Vacations Blog

Travelers have many reasons for choosing the locations they visit. Some do it out of curiosity. A different culture is a new adventure, which may be the primary reason why China and Kenya trips are so popular. Here are some of the things you should remember if you’ve visiting China, Kenya or both. These are for those who are traveling from the USA.

Passport Issues

Passport renewal due dates are a huge deal if you plan on visiting a faraway country. You should also check if the passports of your companions are about to expire. The passports must be valid at least six months beyond the date you plan on leaving the country and returning to the USA. Expiring passports are a huge red flag in any consulate or embassy.

Visa Forms

Online, there are official websites where you can download your visa forms for the country you intend to go to. This goes for both Kenya and China visa applications. Some of these forms are also available from the websites of agencies offering US passport services.

Chinese visa guidelines for business trips may require you to present an invitation from a business enterprise in the country. You may also need to show your travel documents, including tickets and itinerary. In most cases, it is best to disclose the dates you will leave the country.

Can you simply go there and then secure a visa while on location? Yes. Be warned, though. The queue for this may be a mile long during tourist season. Because this is deemed as the ‘easier’ way to get a visa, so many people may be in queue for a visa on location. For China travel, you can land in Hong Kong without a China visa and simply get one from an agency there.

But more savvy travelers plan ahead and apply for a visa before the actual trip. The best thing to do would be to consult with an agency offering visa services months before you go.

30-Day Rules

The 30-day rules for traveling are many and varied. For Kenya, the tourist visa that you will get will only be valid for 30 days. For China travel, you can go to and stay in Hong Kong as a tourist for 30 days without needing a visa. Thirty days may not be enough for you to really explore the country and the culture, so be sure to plan ahead so you can choose the adventures you can fit in those thirty days. Agencies that offer US passport services can advise you more on how long you can stay in a country.

Here’s a website that will cover: Kenya Visa

Individuals, who do not have a passport or who have an expired passport, should look online for ways to get a new passport. While the search and the process will not be horribly troublesome, it will be a process that takes time. So, instead of rushing at the last minute before that trip abroad, consider completing this task soon. For the individuals who are reading this advice too late, consider an independent expediting service.

Those individuals who do not have a passport and, in fact, have never had a passport will need to show up in-person to a governmentally mandated facility. Generally, a post office will be such a facility, but for a complete list of all the facilities that meet the stipulations of this in-person meeting, check online. When online, look for Form DS-11.

Form DS-11 will not be difficult to fill out, but it will require certain information. Individuals looking to fill it out should do it in front of a computer to make the acquiring of the necessary information easier. The form will ask such standard questions like name and social security number. However, it will also slightly delve into family history, which is why it would be a good idea to have set time aside for this task.

Upon the completion of Form DS-11, an applicant will need to prove their United States of America citizenship to attain a pasport. This can be done with a variety of different documents; two of the most common ones are certificate of citizenship and birth certificate. With another search online, an individual can figure out how to attain both of these.

After proving U.S. citizenship, an individual will need to present a form of present identification. A valid driver’s license will work for this, as well as a Certificate of U.S. Naturalization. This kind of certificate is used for those who went through the legal process of acquiring a new nationality. There are other forms of present identification also accepted. For a current list, check online.

While the original copy of the present identification is needed for the in-person trip to the designated government facility, a photocopy of the documentation must also be submitted. There are stipulations dictating how the photocopying must be completed. Those who do not have any of the primary forms of identification may be able to use secondary forms of identification.

Individuals who need a new passport will also need to supply the photographs, which will be used for the documentation. As with the rest of this process, there are specific stipulations, which all individuals will have to follow. For instance, the size of the photograph, as well as what is worn in the photograph.

Once a new pasport has been acquired, an individual might feel a little freer. People with passports have the ability to travel to more places than people without passports. With this in mind, it would not be a bad idea to get a passport, as long as the fees can fit into the budget.

When you travel out of the United States, you need to bring a US passport with you, especially when visiting counties that require this document. Typically, you’ll bring your passport book, however, there are destinations that allow you to use the pass port card. These destinations are part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which includes Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Mexico. In this article, we’ll show you how to get a passport going to these destinations.

First off, let’s talk about what a passport card is. This is for those who are looking for a cheaper and more convenient alternative to the passport book. Unlike passport books that can be quite thick, passport cards are thin and can easily fit into your wallet.

If you’re after convenience when traveling, then you’ll love the U.S. passport card. It has an embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) chip that allows Customs officials to scan your card without you needing to put it out. They will then be able to see all the relevant information about you, all while the card stays in your pocket or wallet.

Applying for a passport card is also more cost-effective than passport books. The fee for applying for a passport card is around half the price of the application for a passport book. However, the destinations where you can use this card are limited. You can only use this card for land or sea travel to WHTI territories. So if you are traveling to the same places by air, then you’ll need to show your passport book instead.

Now, how do you apply for a passport card? Doing this depends if you already have a passport or not. If you are already a passport holder, or if you already had a passport before, then you can fill in Form DS-82, and submit it along with other requirements you need to fulfill. Filling in the DS-82 allows you to send your application for a passport card by mail.

However, if you are applying for a passport for the first time, then you will be required to fill in DS-11. Once completed, you can submit it to the passport office in person, along with the other requirements. It would therefore help that you familiarize yourself on how the application works so as to save time.

Having a passport card is a great thing. However, there are times when you’ll also need to have a passport book. The great thing is that you can apply for both documents. This provides you with great flexibility when it comes to your travel. That way, you can use your passport card when visiting WHTI destinations, then use your passport book when traveling to Europe, for example. If you are applying for both documents, you have the choice to apply for them at the same time and get a corresponding discount from the application fee.

To summarize this information, you need a American passport card when traveling to WHTI destinations. Look into this alternative before your next trip.