Travel Questions and Answers

One can find a lot of questions answered about traveling domestically and internationally at a government web site under the address of www.help.cbp.gov or another good one is www.state.gov/travel.  A person could easily spend several hours reading up on what is required of a traveler nowadays.

I thought I would pick and choose which ones to answer today, or answer the ones we get the most questions about.   Can I bring back food from the country that I have visited?  You may be able to bring in food such as fruits, meats, or other agricultural products depending on the region or country from which you are traveling.  Of course you have to declare all food products; failure to do so can result in up to $10,000 in fines and penalties.  It is best to have the items in your checked bag.  I know from personal experience returning from the Holy Land a year ago and without thinking I had put a bottle of fresh olive oil in my shoes which were in my carry-on.  They immediately became the property of someone in Israel.  Most products are admissible, and you can find them all listed on the above U. S. Customs and Border Patrol website.

Another question we often get is, “Can we travel with medications?”  Prescription medications should be in their original containers with the doctor’s prescription printed on the container.  It is advised that you travel with no more than a 90 day supply.  If your medications are not in their original containers, you must have a copy of your prescription with you or a letter from your doctor.  This requirement does not apply to the vitamins, food supplements, or other non-prescription items.

Most folks know that if you are intending to travel internationally, you need a passport to get back into the United States.  There are two kinds of passports; the passport card and the passport book.  The passport card is less expensive, but it is only for those individuals who are traveling back and forth across the borders of Mexico and Canada by automobile or feet.  If you are flying back into the U. S., you must have a passport book.  The passport book is good for 10 years from date of issue for all adults; only 5 years validity for children under 17.

Another question we get from cruisers is, “do we have to have a passport?”  The answer is yes or no.  If you are beginning and ending your cruise at the same port and have visited at least one foreign port, you do not need a passport.  If you don’t have a passport, before you board the ship you will need to prove your citizenship with a certified birth certificate and a government-issued ID such as a driver’s license. On the other hand, for example if you cruised from Los Angeles through the Panama Canal to Ft. Lauderdale, you would need a passport book.

Contact one of the experienced travel consultants at The Travel Factory to answer your many other burning questions about travel…we exist to serve the traveling public. Our phone is 698-1421 or the address is 4150 Southwest Drive, Ste. 1210, Abilene.  Better still, visit our website for some great information, you can even make reservations there with Funjet Vacations:  www.thetravelfactoryabilene.com