The world’s been mostly locked down for around two years now, in order to combat COVID-19. Fortunately, infection rates have dropped significantly, lots of people are vaccinated, and the pandemic’s drawing to a close. Many countries are reopening their borders to foreign travellers, even those that aren’t vaccinated. If you want to go abroad now and haven’t travelled before – or haven’t for a long time – then there are some important things that you need to know.
Travelling Abroad
This article will tell you about six of these things, so your vacation abroad can go off without a hitch:
Visa Applications
As nice as it would be to be able to arrive in a country and walk straight through customs without a visa, it simply isn’t possible. If you are travelling abroad then you need to make sure that you have the necessary entry documents, which you can usually apply for online or by visiting the destination’s embassy. With that said, of course, some countries do not require visas for entry for citizens of certain countries. An example of this is that British citizens can come and go from Morocco freely, without a visa.
Another thing to remember is that if you are visiting Europe, the visa system has changed. You now need to apply for a Schengen visa, instead of a visa for the country that you are going to. A Schengen visa gives you the ability to travel freely in and out of other Schengen member nations, for as long as your visa is active.
Travel Insurance
Depending on where you are travelling, you might also need travel insurance to gain entry. Travel insurance isn’t necessary for some countries, but it is a good idea. In addition to travel insurance, you should also make sure that you get all of your vaccinations before going, especially if you are going to a developing nation or somewhere without proper healthcare infrastructure. It can be very dangerous travelling to a country that doesn’t have good healthcare without health insurance, especially if there are any ongoing epidemics or viral outbreaks there.
Accommodation
You may need to present proof of accommodation at customs before you can be allowed into the country that you are travelling to. The reason for this is that many countries want to know you can support yourself while abroad. Part of supporting yourself is having accommodation to stay in. Governments don’t want tourists sleeping on the street. With that said, not all governments will require proof of accommodation. If you are travelling to a country that has strict COVID entry guidelines, then you definitely will need to be able to prove that you have somewhere to isolate if you were to test positive or contract the virus, however.
Outbound Flights
Another requirement in many countries is that you must be able to show you have an outbound flight booked. This is to stop people from coming into the country and then not leaving. This is surprisingly common. Overstaying a visa can yield harsh punishments in many countries, sometimes resulting in imprisonment or serious fines. An outbound flight is an absolute necessity if you are traveling to somewhere that has very strict entry guidelines. If you want to stay for longer, then you can push your flights back and get an extension on your visa, which shouldn’t be difficult.
COVID Safety
Some countries have very strict COVID entry guidelines, requiring new arrivals to be vaccinated and to have tested negative for the virus 48 hours prior to their arrival. So that you don’t get turned away, make sure that you research the country that you are going to and its COVID entry guidelines. If you go to a country without proof of vaccination and a negative test, then they are well within their rights to refuse you entry. This means that you could end up having to buy flights back home, which could be very expensive.
Bringing Company
Finally, and moving away from legal requirements, consider bringing your company along with you abroad. Going on holiday can be a lot of fun, but it can also be very boring if you are going alone. A holiday is best spent with one’s loved ones. Whether it’s a friend or relative, bringing someone along with you can make your experience abroad much more enjoyable. You might even be able to get a better discount on flights and accommodation if you book for two. Package holidays are being offered at very low prices at the moment, to incentivize international travel and revive the tourism industry.
If you want to travel abroad, then you need to make sure that you are prepared. Arriving in another country unprepared could result in you being turned away. It could also ruin your vacation.
