What should I do before traveling abroad? Best Tips Before Traveling Internationally
The best way to travel safe is to prepare the trip well in advance.
Whatever your reason for traveling abroad, previously reported is essential to
prevent problems and even emergency situations.
Informed travel is to travel more secure. Here we provide useful for any
trip abroad information. In addition to consulting Travel Recommendations
specific to the country or countries of destination, it is advisable to
consider the following general guidelines:
General
recommendations
Travel Consultation Recommendations. They are the main source of
information on the country or countries you go to visit. In each one you will
find updated information on the requirements for entry into the country
information, documentation and visas needed to travel, security conditions,
health status, vaccinations, currency and main telephone numbers. It is also
advisable comprehensive information on the country of destination, as well as
about their customs and local legislation.
Health
consultation and vaccination status by countries on the website of the Ministry
of Health, Social Policy and Equality.
Bring sufficient means of payment. It is recommended to always have
enough money to travel and to meet unforeseen circumstances, ideally through a
combination of different means of payment. It is advisable to check that the
destination country may use credit cards.Documentation: passports, visas, international driver's license
Preparing the
necessary documents: identity card, passport and visa.
The basic travel document is a passport. Exceptionally, you can travel
to some countries with national identity.
Besides having travel documents, many countries require a visa. Check if
this is the case in Travel Recommendations. To obtain a visa, you should inform
the Consulate or Consular Section of the Embassy of the country or countries of
destination accredited in Spain. Keep in mind that the processing of visa may
require supporting documentation and the concession period is determined by the
country. Why should arrange a visa in good time.
Even with all the documentation, including visas, entry into a foreign
country is not a right, so it can happen that denied entry to it.
If you drive on your travel abroad, you will need specific documentation
and insurance. Travel Consultation Recommendations and the link to the Virtual
Traffic Office is in the links on the right of this page.
Traveling record
Make it easy for a family member or friend trip data you are going to
perform, including the dates and places of residence and register in the
Register of Travelers.
Medical and travel
insurance
Many people regret not having signed a medical insurance before your
trip when you have to deal with a medical emergency abroad. Since the costs of
hospitalization and medical treatment in most countries have to be borne by the
patient and can become very large, highly purchase health insurance you have
full coverage in case of illness or accident during recommended the journey,
including evacuation radicalized aircraft.
For example, the transfer of a patient in radicalized aircraft from the
United States may have a cost around 50,000 euros. The trip back to Spain from
a patient on a stretcher on a scheduled flight accompanied by a physician can
cost around 20,000 euros.
If you visit several countries during your trip, make sure your
insurance is covered throughout, even on the scales and short stays.
It confirms that the insurance contract covers all the activities that
go to make during the trip, including those considered at risk as diving,
paragliding and kite-surfing. In addition, activities related to the world of
motor (rallies, raids, driving jet skis and snow, canopy, etc.) often require
specific coverage.
Also consider if you're going to do some sport or high risk activity
(climbing, caving, caving-diving, etc.), your insurance coverage should
expressly include the conduct of this activity abroad and be sufficient to meet
everything related to the rescue, medical evacuation or transfer of remains.
When an accident occurs abroad, competition in rescue and civil protection lies
with the local authorities, whose legislation, protocols and media cannot be
similar to those available in Spain. Embassies and Consulates do not have the
resources to cope or guarantee costs in case of accident or can secure a better
than nationals of the country in which you find treatment.
If you're going to drive around abroad it is advisable to consult first
travel recommendations for your destination country and you go provided with
accident insurance and liability.
In general, health care abroad is not covered by the Spanish Social
Security or by private health insurance in Spain and by the policy that
subscribes to buy a ticket with a credit card.
The European Health Insurance Card allows the holder access to national
health systems in the European Economic Area and Switzerland under the same
conditions as nationals of those countries. Therefore, if the public system is co payment or refund, you will be served in this way.
Furthermore, it is also convenient to hire a travel insurance that
covers these and other contingencies that may occur before or during the trip:
• Loss of flights or connections. Note that some airlines do not
guarantee or cover the cost of lost connections for delays or cancellations.
• Unforeseen family or work requiring the return ahead of schedule
Emergencies.
• Thefts.
• Damage and loss of baggage or delay in receipt of the same.
• Liability.
Remember embassies and consulates do not pay medical or travel expenses.
Travelling with
medicines
If you are afflicted with a chronic disease you should take with you the
necessary medication for the entire duration of the trip. All medications,
especially prescription, should be kept in hand luggage in their original
containers with clear labels, and as a precaution may also take the medication
in duplicate in checked luggage. You must bear the name and contact details of
your doctor information about your medical condition and treatment, details of
medication (including generic names of drugs) and prescribed doses.
In the case of traveling with other medical supplies such as syringes,
you need to carry a doctor's report certifying the need for such material as
may be requested by customs officers or security personnel.
There are specific rules for traveling with psychotropic medications and
/ or drugs under international control. These drugs cannot move freely abroad
so it is necessary to have a certificate issued by the Spanish Agency for
Medicines and Health Products. In the event that travel outside the Schengen
area, will also need a certificate from your doctor. To continue treatment with
these drugs abroad is necessary to have a specialist in the destination
country, so proper research before you travel.
In some countries some substances are considered legal drug use in
Spain, including alcohol and certain medications and therefore are worth their
consumption, possession and trafficking. It is therefore important to check travel
advisories for each of the countries to be visited.
Travel of
participants in cooperation projects
If you're traveling to developing countries, either as a tourist or as
supportive participant in cooperation projects or volunteer, it is advisable that:
• you detailed reports about the country of destination travel
advisories reading.
• Observes that self-protection measures, if any, are recommended for
Spanish residents in the country.
• you obtain prior information in the Technical Cooperation Office of
the AECID or the embassies of Spain on the organizers and the projects to be
undertaken.
Often, some organizations promoting solidarity tourism activities and
volunteerism are not officially registered or provide any security or support
for those who travel through them.
Travel of minors
The trip with minors is subject to specific restrictions. Border guards,
both inside and outside the Schengen area, has a specific mandate to pay
special attention to minors traveling accompanied or not.
In the case of minors traveling unaccompanied, border guards have the
authority to conduct a thorough inspection of documents and travel documents in
order to ensure that minors do not leave the territory against the wishes of
the people who exercise custody.
If minors traveling unaccompanied, border agent may request
documentation to prove the power of / or accompanying the undersigned travel
authorization child with another adult homeland. Also, if the minor is
accompanied by only one parent, you can also request specific authorization
from the absent parent or make a more detailed investigation if it suspects
that it has been unlawfully deprived of custody of the child to whom the
exercise.
It is recommended that, in general, if the child is traveling alone, accompanied
by a single parent or by third parties:
• Carry the express authorization, if any, of the parents, the absent
parent or person legally exercising parental authority.
• Carrying ordinary travel documents (passport or national identity
card, if applicable)
• Carry the documentation to prove paternity and custody as the case and
the country of destination.
The requirement on the type of authorization and the circumstances in
which it is required is highly variable depending on the country of destination
and local laws and customs. If in doubt, you should consult the embassy or
consulate of the country of destination.
