The U.S. government requires U.S. citizens to always bring a passport when traveling to any place outside the U.S. and U.S. overseas territories. This requirement includes any form of travel to neighboring North American countries such as Canada and Mexico. When traveling in a closed-loop cruise, meaning the cruise begins and ends in the same U.S. port, a passport is not a requirement, However, a certified birth certificate with a raised seal, naturalization papers or a certificate of citizenship, along with a government-issued photo card such as a valid driver's license, must be presented by traveler.
For most foreign travel, the passport must be valid for a minimum of six months beyond the intended trip and it must have at least two to four blank visa/stamp pages.
While U.S. citizens can travel without applying for visa in most countries, staying longer than the allotted time requires visa application. If not traveling as a tourist, an American may also be required to apply for a visa for work, business, research or study.
A U.S. passport can be used when traveling to Western Hemisphere countries without having to apply for a visa. This includes travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region and Bermuda.
Travel agencies offer travel assistance for air, land and sea travel, tour packages and travel documents processing. They can also provide instructions, information and application forms for all travel needs. They guide clients in securing necessary paperwork for travel planning, visa processing and passport assistance. After verifying submitted documents, they monitor the application progress with consulates and embassies.
Unlike travel agencies, visa outsourcing companies specialize in visa applications to specific countries. Most embassies and consulates of foreign countries in the U.S. work directly with these outsourcing companies for their visa processing needs. These companies receive the visa applications from applicants. They evaluate the documents they receive, then they send the documents to the embassy or consulate. Every approved or disapproved visa application goes back to the outsourcing company. The company prepares the sending of the passport to the applicant depending on his initial choice of courier or he can pick it up in person from the outsourcing office.
Instances such as sudden or unplanned travel and other emergency situations require expediting the passport or visa application. This means that the applicant asks for a shorter period of time to finish the application process. Expediting an application entails higher fees. Travel agencies and visa outsourcing companies generally have options for expedited processes. Turnaround time can be as fast as 24 hours.
