by Erik Van Tongerloo

Created on: July 03, 2007

Travel documents are the most important documents if you want traveling abroad. If you lose these documents you can get a lot of trouble if you want returning home. Your destination is important for knowing which you really need and which actions you need to take for keeping them safe. It is necessary that you prepare yourself on time for your next vacation and collect all the necessary documents you need.

WHICH DOCUMENTS DO YOU NEED?

- Your identity card or an international passport; for some countries you need only your identity card. To be sure; it is best that you consult the embassy if you need an international passport or not.

- A visa: in some countries you need a visa; in this case you need to go to the embassy of your country with your international passport and ask for a visa to enter the country. Inform in time how long it takes to get your visa and be sure that this document is valid during the time you will stay there.

- YOUR FLIGHT DOCUMENTS

If you have all the documents you need, take copies in case of lost or theft. I advice you to take at least 2 copies of every document and it is best you have 2 original recent passport pictures with you. The best thing you can do is to use a scanner and scan your original documents in a file which you can attach in an email of your protected email address.

The best thing you can do is saving your documents in a safe; this can be in the safe of your bank or at home if you have one there.
When you are in the airport, in your hotel, your car or some other places; don't leave your documents unattended. Keep these always with you don't save them where there is a risk to be stolen.

If you are in your hotel and there is a safe it is best you store them there till you return. Check that your safe is locked so that nobody else can enter the room and steal your documents. When you make a travel when you don't stay always in the same hotel you can best store these documents where nobody can find them.

Don't forget your travel documents in the safe if you leave your hotel for taking your flight back to your hometown.

In case you lost your travel documents it is necessary to go to the police of the country where you are and they will give you a declaration that your documents are stolen. In some countries this declaration is sufficient to return but in many cases you need to go to the embassy for a temporary passport to return back. The copies you have taken before and with you can show make it easier for you.

When you also lost these the embassy will help you what you need to do for returning and hopefully you can take the plane without delay.

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