Passport
- A PASSPORT is a formal document that is issued by an authorized official of a country to one of its citizens, a document of identification.
- A VISA is an endorsement made on a passport by the authorities of a country denoting that it has been examined and that the bearer may enter the country with the correct status, e.g. tourist, student, business.
- A Passport is different than a Visa. A passport is needed to travel to another country. However, a visa is needed to enter most countries.
- Your legal name. All airlines require that your international flight is issued using the exact name that’s included on your passport. This includes hyphenated names and middle names. Please let us know immediately if the name on your passport is different than your application name or may change! If you do not advise us that your legal name is different prior to your international ticket being issued, you will be responsible for the cost to reissue the ticket to your legal name.
A passport is required to travel abroad. If you do not have a passport yet, do not delay in applying.
- You will not be allowed to depart the U.S. without a valid passport; make this your first priority.
- Applications are available online and at major post offices and passport agencies.
- It typically takes about 8 to 11 weeks to obtain a passport but may take longer in some cases.
- If you are not a U.S. citizen, alert AFS-USA for additional instructions.
- Make sure you carry a photo or a copy of your passport and visa (in a separate place) in case you lose your passport.
- It is also a good idea to take an extra photo ID such as a student ID, as well as a few extra passport-size photos.
- You and your parents will be responsible for replacing your passport if lost or stolen.
If you identify as a member of the LGB community we recommend reviewing this information provided by the U.S. Department of State covering travel considerations. Furthermore, if you have selected "X" as your gender marker on your passport please contact the Study Abroad team at studyabroad@afsusa.org right away as this could have implications on your international travel itinerary.
Visa
Visa requirements differ from country to country. The process for obtaining a visa is complex and often requires very precise timing. For this reason, AFS provides you with a Study Abroad Specialist to help guide you through the specific visa process for your country; this advisory service is included in your AFS fee.
However, obtaining and paying for a visa is your responsibility. You must:
- Confirm information with your local consulate or embassy either via email or phone.
- Prepare the required documentation; collect and authenticate/legalize documents for your visa application.
- Submit your visa application and schedule your visa appointment (if required) on time.
- Comply with any sudden policy changes in the visa process; both prior to departure and while on program.
As soon as AFS-USA confirms the most up-to-date visa information for your destination you will receive specific visa instructions to start the process. Do not begin the visa application process until instructed to do so by AFS- USA staff.
Immunizations
Be sure to prepare yourself beforehand with the proper immunizations. You can check the website of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), which has country profiles detailing the recommended immunizations and health precautions for each country: http://www.cdc.gov.- Some immunizations must be administered over a period of weeks or months, plan accordingly.
- Some countries have certain requirements (beyond visas and residence permits) that you must meet in order to gain entry into that country. We strongly encourage you and your family to review this information well before your program.
- The Center for Disease Control will give you information on health precautions of which to be aware for your host country: https://www.cdc.gov/.
- AFS strongly encourages participants to have up-to-date proof of COVID-19 vaccination, as applicable. Please carry this as an accessible travel document.
- Please review this webpage that the U.S. Department of State has created to help U.S. students preparing to go abroad.
Note: While on program, it is helpful to keep copies of all travel documents in a safe place, along with a photo of them, in case of loss, theft, travel, emergencies, etc.