Safeguard self, money during trips outside U.S.

Travelers can plan ahead to prevent dream vacation from turning into nightmare



By Betty Lin-Fisher,Beacon Journal business writer





Last summer, I got a frantic e-mail from my oldest sister, who was traveling in Europe with her family. My brother-in-law's wallet was stolen while he was riding on a train in Italy.



My sister had a bit of cash on her, but she and my brother-in-law had to cancel their credit cards and ATM cards. She was at a loss for what to do. They found an Internet Cafe and e-mailed me to relay some messages to other relatives that they were meeting in another city. She also asked me what she should do next.



Needless to say, we learned a lot in a short time.



No one wants their dream vacation to turn into a nightmare when things go wrong. In the box that accompanies this story, I've listed the top 10 tips for traveling abroad, according to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs.



Here are some other things to keep in mind:



• Passports: Passports are required to depart or enter the United States and enter and depart most foreign countries. Travelers to and from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean will all need passports by 2008.



Here's the proposed timeline:



• Dec. 31, 2005: passport required for Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America.



• Dec. 31, 2006: passport required for Mexico and Canada.



• Dec. 31, 2007: passport required for all air, sea and land border crossings.



It's advised to apply for your passport several months before traveling so you don't have to pay the $60 per passport fee to expedite it.



• Cell phones: Check with your cell phone company to see whether your phone will work where you'll be. If it won't work, get some international phone calling cards.



• Currency: Do not carry large amounts of cash on you. If you use traveler's checks, write down the serial number and put it in a separate place.



Check with your bank and credit card company to find out what types of fees are associated with using ATM machines or your credit card internationally. You may get a better currency exchange rate using your ATM card or credit card since banks have wholesale exchange rates, but figure out whether the fees are worth it. Visa recently announced that it would begin charging a 1 percent fee on all purchases made outside the United States, regardless of whether the transaction was charged in the foreign country's currency or converted to U.S. dollars.



If you do use a credit card instead of cash or traveler's check, you do get protections if something goes wrong. But make sure not to exceed your credit limit. Travelers have been arrested overseas for mistakenly exceeding their credit limit.



• Driver's licenses: Many countries do not recognize a U.S. driver's license, so check with the embassy or consulate of the country to see if you need an international driver's permit (available through AAA). Also, in general, your U.S. auto insurance does not cover you abroad. Check with your agent.



• Medical insurance: Check with your medical insurance company to see whether your policy covers you overseas.



• Be careful when making some purchases: Some wildlife -- or wildlife products -- are not legal to import into the United States. Some items, such as those made from elephant ivory, sea turtles, crocodile leather or fur from endangered cats and many species of live animals cannot be legally brought into the United States. The souvenirs could be confiscated and you could face other penalties.



Also be careful of purchasing glazed ceramics. It is possible to suffer lead poisoning if you consume food or beverages that are stored or served improperly in glazed ceramics. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that you only use glazed ceramics purchased abroad for decorative purposes.



If you purchase antiques, document your purchases as reproductions and if they are authentic, get the necessary export permit.