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Document Security

padlockOnce, whilst returning from a trip to Italy, I met a man on a train who was travelling dressed only in a swim suit and a towel. He had left his bag on the beach for just a few moments to paddle in the sea. When he returned it was gone, along with his passport, money, tickets and all of his clothes (apart from his towel).

As well as a lesson on the importance of looking after your possessions as you travel, strangely enough this story also shows how little you really need to take with you. [...]

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International Driver's Permit/Licence

idpYou probably won’t need your driver’s licence when backpacking but if you do intend to drive your regular licence and passport should be fine. I have driven in the USA with my British driver’s licence and vice versa without any problems.

Some countries, however, may require and international driving permit. This is pretty much just a translation of your regular licence into various languages. It also has your photo inside, which could serve as an id in an emergency, plus it lists all the classes of vehicle you are allowed to drive, useful if you want to [...]

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Vaccination Certificate

yellowA vaccination certificate may be required if you have previously visited areas where specific diseases are widespread or when visiting countries where there are increased health risks for travellers. This is usually a yellow card which is like an international certificate of vaccination or medical passport.

The Yellow Fever section of the certificate is probably the most important part. If you aren’t going to or coming from countries where Yellow Fever is endemic (areas of Africa and South America), then you may not need one. Check with your doctor (or other websites such as the WHO or [...]

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Visas

visaAs well as a passport, many countries require a visa to enter. This is simply a document or stamp issued by a country giving you permission to enter for a given period of time and for certain purposes, which is usually stamped or glued inside your passport, or issued as separate pieces of paper.

Here are some examples of entry requirements around the world (check with the country’s embassy or consulate before you leave, though):

New Zealand doesn’t require US or EU citizens to obtain a visa in advance but you do need a return or onward ticket [...]

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Passport

passportMost countries will want to see your passport, but in addition to this there are sometimes other things you need to know which aren’t so obvious. For example, some countries require that your passport is valid for at least six months after you plan to leave that particular country and if it isn’t you won’t be let in. So it pays to get your passport renewed if it is quite close to expiring.

Some countries, such as South Africa, have other requirements. Your passport needs to be valid for at least 30 days after your intended date [...]

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Essential Documents

traveldocsGetting in (and out) of countries can sometimes be a challenge. I once (a long time ago) took a ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco (a 2.5 hour journey), only to be turned back as I tried to disembark and had to return to Spain.

The problem was a missing stamp in my passport which could only be obtained in the passport stamping office on the boat, and by the time I found this out the place stamping the passports had closed. Of course, nobody tells you this when you get on or while you [...]

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