🌍 Stuff Every World Traveler Should Know: Training Guide

Passports and citizenship

Your passport proves who you are and what country you belong to. Before a trip, check the issue date and expiry date. Some countries reject passports issued too long ago.

A U.S. citizen who also has another passport must use the U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Becoming a citizen of another country does not take away U.S. citizenship.

A U.S. Canadian dual citizen flying to Canada can use a valid Canadian or U.S. passport. Canada says its own citizens cannot apply for a Canadian eTA.

If your U.S. passport is lost while you are abroad, report it and contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. They may issue a limited validity passport when there is not time for a regular one.

Thailand wants a foreign visitor's passport to be valid for at least six months after the arrival date and to have at least one blank page.

South Africa wants a visitor's passport to be valid for at least 30 days after leaving and to have at least two blank pages.

Traveling with children

Children, even infants, need their own travel documents to enter the U.S. Plan paperwork for every child in the group.

If a child travels abroad with one custodial parent, the other parent should sign a consent letter. If the child travels alone or with a guardian, both parents should sign.

USAGov says a child travel consent letter is best in English and notarized. A notary verifies who signed it.

A parent with sole custody should carry a copy of the custody document when crossing a border with the child.

At a Canadian land border, a U.S. citizen under 16 can prove identity and citizenship with an original or certified birth certificate. Air travel has stricter document rules.

Entry permissions and visas

The U.S. State Department country information page lists entry, exit and visa rules for each country. Check it before booking a trip.

The UK requires an ETA for most short visits, including U.S. visitors. Every traveler, including babies, needs a separate ETA. Apply only on the official government site or app.

One UK ETA covers many trips of up to six months each. It lasts two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.

Travelers from eTA-required countries need a Canadian eTA to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport. They generally do not need one when arriving by car, bus, train or boat, including a cruise ship. U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents are exempt, but U.S. lawful permanent residents must carry proof of status and a valid passport.

Australia's ETA (subclass 601) allows many visits in a 12 month period, up to three months each entry. Each family member, even a child on a parent's passport, applies separately.

Canada's eTA is linked to the passport used in the application. It lasts up to five years or until that passport expires. If you renew your passport, you need a new eTA.

Schengen and Europe

For a U.S. visitor, the passport used for a Schengen area trip must have been issued within the last 10 years. It must also be valid for at least three months after the planned departure.

The Schengen 90 day rule counts the whole area in any rolling 180 day period. A past 60 day stay in Spain followed by a 45 day Italy trip would be an overstay. Overstaying can lead to an entry ban, usually capped at five years.

Ireland and Cyprus are in the EU but not in the Schengen area. Some non-EU countries such as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are in Schengen.

Since April 2026, the EU Entry Exit System replaces passport stamps with electronic entry and exit records. It automatically helps catch overstays.

At a first Entry Exit System entry, border staff may take fingerprints and a face photo from covered adults. Children aged 11 or younger do not give fingerprints, though they may be photographed.

The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation is not running as of late 2026. Any site selling ETIAS now is fraudulent. When it starts, the fee will be 20 euros and it will cover visa-free short visits to 30 European countries.

Cash at the border

Carrying any amount of cash is legal, but over $10,000 into or out of the U.S. must be reported on FinCEN Form 105. Cash, traveler's checks, money orders and foreign cash all count. Skipping the report can mean losing the money and a fine up to $500,000.

For families or groups, CBP counts the total cash everyone is carrying together. Four people each carrying $4,000 have $16,000, so they must report it.

France requires a declaration for cash or traveler's checks worth 10,000 euros or more. The declaration proves you brought the money in. If you do not declare it, the money could be seized when you leave.

Cards, fees and ATMs

Exchange rates vary between currency exchange desks. Britain's official tourism site says to shop around before you change money.

When a foreign card terminal offers to charge you in U.S. dollars, it is usually cheaper to choose the local currency. In the EU you always have the right to refuse home currency conversion.

If you travel overseas often, consider a credit card with low or no foreign transaction fee. Some cards add a foreign transaction fee to purchases made abroad, and those charges add up on a long trip. Credit card fees can be a set dollar amount or a percentage of each transaction.

Tell your bank you are traveling and check whether your cards will work where you are going. Plan to carry several ways to pay.

Some U.S. banks partner with banks abroad. Using a partner bank's ATM may mean lower fees, so check your bank's policies before you go.

Getting cash with a credit card at a foreign ATM is a cash advance, not a normal purchase. Cash advances often have a higher interest rate, so avoid them if you can.

Shopping, VAT and carrying goods across borders

Non-EU residents can generally claim a VAT refund on goods bought in the EU and taken home. You show the goods and refund papers to customs when you leave, within three months of buying them.

Returning U.S. travelers get a personal duty-free exemption of $200, $800 or $1,600 depending on countries visited. The exemption generally applies after an overseas stay of at least 48 hours, except Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Goods bought in a duty-free shop abroad are not automatically free of U.S. duty. They count toward your personal exemption, so declare them like any other purchase. Gifts worth up to $100 can be mailed home duty-free, as long as one person gets no more than $100 in gifts per day.

Do not gift-wrap souvenirs you carry back into the U.S. Customs officers may need to unwrap them for inspection. Wrap them after you land.

All travelers must declare meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds and soil to CBP. Banned items are taken, and failing to declare can mean a fine up to $1,000 for a first offense. Even soup must be declared.

If you fly to France from outside the EU, you may not bring a ham sandwich or a block of cheese. Meat and milk products are usually banned. The rules allow only a few exceptions, such as powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods needed for medical reasons. Within the EU, you may carry meat or dairy for your own use.

Avoiding common scams

In a wallet scam, a stranger picks up a wallet and asks if it is yours. A second scammer then claims it, accuses you of stealing and threatens to call police unless you pay.

In a friendly student restaurant scam, someone invites you to a meal and picks a place. The bill is enormous and your new friend leaves you to pay it, sometimes with threats if you refuse. Drinks may be spiked during the meal.

A rental business may ask to keep your passport as a deposit. The State Department says do not give your passport to anyone, because the shop may demand money for real or made-up damage to return it.

Before getting into a taxi abroad, ask if the driver will use the meter or agree on the fare. Use official taxi ranks rather than drivers who approach you inside a terminal.

Plugs and electricity

Japan supplies 100 volts AC throughout the country. The east side runs at 50 hertz and the west side at 60 hertz, so check appliance labels before plugging in.

Britain's standard Type G plug has three rectangular pins and a fuse inside the plug. A U.S. plug will not fit, so you will probably need an adapter. Most British hotels have a two-pin European style socket, but that socket is for shavers only.

British wall sockets supply around 230 volts at 50 hertz. A plug adapter only changes the plug shape; it does not convert voltage or frequency.

A device labeled 100 to 240 volts is dual voltage and will work in many countries if you have the right plug adapter. A single-voltage device may need a step-down transformer.

Phones and data abroad

Most U.S. phone plans do not cover use abroad, and foreign networks can add roaming fees. Check your carrier's rates and options before you go. Roaming charges may appear on a bill after you get home.

Automatic downloads can run up roaming charges without you touching the phone. Turn off automatic downloads and use Wi-Fi, but check whether that Wi-Fi is free.

A local SIM card or eSIM can be a low-cost alternative to high roaming charges. Ask your carrier to unlock your phone, and make sure it works on the local networks.

Reading time, dates and units

The 24 hour clock numbers hours from 00:00 at midnight to 23:59. For times after noon, subtract 12. 19:30 is 7:30 pm.

Almost all countries use the metric system for daily life. The meter is the SI base unit of length, and liters and kilograms are used for volume and mass. The United States has adopted the metric system too, but customary units are still common there.

On the Celsius scale, water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at about 100 degrees. Zero Celsius is 32 Fahrenheit, so 0 abroad means icy weather.

Australia writes numbers dates as day/month/year, so 5/7/2026 means 5 July 2026. The U.S. uses month/day/year, so check tickets and bookings carefully. ISO 8601 is the international date standard.

Earth was planned into 24 time zones, one for each hour of rotation. Real time zone borders are not straight lines, because countries draw their own.

UTC is the world's reference time scale kept by atomic clocks. Local time zones are written as offsets from UTC, such as UTC minus 5.

Jet lag

Jet lag is a mismatch between your body clock and the destination time after flying across time zones. It can cause poor sleep, daytime sleepiness and stomach upset.

Flying east usually makes jet lag harder to adjust to than flying west. People adjust about 1.5 hours a day after flying west and about 1 hour a day after flying east.

Light is a key signal for resetting your body clock. Going outside for daylight on the destination's schedule can ease the shift.

Melatonin is an over-the-counter supplement that may help some travelers manage jet lag. Ask a health provider first, because taking it at the wrong time can make jet lag worse.

Left-side driving basics

In the UK, traffic drives on the left side of the road and the driver sits on the right side of the car. Keep left unless signs or markings say otherwise.

Australia also drives on the left, and most vehicles are right-hand drive. Some older or exempt vehicles can be left-hand drive.

Outside major Australian cities, many highways are two-lane roads with long distances between destinations. Plan rest and fuel carefully.

Roundabouts and turns

At a UK roundabout, the Highway Code says to give priority to traffic coming from your right. This is because traffic flows around from that side when you drive on the left.

The Highway Code also says to signal left after you pass the exit before the one you want. Use signs, markings or lights if they direct otherwise.

In Japan, you cannot turn on a red light after stopping, even if many U.S. states allow it. Wait for the green signal. Japan drives on the left, so a right turn crosses oncoming traffic.

Licenses and permits

A U.S. driver's license alone is not valid to drive in India. You need a valid Indian driver's license or a valid international driver's license, and the State Department suggests considering a local driver.

Japan requires a short-term visitor to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) before arriving in Japan. U.S. embassies and consulates do not issue IDPs, and permits bought from other groups online are not valid in Japan.

Scammers create websites that sell fake IDPs for expensive fees. Using a fake one can lead to legal charges or travel delays, so apply only through authorized groups.

Insurance and liability

Your U.S. auto insurance may not cover you when you drive in another country. Check with your insurance company before you go.

Even if your U.S. insurance is accepted, it may not meet local coverage requirements. Read the rental company's coverage terms carefully.

In some countries it is illegal to drive without both a valid license and insurance. A fake IDP can put you in that position.

Getting help and embassy support

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) sends destination alerts and can speed a lost-passport report and temporary passport. It also helps family reach you in an emergency.

U.S. embassies help U.S. citizens abroad with crime or arrest, medical emergencies, lost passports, missing persons and crises such as natural disasters. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy.

State Department travel advisories rank destinations from Level 1, exercise normal caution, to Level 4, do not travel. Level 4 means risks may be life-threatening and the U.S. government may not be able to help.

If you are worried about a U.S. family member abroad, the State Department number is 1-888-407-4747.

Emergency phone numbers

112 is the single emergency number across the European Union. You can call it free from fixed and mobile phones to reach an ambulance, fire brigade or police.

The UK national emergency number is 999. The number 112 also works there and reaches the same service, with call handlers connecting you to police, fire, ambulance or coastguard.

Australia's main emergency number is 000, called Triple Zero. It is free from fixed, mobile and satellite phones for life threatening or time critical emergencies; 112 also connects from a mobile.

In Japan, dial 110 for police and 119 for fire or ambulance. Tokyo's Metropolitan Police have an English helpline, and the JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline helps in English, Chinese and Korean.

Paying for care, medicines and drink safety

U.S. Medicare and Medicaid generally do not pay for medical care outside the United States, with only narrow exceptions. Some Medigap add-on policies may cover emergency care during foreign travel.

Medicare considers Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa as part of the U.S. Medicare drug plans do not cover prescription drugs bought outside the U.S.

Many hospitals abroad require payment or a deposit before providing any services. The U.S. government does not pay medical bills abroad, so plan how you would pay. Take your insurance card and claim forms if your insurance works abroad.

Some medicines sold over the counter in the U.S. can be illegal to bring into another country. Check with the country's embassy before you pack, even if you are only changing planes there.

Criminals sometimes drug drinks to rob travelers. Keep an eye on your drink, cover it if you can, and call local emergency services or the nearest U.S. embassy if you suddenly feel strange.

Staying well from food, water, bugs and altitude

Malaria mosquitoes usually bite between dusk and dawn. That night feeding is why bed nets, screens and repellent matter most in the evening. Malaria prevention combines avoiding bites with medicine.

After taking malaria prevention pills on a trip, keep taking them as directed after you leave the malaria area. The exact schedule depends on the drug, such as 7 days, 4 weeks or one final dose in the next week.

If you are not already protected against measles, get vaccinated at least two weeks before international travel. If your trip is sooner, a dose still helps. Two doses of MMR vaccine give about 97 percent protection.

Where tap water might be unsafe, brush your teeth with bottled or disinfected water. Avoid swallowing water in the shower. Some vendors replace sealed bottled water with untreated water and fake the seal, so check the seal and prefer factory-carbonated drinks.

The State Department warns that tap water in many areas of Thailand is unsafe. Stick to sealed drinks from major brands, and you may want to request no ice. By contrast, Japan's tap water is generally safe for drinking and cooking.

Above about 9,850 feet, raise the altitude where you sleep by no more than about 1,600 feet per day. Add an extra rest day for every 3,300 feet gained. Physical fitness does not lower your risk of altitude illness.

Tipping norms

In Japan, no tip is expected in bars, cafes, restaurants, taxis or hotels. If you tip a private guide, do it discreetly in an envelope. A heartfelt gratuity is called kokorozuke.

In Britain, check the restaurant bill for an automatic service charge before adding a tip. Tipping is not required, but it is polite if the service was good. Staff must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage.

Tipping rules differ around the world. A habit that is polite at home can be unnecessary or even awkward in another country, so check local guidance before you go.

Japan manners

In the vast majority of Japanese homes, you take off your shoes at the entrance and put on slippers. Slippers come off again before stepping onto tatami mats, and restrooms often have their own pair.

Bowing is the usual greeting in Japan, while hugs and body contact are less common. A deeper bow shows more respect. As a visitor, a courteous nod or small bow with your thank you is kind.

At a Japanese onsen hot spring bath, wash thoroughly with soap and rinse completely before getting in. The shared bath is kept clean, and your small towel stays out of the water. Swimwear is usually not worn.

Thailand and the Arab world

At Thailand's famous temples, visitors must dress appropriately. The tourism authority says avoid shorts, mini skirts, short skirts, tight trousers and tights. At royal palaces, men are asked to wear a sleeved shirt and long pants.

In many Arab countries, accept food and drinks with your right hand and hold them in your right hand. The left hand is considered unclean, and waving with the left hand is often impolite.

The thumbs-up sign and the OK sign can offend people in many parts of the Arab world. Pointing with one finger can also offend. Touching your right hand to your heart is a respectful greeting.

UAE and Jordan

In the UAE, photographing people and their belongings, even people in the background, can lead to arrest, detention or prosecution. Airports, some beaches, military sites and foreign embassies are also off-limits.

In Jordan, accept Arabic coffee when your host offers it, as a sign of hospitality. To decline a refill, shake the cup from side to side. To ask for more, hold the cup out.

Small gestures carry meaning. In Arab cultures, the right hand to the heart is respectful, while a thumbs-up may be rude. When in doubt, watch what local people do and follow their lead.