| It's been hard to avoid all the changes, confusion, and | | | | have a passport, and somewhere in the back of your |
| drama that has surrounded passports needed for | | | | mind you are thinking about traveling to a foreign |
| travelers who have booked international luxury | | | | country on a luxury travel vacation, then just bite |
| vacations. With the continuing changing standards and | | | | the bullet and get one! The earlier you put in for one |
| rules, it is important to check and double check | | | | the better. You won't have to pay for expiated |
| before you finalize any plans. With that in mind, here | | | | services if you put in now. And passports are good |
| are a few helpful passport hints to making your | | | | for ten years, so even if you end up not using it |
| international travel painless. Important to Gather the | | | | immediately, you might in the next ten years. For |
| Necessary Items for Your Luxury Travel Vacation | | | | more help on planning your luxury travel vacation visit |
| Before you show up at a government agency to | | | | Follow Up Everyone has probably heard one of the |
| begin your passport process, be sure you have all | | | | lost application stories. Agencies claim to never have |
| the necessary items. The first thing you should do is | | | | received it, the application being lost in the mail, or |
| go to the passport website at There you can fill out | | | | bring denied a week before they leave. Again, |
| the basic application form and print it out. If you are | | | | applying early will solve a lot of these problems, but if |
| unable to do this, go to your local travel agent who | | | | that is not an option to you, then follow up. If you |
| specializes in luxury vacations. They might have one. | | | | apply in person, keep your receipt and your paper |
| If not, try your local post office, library or passport | | | | work that says you have applied. You can also check |
| office. If you go in with this paper work filled out, | | | | to see if your passport is being processed on the |
| you save yourself and the passport clerks lots of | | | | website. To do so, you must have the application |
| time. In addition, you will need to provide your own | | | | number that can be found on your paperwork. If you |
| passport photos. These cannot be just any photos. | | | | mail your application, send it with signature required, |
| There are very specific parameters, and must be | | | | and ask for received documentation. If you are |
| taken by licensed passport photo operators. To find | | | | having problems, call the agency immediately to |
| the one nearest to you look in your phone book | | | | follow up. From luxury world cruises to a weekend in |
| under passport photos, or ask your local post office | | | | Mexico, passports are now required for any |
| passport center. You will also need proof of | | | | Americans traveling outside of the United States. It |
| citizenship. This is either a birth certificate, a | | | | can be a hassle, but if you do your part, it can also |
| naturalization paperwork or a previous passport, all of | | | | be painless. Make sure you gather all your paperwork |
| which MUST be official copies. You must also have a | | | | and documentation. Apply as soon as possible. If you |
| state issued photo ID. If you do not have some or | | | | travel often, you should have a passport anyways. |
| any of these items, refer to the website for specific | | | | And make sure you follow up on your application. |
| circumstances. Apply in a Timely Manner You have | | | | Now that you are armed with information, go forth |
| probably heard that passports are recently hard to | | | | and get your passport! |
| come by. It is true that the average time was once | | | | Virginia Morgan wrote this article for AMT American |
| six weeks for regular service and one or two weeks | | | | Express Travel . Virginia has been a travel writer for |
| for expatiated. These time estimates have now | | | | over five years. AMT American Express Travel is a |
| doubled to 12 weeks for regular and 3 to 4 for | | | | popular Internet source for American Express |
| expedited. This is disturbing to some, but not if you | | | | Vacations. |
| submit your application early. If you currently do not | | | | |