Put all important information — such as flight numbers, traveler’s check numbers, customer service numbers for your bank (in case you lose or have trouble with a credit card), insurance policy information, and home telephone numbers — on credit card size cards to carry in your wallet. (Some travelers even take the trouble to laminate their cards.)

If you carry a smart phone or PDA, consider using applications on your phone to store this information, too. Your phone’s calendar program is a good place to store flight times and numbers. It’s good to have a paper backup of this information, though, in case you forget to charge your battery.

There is some information you definitely don’t want to include, though. Social security numbers, copies of credit card and bank account numbers, or other information you wouldn’t want to misplace shouldn’t be carried on your person while traveling.

PHOTO CREDIT: CARD INDEX BOX BY MELANIE KUIPERS VIA STOCK.XCHNG.

The right hand page of this Thai passport shows an Indian visa.

Check whether you need to obtain a visa, which is required by some countries.

A visa is an endorsement made in a passport allowing entry into the country you’re visiting, testifying that your passport has been examined and found in order. It permits you to visit that country for a specified purpose and usually for a limited time.

While actual visa processing times vary from country to country, it is best to allow 120 days to ensure that you receive your visa for your trip. Vantage travelers automatically receive information and applications if the country they are visiting requires a visa.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to get your visa. While we Americans sometimes complain about the speed at which our government’s bureaucracy runs, many countries are considerably worse, and they don’t offer the option of paying an extra fee for rush processing as our State Department does.

For American citizens, the U.S. State Department maintains information on visa requirements for most foreign nations on its web site. Click here, then on the name of the country you’ll be visiting, for specific information on travel to that country. Visa information will be under the heading, “ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS.”

Finally, if you choose to get your visa through a private company that offers visa expediting services, caveat emptor (“Let the buyer beware”). Make sure you are dealing with a reputable company.

Important: Non-U.S. and Canadian citizens traveling with a U.S. tour operator like Vantage should always check with the embassy of the country or countries of destination for passport and visa requirements.

PHOTO CREDIT: INDIAN VISA BY JON RAWLINSON VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS. THIS PHOTO IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION 2.0 LICENSE.

Your passport is your most important travel document — and often the most difficult to replace if it’s lost or stolen. Beyond the inconvenience this can cause while traveling, savvy thieves can also use information found in passports to commit identity theft against you.

Observe the following tips to keep your passport safe & sound:

• Never pack your passport in your luggage.
• Keep your passport with you, concealed on your person, when taking tours or transferring between destinations.
• Do not leave it in a purse or outside  pocket.
• Keep your passport locked away in a hotel or ship’s safe during your stay.
• Never surrender your passport to an unauthorized stranger.
• If you keep your passport in a suit jacket pocket, consider sewing an extra button or Velcro strip to keep the pocket securely closed.

Unfortunately, physical security of your passport is no longer your only concern when traveling. U.S. passports issued on or after October 26, 2006 contain an RFID chip. Although this chip was intended to be unreadable from more than 10 centimeters away, Wired news reported in 2005 that, “at least one test showed that a reader could read a passport chip from 30 feet away.”

While there have not yet been any documented cases of identity thieves using passport RFID chips to steal personal information, the risk is real. Several companies offer RFID blocking wallets and passports. ThinkGeek offers leather and stainless steel RFID-blocking passport sleeves, as does Paraben Forensics and a number of other retailers.

Further Reading

• Wikipedia article on U.S. biometric passports and the information they may contain
• Wired News article on security risks of RFID passports

• Record your passport number and the date and place of issue, and retain this information in your wallet.
• It is also a good idea to photocopy of the first few pages of your passport. Remember to keep this copy with you on your trip, but separate from your real passport.
• If your passport is lost or stolen, immediately notify the nearest American embassy or consulate and the local police.

More on what to do if your passport is lost or stolen

The U.S. State Department advises travelers to report lost or stolen passports immediately due to the dangers of identity theft. More information from the State Department on what to do if your passport disappears, including the forms you will need to fill out, can be found here.

This information applies to United States passport holders only.

U.S. State Department Form DS-4085: Application for Additional Visa Pages

How many blank pages do you need in your passport?

At Vantage Travel, we hear this question a lot from our passengers. The answer isn’t simple, but it’s important, as some countries won’t provide a visa stamp on a passport with too few blank pages.

In general, you will need one blank visa page for each country on your itinerary that requires a visa.

When traveling to many African and Middle Eastern countries, it’s important to have two blank visa pages, side by side, for each country you plan to visit. This is in addition to the four amendment/endorsement pages at the very back of your passport. If you plan to return to a country after visiting a neighboring one during your trip (for example, if your trip takes you from South Africa to Namibia and then back to South Africa), you may need two more pages to accept an additional visa stamp on re-entry.

Because requirements change frequently, the best advice we can give is to research the visa regulations for your destination when planning your trip. The U.S. State Department International Travel pages give passport and visa requirements for every country in the world. Although the following list is not exhaustive, be sure to check blank page requirements if your visit takes you to any of the following countries:

• Botswana
• Kenya
• Namibia
• South Africa
• Zimbabwe

Adding Pages to a Passport

Need more pages for visa stamps? Visit the State Department travel site, and complete Form DS-4085: Application for Additional Visa Pages. This service is free unless you require expedited processing. (Routine service takes 4-6 weeks; expedited service takes 2-3 weeks and costs $60).

U.S. Passport Service, a passport expediting service, has a web page with additional information on how to add pages to a passport if you’re uncertain how to proceed.

Locations of U.S. Passport Agencies

When all else fails, the fastest way to get a passport or additional pages in your existing passport is to go in person to a U.S. Passport Agency. If you live in a large city, there’s probably one near you. The State Department travel web site has a map showing the locations of all agencies.

Some Other Countries with Unusual Visa Requirements

Some Arab countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, have been known to occasionally refuse entry to U.S. travelers whose passports either indicate that they were born in Israel or contain Israeli visa stamps. If you’re planning a trip to the Middle East that includes both Israel and Arab countries, consider making Israel the last stop on your itinerary.

Russia has extremely complicated visa regulations, and the Russian government doesn’t recognize the U.S. embassy’s right to intervene on behalf of travelers who run afoul of them. Research before you go. However, if you’re traveling by cruise ship and will not be staying in Russia for more than 72 hours, regulations are simpler and more relaxed.

The information in this post applies to U.S. citizens only. Citizens of other countries should consult their respective government agencies.

Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after your return to the U.S. Most countries require a passport for entry, and recently enacted regulations now require returning U.S. nationals from all foreign destinations to have a valid passport. This now includes Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after your return to the U.S.

If you do not have a passport, apply for one in person as soon as possible. Demand on the U.S. Passport Office has been at unprecedented levels, so it is recommended to apply at least six months prior to the start of your trip. (Rush service is available for an additional charge.)

To facilitate the process, you will need the following:

• Proof of citizenship, such as a certified or original birth certificate with a raised seal, or a naturalization certificate
• A recent photo ID card such as state driver’s license, to verify your identity
• Two recent two-inch by two-inch color photographs, obtainable from one-hour photo shops
• A completed official passport application.

If your town does not have a State Department Passport Agency, get a passport application from your nearest federal or state courthouse or U.S. post office. A new passport is valid for ten years. Renewal of passports may be done through the mail if the passport has not been expired for more than 15 years. Forms are available at the locations listed above.

Important: Non-U.S. and Canadian citizens must check with the embassy of the country or countries of destination for passport and visa requirements.

For detailed information, visit the U.S. State Department’s web site.