordered treatment etc.), copies
of the text of law describing the
offense, detailed explanation of the
circumstances surrounding the offense,
letters of reference from responsible
citizens, and a non-refundable process
fee of about $200.
Canada Border Crossing Services*
This is a lengthy and complicated
process, with no guarantees. An
error in the application may result in
denial, requiring resubmission. We
highly recommend the services of an
attorney specializing in Canadian
immigration or Lucy Perillo, President
of
Canada Border Crossing Services.
Links
Application for Rehabilitation for
Persons who are Inadmissible to Canada
Because of Past Criminal Activity
Canada Border Crossing Services*
"Traveling to Canada with Washington
DUIs" by Patricia Fulton
"Canada, eh?" by Scott Wonder
(back to top)
Q. What is a satellite phone?
A. From
www.wisegeek.com:
"A
satellite phone or satphone is a mobile phone that
sends and receives calls using satellites rather than landlines
or cellular broadcasting towers. A satellite phone only requires
a clear line of sight to the sky. The advantage of a satellite
phone is that it can complete calls from anywhere. A satellite
phone can operate in the middle of the Sahara desert, at the top
of Mount Everest, or from a clearing deep within a South African
jungle. It is an indispensable tool for remote excursions of all
kinds, and provides solid communication on the seas and in the
air.
A disadvantage of
a satellite phone is a noticeable delay in conversations. The
signal must first travel to the satellite, then to an earthbound
gateway before being routed to the receiver. The receiver's
response will follow the same path in reverse, taking equally
long to reach the caller. Satellite minutes are also more
expensive than cellular minutes.
However, these
drawbacks are irrelevant when considering the function that a
satellite phone serves. It can create a link to civilization
from places where no other link is available. It also allows
loved ones to stay in touch, as in the case of researchers,
adventurers and those in the military, and it can provide backup
communication in disasters when cellular towers or landlines
might not be functional.
There three main
satellite networks at present are Iridium,
Globalstar and Thuraya. Iridium uses low orbiting
satellites that minimize conversational delays, but more
importantly, it is the only current satellite network that
provides coverage over the entire earth, including the
oceans. Competitor Globalstar covers about 80% of the earth's
landmasses, excluding northern and southern polar regions, while
Thuraya covers parts of India, Asia, Africa, the entire Middle
East and Europe.
For those who
only wish to use a satellite phone on rare occasions, one can
rent rather than buy. Rental fees start at about US$40 per week,
but this does not include talk time, which can run as high as
$1.75 per minute. If buying a satellite phone outright, a
contract is necessary with a satellite network, or prepaid cards
may be purchased. Minutes are less expensive with a contract
than when renting or buying prepaid, but are still more
expensive than cellular minutes."
Q. Do I need to
take a satellite phone?
A.
Often times,
outfitters/guides will carry or rent satellite phones. It
is up to you to decide before you go, if a satellite phone is a
necessary part of your gear.
Q. Does Outdoor
Connection sell, rent or recommend satellite phone providers?
A.
Currently we
do not.
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What is travel medicine? A specialized
area of healthcare that focuses on the needs of travelers,
particularly those who travel to another country.
Discussion with your physician or a travel medicine specialist
is highly recommended prior to travel outside the US.
Travel outside of the US can expose you
to a new assortment of illness and ailments, via eating,
drinking, insects, soil, animals and interaction with local
citizens. Certain countries require specific immunizations prior
to granting permission to enter. Health conditions (like
diabetes, heart disease, HIV, allergies, etc), length of stay,
location within the country (rural or urban), and even purpose
of travel (business or pleasure) may impact your travel health.
Careful preparation and education help ensure healthy travel.
Every destination is unique, as is every
traveler. Research the travel medicine recommendations for
your destination, keeping in mind the internet, as always, is a
source of both good and bogus information. Well before you
travel, discuss your findings with your own physician or travel
medicine specialist to come up with a plan appropriate just for
you.
Immunizations
Immunizations are a good way to protect
yourself from potentially serious, often life threatening
illnesses (including yellow fever, hepatitis, rabies).
There are three types of immunizations relevant to travel:
routine, required and recommended. Routine immunization
refers to those which all adults should update every 10 years of
so regardless of their travel plans (like tetanus).
Required immunizations refer to those a country requires proof
of immunization for, before allowing entry into the country
(like yellow fever). Recommended immunizations typically
are more broadly protective with low incidence of side effects
(like hepatitis A and hepatitis B, influenza).
Before traveling, it is important to
determine the immunization requirements and recommendations for
your destination, and to discuss them with your physician or
travel medicine specialist. This should be done many
months prior to your planned travel, as many immunizations
require a series of injections over the course of many months.
Medications
Other illnesses and ailments may be
treated prophylactically (treatment started before infection,
like for malaria) or immediately with medications brought from
home with an understanding of when and how to take them (like
doxycycline for tick bites, like oflaxacin and loperamide for
travelers' diarrhea). Again, this should be discussed with
your physician or travel medicine specialist prior to departure.
Links
Center for Disease Control (CDC): Traveler's Health
Center for Disease Control (CDC): Traveler's Health:
Destinations List
Complete
travel health information, updated daily, for physicians and
travelers
Disease Fact Sheets
Health-Wise Travel Checklist
While You're Away, Adjusting to Your Environment
While You're Away, Beware of Your Surroundings
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- US
Department of State
-
Tips for Traveling Abroad
-
Bureau of Consular Affairs
-
Travel & Business
-
Transportation
Security Administration (TSA)
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Airline
Baggage Information
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Air Canada
-
American Airlines
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Continental Airlines
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Delta Airlines
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Northwest Airlines
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South African Airways
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United Airlines
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Travel Guides: For
countries and cities around the world, with links for basic
information, tourism, weather, airports, etc.
-
Currency Converter
Free Translation
Online
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