• A passport is required to exit and enter the United States and foreign countries.

• Visit the U.S. State Department’s passport site to apply for or renew your passport

  • The average processing time is 8-11 weeks, so you'll want to apply ASAP

  • Some countries require that your U.S. passport be valid for at least 6 months or longer beyond the end date of your program. If your passport expires before the required validity, you will have to apply for a new one. Please check with the embassy or nearest consulate of the country that you plan to visit for their requirements.

    1. Passports issued at age 15 or under are good for five years. 

    2. Passports issued at age 16 or above are valid for 10 years. 

  • Please save yourself some unintended hassle by making sure you have at least a few empty pages in your passport.

  • Not sure if your passport is up-to-date and ready to go? Play this fun mini-game: Passport Quest-ionnaire!

To keep your passport safe:

• Carry it with you. Do not pack it in your luggage. 

• Make three photocopies of the page with your photo and signature. Give one copy to the Office of International and Off-Campus Programs, one to your parents/guardians, and keep one with you in a safe place, separate from your passport. 

• If your passport is lost or stolen, report it immediately to the nearest U.S. Consulate. The officials will instruct you on how to obtain a new passport.

A visa is an endorsement stamped directly in your passport by an official from a foreign country, which grants you permission to enter a country for a specific amount of time. 

Visa requirements vary from country to country. 

From the U.S. Department of State website: "You may need to get a visa before you travel to a foreign destination. Contact the embassy of the countries you will be visiting for more information."

Bethel recommends students purchase the International Student ID Card (ISIC). It costs about $22 and provides supplemental travel insurance. The ISIC does not take the place of basic medical coverage. The ISIC is affordable and good for one calendar year. 

This card also entitles the holder to discounts (primarily in Europe) on transportation, accommodations, museum entrance fees, special student charter flights between cities in Europe, and long-distance calling plans. When you are traveling anywhere, show your card first and ask if there are discounts available.

You are still able to vote while on your program through an absentee ballot. The National Association of Secretaries of State will give information on absentee voting in your home state. Note all deadlines so that you can get your absentee ballot submitted in time.

If you'd like your parents, your spouse, or others to access your student records, you must give Bethel permission by providing a release of information.

• Students must have medical insurance coverage in order to receive OSA approval for a semester abroad. 

• It is important to consider what kind of coverage will protect you from potential major financial problems should anything necessitate treatment or hospitalization abroad. 

• Call the member services office of your insurance provider for specific information on your policy and whether your coverage applies if you are out of the U.S. (out of network). 

• Carry all your insurance information with you while abroad. 

• Emergency phone numbers 

• On-site program contact numbers 

• Lost credit card phone number (reachable from outside the US)

• Traveler’s checks number/toll-free numbers for credit card replacement 

Your airline ticket is your only proof that you have purchased a seat on a particular flight. Therefore, it is imperative that you keep your tickets in a safe place, whether that is on your phone or a physical copy.

If you decide to print your tickets:

• Do not pack them in your luggage. 

• Make two photocopies of your ticket. Give one to the Office of International and Off-Campus Programs and keep the other in a safe and separate place from your original ticket. 

  • A photocopy will help you deal with airlines in the event your ticket is lost or stolen. 

    • If your ticket is lost or stolen, you can usually buy a replacement ticket for a replacement fee as long as you have lost ticket information and valid identification. However, you are responsible for the lost ticket in the event someone else uses it.
      
      

Airfare Resources:

• Google Flights

• Expedia

• Kayak

• Student Universe

• Orbitz

• CheapFlights

Be sure to bring along an additional form of photo identification in addition to your passport! Some options would be:

• Driver's license

• State ID cards for non-drivers, issued by a state's Department of Motor Vehicles

• Company-issued ID cards

• Native tribal cards

• Government employee ID (city, county, state, or federal)

• U.S. military or military dependent ID

• Student ID

• etc.

You'll want to bring along a hard or electronic copy of your medication prescriptions to have with you in-country just in case a need arises.