http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php Copyright 2008, Rob Pirolo Rob Pirolo en-US SPHPBLOG 0.4.9.1 http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070620-102938 While we were aboard, she had her purse stolen, and it wasn't our fault. It was a complete
disaster, especially the visa and passport parts. Fortunately, my dad
bought us travelsafe, because he thinks that my sister and I are a little scatterbrained. At the time we thought that it was kind of stupid, but it really came in handy.So I strongly suggest that anyone
traveling outside the US should have one of these things
]]> http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070620-102938 Rob Pirolo Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:29:38 GMT http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=06&entry=entry070620-102938 http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-163451 Destinations
Health information for specific destinations

Vaccinations

Diseases

Mosquito and Tick Protection

Safe Food and Water

Illness and Injury Abroad

References
Selected travel health journals and articles

Resources
Domestic and international partners
Travel Medicine Clinics

Yellow Fever Vaccination Clinics

2005-2006 Yellow Book
CDC's recommendations for health maintenance and prevention of illness among travelers
Updates to the Yellow Book: Antimalarial Drugs and Vaccines


Avian Influenza & Travel

Official U.S. government website for pandemic influenza

Frequently Asked Questions about Travelers' Health

Traveling with Children
Includes health advice for international adoptees and their adoptive parents

Special Needs Travelers
Information for travelers with special needs such as those with disabilities, HIV, pregnancy and breast-feeding

Travel Health Tips for Students Studying Abroad
Podcast: CDC Travel Health Tips for Students Studying Abroad


Travel by Airplanes and Cruise Ships
Includes inspection scores ("green sheets") for specific cruise ships by CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP)

Traveling with Pets
On DGMQ site; includes animal embargoes

Disaster Relief Workers

Presentations for Health Professionals
CDC presentations related to travel medicine

FDA Approves First U.S. Vaccine for Humans Against the Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 (FDA, Released April 17, 2007)

Twinrix Vaccine Accelerated Schedule Approved (on FDA site) (April 9, 2007)

EID: Chikungunya Virus in US Travelers Returning from India, 2006

Tour the New CDC.gov Homepage!






]]> http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-163451 Rob Pirolo Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:34:51 GMT http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=06&entry=entry070614-163451 http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-163341
US Citizens - Passports
US Citizens - Visas for entry into foreign countries
Foreign Visitors and Immigrants - Visas
Authentication of Documents
U.S.CIS How to Get a Travel Document
USCIS Emergency Travel Information

]]> http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-163341 Rob Pirolo Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:33:41 GMT http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=06&entry=entry070614-163341 http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-163118
Make sure you have a signed, valid passport and visas, if required. Also, before you go, fill in the emergency information page of your passport!
Read the Consular Information Sheets (and Public Announcements or Travel Warnings, if applicable) for the countries you plan to visit.
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.
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.
Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas. Do not accept packages from strangers.
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.
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.
In order to avoid violating local laws, deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money or purchase art or antiques.
If you get into trouble, contact the nearest U.S. embassy.]]> http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-163118 Rob Pirolo Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:31:18 GMT http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=06&entry=entry070614-163118 http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-162337
NEW YORK – Standing atop the Empire State Building and looking out on the expanse of glinting skyscrapers and miniature yellow taxicabs, Lili Ma had no doubt that New York was the place to be on her vacation from China.
“Everybody needs to bite the Big Apple,” the 36-year-old said with a smile.

Mass tourism advertising for New York – and the U.S. as a whole – is still forbidden in Ma’s native China. But everyone knows about this place, she said. Her friends all watch “Sex and the City.” Even her mother has heard of California and New York.

That name recognition, coupled with a growing interest in tourism among Chinese, who have seen their incomes rise while travel restrictions have lessened, could bring a fortune to hotels, tour companies and attractions around the U.S.

The number of Chinese who travel outside their homeland each year is expected to nearly triple to 100 million people by 2020, and American cities and businesses are positioning themselves to profit from what they hope will be a tourist boom. They are establishing offices in China and lobbying the government to ease restrictions on travel to the U.S.

“In the next 10 years, it will probably dwarf any overseas market we may have, with the potential to dwarf all overseas markets combined,” said Bruce Bommarito, vice president of international market development for the Travel Industry Association.

While the number of Chinese visitors has been increasing, they certainly haven’t been overrunning American tourist attractions. Just 320,000 Chinese – 1.5 percent of all overseas visitors – traveled to the U.S. in 2006. Of the Chinese who left the mainland, fewer than 1 in 100 headed to the U.S., according to American and Chinese authorities.

But many American entrepreneurs believe that number could soon explode.

Noel Irwin Hentschel, CEO of tour operator AmericanTours International, said China will be her company’s top business focus in the coming decades. Speaking by phone from China, where she now spends half her time, she predicted that by 2009, Chinese tourists will account for one-tenth of the roughly 1 million customers her company ferries around the U.S. each year.

Rising disposable income – now averaging $4,500 a year in cities like Beijing – has made travel an increasingly attainable luxury and one that is often viewed as a status symbol.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC is planning to open six hotels in China in coming years, out of 19 it plans worldwide. Executives hope the expansion will help establish Ritz-Carlton as a high-status brand among the Chinese, said Vice President of Public Relations Vivian Deuschl. They are attractive customers both for their sheer numbers and their spending habits, she said.

Gambling also is popular among Chinese visitors, and Las Vegas has been working hard to cash in on their desire to find a seat at the blackjack and baccarat tables. Another favorite is dining in Chinese restaurants and visiting the nearest Chinatown, in part to see how Chinese-Americans live, Hentschel said.

Including money lost at the tables in Las Vegas and elsewhere, Chinese travelers on average spend about $5,800 per visit – more than residents of any other nation except India, says the U.S. Department of Commerce.

And city and state tourism offices have increasingly been stepping into the mix, often sidestepping restrictions placed on the U.S. by negotiating directly with the Chinese government.

In 2004, Nevada – with the state’s Commission on Tourism then under the direction of Bommarito – became the first non-nation to win approval from the Chinese government to open a tourism office there and advertise directly to the Chinese public.

Los Angeles, San Francisco and Hawaii have since reached their own deals with China, gaining permission to open offices or hire representatives. New York hopes to follow suit.

Associated Press writer Walker Li contributed to this report from Beijing.
]]> http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-162337 Rob Pirolo Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:23:37 GMT http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=06&entry=entry070614-162337 http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-162034
Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs on the Temporary Travel Accommodation

The U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced Friday, June 8th that U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or countries in the Caribbean region, who have applied for, but not yet received passports, can re-enter the United States by air. This accommodation does not mean that Americans are exempt from meeting the entry requirements of Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or countries in the Caribbean region. Entry requirements for those countries remain in effect. Americans traveling to those countries must verify the specific entry requirements for that country before departure. To access entry requirements for all countries, see our Consular Information Sheets.

Entry requirements for countries are self-determined. We are reaching out to the governments of countries affected by WHTI to consult with them about our announcement. We hope they also will be able to take a flexible approach. We will communicate the results of our consultations with the airlines to facilitate boarding. Please check this page for updated information.

U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or countries in the Caribbean region who have applied for, but not yet received passports, can re-enter the United States by air by presentation of a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007. The federal government is making this accommodation for air travel due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) was mandated by Congress in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for citizens and legitimate international visitors. WHTI requirements for air travel took effect on January 23, 2007.

Adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child’s proof of application status. Children traveling alone should carry a copy of their birth certificate, baptismal record or a hospital record of birth in the United States in addition to their passport application status documentation. This accommodation applies to all American citizens who apply for passports, until September 30, when this accommodation period ends. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/st ... 2567.html.

Since implementation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has and will continue to exercise its current authorities in unique circumstances to allow individuals subject to the WHTI requirements into the United States based on other evidence of identity and citizenship.

Travel document security remains a top priority for the U.S. Government. Both the 9/11 Commission and the U.S. Congress urged strengthening of travel documents to prevent entry of terrorists across our borders, reduce use of fraudulent documents, and speed up entry procedures.



How does this affect me?

Are you a U.S. Citizen traveling to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or countries in the Caribbean region by air who HAS APPLIED for a passport but has not received it yet?
If so, go to http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/st ... _2567.html and follow the instructions to print out your passport status page. Keep this status page with you during your entire trip for both exit from the U.S. and re-entry to the U.S.
Next, find out what the entry requirements are for the country you are visiting. In some cases, you may need to contact the Embassy of the country you are visiting.
Be sure to present the documentation required by the country you are visiting along with your printed passport status page to the airline personnel upon departure and re-entry to the U.S.
Are you a U.S. Citizen traveling to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or countries in the Caribbean region by air and you have NOT APPLIED for a passport yet, or, you HAVE NOT APPLIED TO RENEW an expired passport yet?
If so, access the Passport Page to apply for a new passport or to renew an old passport


Once your application is in process with the U.S. Department of State (which could take up to 7 to 10 days to track online), you should:


Go to Checking the Status of Your Application and follow the instructions to print out your passport status page. Keep this status page with you during your entire trip for both exit from the U.S. and re-entry to the U.S.


Next, find out what the entry requirements are for the country you are visiting. In some cases, you may need to contact the Embassy of the country you are visiting.


Be sure to present the documentation required by the country you are visiting along with your printed passport status page to the airline personnel upon departure and re-entry to the U.S.
If you are a U.S. Citizen traveling to ANY OTHER COUNTRY and your passport application and delivery has been delayed,
Please go to U.S. Passport Application Status to check the status of your application. The online status check will verify that the application is in process, and will update to confirm when the completed passport has been mailed.
If you are a U.S. Citizen traveling to ANY OTHER COUNTRY and your passport application and delivery has been delayed and trip departure date is within two weeks, please e-mail the National Passport Information Center.

]]> http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-162034 Rob Pirolo Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:20:34 GMT http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=06&entry=entry070614-162034 http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-161816 Renewing your passport
Applying for a passport for children under age 14
Diplomatic, Official, and Regular No-Fee Passports
Correcting or Changing Information in Your Passport
Passport Application Fees
Passport Application Processing Time
Checking the status of your application online
Once you have received your new passport, and are preparing for your trip, you'll want to register with embassies abroad. Registration with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country you are visiting, makes your presence known so we can contact you in case of an emergency.
]]> http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-161816 Rob Pirolo Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:18:16 GMT http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=06&entry=entry070614-161816 http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-161525
For Lost or stolen passports Overseas, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate

How to Report and Replace a Lost or Stolen Passport in the U.S.


There are two steps required to get a new passport. First, you must report your valid passport lost or stolen immediately. This is required of anyone who loses or has a passport stolen. The second step is to replace your passport. Both steps and forms required are described below.

To Report a Lost or Stolen Passport:
Complete Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport, Form DS-64

Fill in as much of the passport information as you can.
Answer all the other questions in detail.
Sign and submit above Form DS-64, Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport, to:

U.S. Department of State
Passport Services
Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
Do not mail your new passport application to this address. In order to obtain a new passport you must appear in person at a Passport Agency or Acceptance Facility as outlined below.

Or call us toll free at: 1-877-487-2778 (TTY 1-888-874-7793)
Operators are available 7 a.m. to midnight, ET, Monday-Friday, excluding Federal holidays.

IMPORTANT NOTICES

If your still valid passport was lost or stolen, please submit the DS-64 form with the DS-11 application when you apply for a replacement at a Passport Agency or Acceptance Facility. NOTE: You must appear in person.
The information you provide on the DS-64, Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport will be entered in our Consular Lost/Stolen Passport System.
Passports reported lost or stolen are invalidated and can no longer be used for travel.
If you recover the passport after you have reported it lost or stolen, please submit it to the address listed above. When you submit it, if requested - we will cancel it and return it to you. If not requested, it will be destroyed.
Once a passport is reported lost or stolen, it cannot be re-validated.
To Replace a Lost or Stolen Valid Passport:
Complete Application for Passport, Form DS-11

You must appear in person at a Passport Agency or Acceptance Facility.

Complete Question #18 as follows:

Write your name as it appeared in your passport.
Write the approximate date of issue.
Include the passport number if known.
Under "DISPOSITION", mark the appropriate box.
If your passport was expired, write "EXPIRED" next to the "OTHER" box.
Submit your form:

To a passport acceptance facility.
You will also need photos, documentation and fees. See How to Apply in Person.
NOTE: If you travel extensively, you may request a larger, 48-page passport at no additional cost. To do so, please attach a signed request for a 48-page passport to your application.

]]> http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-161525 Rob Pirolo Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:15:25 GMT http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=06&entry=entry070614-161525 http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-161241
What should you do if you:

Find a printing error in your passport?
Change your name?
Need to add more visa pages?
Want to extend the validity of a limited passport?
The answer will be different depending on the type of correction/change needed and how long ago your passport was issued. Please use this chart to determine what to do.

PASSPORT CORRECTIONS/CHANGES CHART
What type of correction or change is needed?
How long since the passport was issued? Will I be charged? Submit … Send to…
Printing error (such as spelling or birthdate) 30 days or less No
Letter explaining the specific correction needed and the date by which the corrected passport is needed; and
Passport containing the printing error; and
Acceptable evidence showing the correct information, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate when the printing error is the date or place of birth. For misspelled names, a photocopy of the ID used or the original marriage certificate or name-change order submitted at the time of application.


NOTE: These instructions (for passports issued 30 days ago or less) are different than the instructions on the current DS-5504. Please follow these instructions. However, if you have already followed the instructions on the DS-5504, your correction will still be processed.

Issuing Passport Agency/ Center

see Agency/Center Mailing List for Printing Errors




Printing error (such as spelling or birthdate) More than 30 days, while the passport is valid. No Completed Form DS-5504, Passport Re-Application Form ; AND
Passport containing the printing error; AND
Acceptable evidence showing the correct information, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate when the printing error is in the date or place of birth. For misspelled names, a photocopy of the ID used, or the original marriage certificate or name-change court order submitted at the time of application AND
Two (2) recent identical passport photos.
Issuing Passport Agency/ Center

see Agency/Center Mailing List for Printing Errors


Name change One year or less No, unless expedited service is requested. Form DS-5504, Passport Re-Application Form ; AND
The passport to be replaced; AND
Acceptable evidence of name-change, such as marriage/divorce/ adoption decree; or court order of name change; AND
Two (2) recent identical passport photos.
Address shown on DS-5504
Name change More than one year, while the passport is valid Yes - Amount depends on which form you use. See next column. If you ARE otherwise eligible to use Form DS-82:
Form DS-82, Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail ; AND
The passport to be replaced; AND
Acceptable evidence of name-change, such as marriage/divorce/ adoption decree; or court order of name-change; AND
Appropriate fees ; AND
Two (2) recent identical passport photos.

If you are NOT otherwise eligible to use form DS-82, you must Use Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport, and apply in person at one of 8,000+ designated passport application acceptance facilities. You must provide:


Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport ; AND
The passport to be replaced; AND
Acceptable evidence of name change, such as marriage/divorce/adoption decree; or court order of name change; AND
Acceptable identification; AND
Appropriate fees ; AND
Two (2) recent identical passport photos; AND
Meet additional requirements for children under age 14.
Address shown on DS-82, or if applying with DS-11, you must apply in person at one of 8,000+ designated passport application acceptance facilities.
Additional pages Anytime, while the passport is valid. No, unless you request expedited service. Form DS-4085, Application for Additional Visa Pages Address shown on DS-4085
Extension of Limited Passport Anytime, while the passport is valid. Depends on circumstances Form DS-82, Application for a U.S. Passport by Mail Address shown on DS-82

Frequently Asked Questions

1. For PRINTING ERRORS, after I follow the instructions on the PASSPORT CORRECTIONS/CHANGES CHART, when will I receive my passport?

Routine Service is generally receipt of the new passport within 10 weeks after sending the required documents via First Class Mail.
You may request Expedited Service , which is receipt of the new passport within two (2) weeks after sending the required documents via overnight delivery, for which you may request reimbursement. Please write 'Expedite' clearly on the envelope you are mailing. Your passport will be sent back to you via overnight delivery at no charge.
For receipt in less than two (2) weeks , customers may call 1-877-487-2778 to make an appointment at one of 14 Passport Agencies across the U.S. If an appointment is not available, follow the instructions to speak with a Customer Service Representative for guidance.
If your travel date is less than two weeks, but more than one week, away , we recommend that you follow the instructions for Expedited Service above. However, the option to make an appointment at a Passport Agency is available as well.
If your travel is less than one week away, we recommend that you make an appointment at a Passport Agency.
2. For a NAME CHANGE, ADDITIONAL PAGES, OR EXTENSION OF A LIMITED PASSPORT, after I follow the instructions on the PASSPORT CORRECTIONS/CHANGES CHART, when will I receive my passport?

Routine service is generally receipt of the new passport within 10 weeks after sending the required documents via First Class Mail.
For Expedited Service, which is receipt of the new passport within two (2) weeks, there is an additional charge of $60 per application. In order to receive your passport within 2 weeks, we strongly suggest that you send the required documents via overnight delivery; and arrange overnight delivery for your return passport by including appropriate postage fees or a pre-paid envelope. Please write 'Expedite' clearly on the envelope you are mailing.
For receipt in less than two (2) weeks , customers should call 1-877-487-2778 to make an appointment at one of 14 Passport Agencies across the U.S. If an appointment is not available, follow the instructions to speak with a Customer Service Representative for guidance.
3. I previously had my passport amended with new or corrected information. Can I still do that?

No. Since September 26, 2005, Passport Services no longer amends currently valid passports. Instead, customers are issued replacement passports. Please see the PASSPORT CORRECTIONS/CHANGES CHART to determine the specific procedure to follow depending on the type of change or correction.

4. Why did the Department of State decide to stop amending existing passports?

Replacing a passport instead of amending it improved the overall security of the document. Additionally, with the upcoming Electronic Passport (EP), the printed data must match the data contained on the chip embedded in the Electronic Passport.

5. Why can't you just rewrite over data on the chip?

The technology used to write data to the contactless chip is known as WORM - "Write Once, Read Many." The use of WORM and digital signature technologies will ensure that the data can be authenticated as having been generated from an official issuance source and that the data has not been altered.

6. Can I still get additional visa pages added to my passport?

Yes. Please see the PASSPORT CORRECTIONS/CHANGES CHART to determine the specific procedure to follow.

7. I just got my passport in my maiden name, so we could go on our honeymoon, but I plan to take my husband’s surname after we get back. Do I have to apply for a new passport with my married name?

I have a valid passport, but I just got divorced, and my divorce decree includes the resumption of my maiden name. Do I have to apply for a new passport?

We just adopted our foster child, who has a valid passport in his birth surname. The adoption decree changes his surname to ours. Does he need a new passport?

The answer to all three questions is “yes” because all citizens need to travel in their legal names. Please see the PASSPORT CORRECTIONS/CHANGES CHART to determine the specific procedure to follow.

8. I was issued a limited passport (less than full 10-year validity for those 16 years and older; less than 5-year validity for those 15 and younger). How do I get it replaced with a fully valid passport?

See the instructions that you received at the time your passport was issued, if issued overseas. Generally, you can apply for an extension using Form DS-82. T he documentation required for replacement with a new, fully valid passport depends upon the reason for limiting the original passport. Examples: 1) The customer was issued a limited passport in the U.S. to make his/her emergency trip, but more complete citizenship documentation is required for a fully valid passport, or 2) Due to the loss or theft of a passport while traveling abroad, a U.S. Consulate issued a limited, non-digitized passport to facilitate re-entry into the U.S. (In these cases, customers are given instructions on how to reapply to obtain fully valid, digitized passports after they are back in the U.S.)

9. You misspelled my name on my passport. What do I need to do?

Please see the PASSPORT CORRECTIONS/CHANGES CHART to determine the specific procedure to follow.

10. Do I have to appear in person to get a replacement passport?

Generally no, you may send in the forms/documentation required according to the PASSPORT CORRECTIONS/CHANGES CHART . However, if you must apply using a Form DS-11, you must appear in person. If you are traveling in less than 2 weeks, you should call 1-877-487-2778 to make an appointment at one of 14 Passport Agencies across the U.S. to ensure your new passport with the needed change/correction is issued in time for your trip. Please see question #1 for additional information about timing for printing errors.

11. What about replacement passports for minors?

The same requirements apply to minors.

12. Will my old passport be returned if I apply for a replacement?

Yes. Except for passports submitted due to printing errors, your old passport will be invalidated and returned with your new, replacement passport if it is not damaged or mutilated.
]]> http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070614-161241 Rob Pirolo Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:12:41 GMT http://travelsafeusb.com/blog/comments.php?y=07&m=06&entry=entry070614-161241