Planning a vacation out of the country can be stressful. There are a lot of questions about passports, electricity, money, safety and more. I’ve traveled to France, Czech Republic, Mexico and Canada. With international travel, I learn a little more each time I head abroad. I’ve compiled a list of a few things you need to think about before you travel abroad.

Passport, Visas and More

International travel is synonymous with a passport, but there are a few things you may not have thought about.

1. If your passport expires within six months of traveling abroad, get a new one beforehand. You may encounter issues at the airport or in your destination country if your passport expiration date is too close to your travel itinerary. It’s better to be safe than turned away. Or worse, stranded in another country without a valid passport.
2. I don’t travel enough to have this problem, but make sure there is a spot on your passport pages to get the stamp. A full passport with nowhere to stamp in Customs may cause an issue.
3. Find out if your destination country requires a Visa. While some don’t, others do. And finding that out at the airport would not be fun.

Before you head to the airport, make two copies of your passport photo ID page. Leave one copy at home with a family member or friend. Bring the other photocopy with you. Keep the copy and original passport in separate places. If the original passport gets lost, the photocopy version will come in handy.

Cellphones, Data and Wifi

If you plan to use your cell phone to make phone calls while out of the country, you’ll want to check with your carrier so you aren’t surprised after the fact. Most carriers have plans that will allow you to make calls without being charged for each individual call.

On our recent trip to Mexico, we could pay Verizon Wireless $10 per day to have cellphone coverage outside of the United States. We were there for four days, so it would’ve cost us $40. They warned us that if we made a call without having this international service, there were be some major roaming costs.

With international travel, I simply leave my phone on airplane mode. That still allows me to connect to places that have wifi available, without using any of my data plan. Whenever I am at a restaurant or in the hotel and want to check emails or social media, I can connect to the wifi and browse to my heart’s content. But I travel to see the sites, not to play on my phone. 😉

Communicating with People Back Home

If you do want to keep connected with people back home – maybe you have some kids that stayed behind with grandma and grandpa – there are numerous ways to “call” them without using your data plan.

• Facebook: If you and the person you want to call are on Facebook, you can call them via the Facebook app. You can keep it to audio only, or switch to a video call to show off the cool places you are at. This works if you have a wifi connection, or if you have a mobile data plan, you can still use this option.
• Google Duo: Two people with the Google Duo app can connect as well. You can use audio and/or video, and it connects via wifi.
• What’s App: I haven’t used this one, but I’ve been told by many others that it works great.
• Wifi calling: Some phone and phone carriers allow for wifi calling – meaning your conversation back home can travel via wifi as opposed to data. Check with your carrier beforehand.

Regardless of which option you choose to use, you’ll want to test out your choice before your international travel. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck using a phone card and a telephone booth to make calls back home. But in England, it may be cool to stand in one of the red telephone booths to make a real phone call. Haha!

Electricity: Adapters and Converters

Different countries have different types of plugs. Some also have different voltage levels. Before you head out of the country, check out the plug type and voltage of your destination so you can pick up any adapters or converters.

In general, most continents will have a similar plug type and voltage level, but there are a few rogue countries. That’s why researching what your destination requires is essential.

For example, in Europe, I brought an adapter to allow me to plug the rectangle prongs into the round outlet. The voltage levels were similar enough to the U.S., so I didn’t need a converter. In Mexico, I didn’t need a converter or an adapter.

Credit Cards, Fees and Security

Is it better to carry the local currency with you, or use credit cards? My answer: Both! While traveling in Mexico, we had pesos with us for three reasons:

1. The amount of pesos brought with us was our budget for souvenirs. When the pesos were gone, the souvenirs stopped coming in.
2. It’s easier to buy things from little street vendors when you have local currency. I often find the best souvenirs in little street markets.
3. I love using foreign currency. It makes me feel more invested in the culture of the country I am visiting.

Credit cards are nice to have, but there are some credit cards that charge transaction fees in foreign countries. For example, I was charged a foreign transaction fee when I used my Visa in Mexico or Europe. I was NOT charged a foreign transaction fee in Europe when I used my American Express. However, most places in Mexico didn’t accept American Express, but they would’ve accepted MasterCard – which would not charge me additional fees.

Before you travel, contact your bank and credit card companies to let them know where you will be traveling. Otherwise, you risk them suspending your card when “unusual” transactions from foreign places start to go through.

Currency for International Travel

There are a few ways to get local currency for your international travel destination:

1. U.S. banks or credit unions can withdraw money from your checking accounts into the currency of your destination country. However, some charge a fee while others do not. Simply ask your bank what options they have available to you.
2. Find a reputable currency exchange company in the U.S. and exchange some money before you depart. I found Travelex Currency Services in a U.S. Bank branch in downtown Salt Lake City. Since I wasn’t a U.S. Bank customer, I had to pay a small fee.
3. The airport or your hotel may also have a place to exchange USDs for the local currency.
4. You can use an ATM in your destination country, but keep in mind that you will likely be charged an ATM fee from both banks involved in the withdrawal.

I highly advise against exchanging currency at random shops in the city. I lost money doing this in Prague last year, which greatly limited the quality of souvenirs I was able to bring back home.

Be Safe: Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

STEP, or the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, is a free service offered by the U.S. Department of State. U.S. citizens and nationals can register their international travel on the site, which gives their information to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their destination country.

By enrolling, you’ll receive any important safety conditions in your destination. In the event of an emergency – like a natural disaster or civil unrest – they can keep you informed and help you as needed. If there is a family emergency at home, they can also help family members connect with you.

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