WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – As Americans head into the summer travel season, the State Department wants to ensure international travelers are safe.
Lena Bitter, who works in consular affairs at the State Department, said passport expiration date is the most important thing for international travelers, as some countries require travelers' passports to be valid for at least six months before they can enter the country.
Bitter said travelers should go to travel.state.gov to learn more about their international destinations, which lists information for each country on crime, health, and important local laws that may differ from U.S. laws.
“Items that may be legal here, substances like marijuana and firearms, items like firearms, may be illegal in the destination you're traveling to and the penalties can be very severe,” Bitter said.
Her advice comes as five Americans have been held for several months in the Turks and Caicos Islands for allegedly leaving ammunition in their bags.
While most Americans won't encounter any problems abroad, Bittar suggests signing up for the Smart Traveler Registration Program just in case.
“This is a way for you to have information about your destination while you are traveling there and also helps the embassy locate you in case of an emergency,” Bittar said.
While there are many concerns travelers need to take seriously, Bitter said there has never been a better time for Americans to travel.
“More Americans than ever before are able to travel internationally, and more have passports, so we want to make sure they have all the information they need to have a safe and enjoyable trip abroad.”
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