Before purchasing a ticket to another country, visit their consulate or embassy website for information concerning what travel documents you'll be required to produce. The U.S. Department of State's website is a great starting place for American citizens planning to travel abroad. An American citizen planning to vacation in Ghana would be required to submit alongside her tourist visa application proof of a yellow fever vaccination, proof of a return ticket, two passport --sized photos no more than three months old and the appropriate fees. The same individual would only require a ticket and passport or other proof of citizenship when visiting the Bahamas. Different rules apply depending on the type of visa. A student visa would require proof of college admission; a business one might require a sponsoring letter indicative of a partnership from a business organization.
When researching, watch out for country-specific restrictions, or other requirements which might prove unique to certain circumstances. For example, Russia requires visitors to have a Russian citizen, tourist company, business or other entity serve as a sponsor, while countries like Taiwan and Egypt restrict the entry of people with AIDS. Finally, Arab countries in the Middle East, the Gulf and North Africa and a few in Asia ban the entry of any traveler who has visited Israel. Notable exceptions to this rule are Egypt, Jordan and Morocco.
Be wary of entry and exit dates, as these are the only dates for which travel is permitted. Arriving without a visa to a country which requires one can cause a traveler to be expelled from on her own dime, and overstaying one can mean fines, detention and imprisonment. Some nations allow travelers to apply for a visa at the airport on arrival; others require at least a month's notice. While it is possible to extend a visa beyond the exit date in some countries, others don't allow for such an extension except in the case of medical emergency.
Passports should be undamaged with several blank pages and an expiration date of at least six months past your date of departure. U.S. citizens can apply for additional visa pages by submitting application DS-4085 along with your valid passport and the appropriate fees in the form of check or money order. Failure to submit a passport that meets these standards alongside a visa application can result in denial.
