Suzie's Blogs ... Traveling & Living Abroad Hints & Tips

Visas / Passports for Middle East / African Travel A U.S. passport is required for travel to all countries in the region. U.S. citizens are not required to have visas for short-term tourist or business travel to Israel, Morocco, or Tunisia, but may need to supply proof of sufficient funds for the trip and proof of onward or round trip travel arrangements. All other countries in the Middle East and North Africa require U.S. citizens to have visas. If you plan to travel extensively in the region, entry and exit stamps could quickly fill the pages of your passport. Before you go, you may wish to ask the nearest passport agency to add extra pages to your passport, or, if applying for a new passport, you can request one with 48 pages instead of the usual 24. Each country has its own set of entry requirements. For authoritative visa information, contact the embassy or consulate of the country you plan to visit. (See address and telephone list under Foreign Embassies in the United States at the end of this publication.) When you make inquiries, ask about the following: Visa price, length of validity, number of entries allowed. Financial requirements - proof of sufficient funds and proof of onward/return ticket. Immunization requirements - yellow fever immunization is often required if arriving from a yellow-fever-infected area. Import and export restrictions and limitations. (Several countries prohibit the import and consumption of alcoholic beverages and pork products. Some countries prohibit the import of non-Islamic religious materials and items deemed pornographic.) Departure tax. (Be sure to keep enough local currency to be able to depart as planned.) Some Arab countries will not allow travelers to enter if their passports show any evidence of previous or expected travel to Israel. Other Arab countries apply the ban inconsistently, sometimes refusing and at other times allowing entry when a passport shows evidence of travel to Israel. If passport restrictions imposed by other countries may be a problem for you, contact the nearest U.S. passport agency, embassy, or consulate for guidance. Several Arab countries ask visa applicants to state their religious affiliation. The U.S. government is opposed to the use of this information to discriminate against visa applicants, and has made its views known to the governments concerned. In turn, the United States has received assurances that visa applications are not denied based on religious affiliation. Great things to know ahead of time. Enjoy the rest of your day. See you back here tomorrow Suzie Posted: Wednesday 6th April 2005, 1:28 AM

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