The Different Types of Travel Documents

A travel document refers to any document of identification that a government issues you when you are traveling across international boundaries. This document is a form of assurance to another government that you intend to go back to your issuing country. There are different types of travel documents including visas, passports, and drivers’ licenses. Passports are the most common ones because they also give visa-free access to certain countries

Documents for Air Travel

If you intend to move from one country to another by air, you need to have certain files before you can travel. They may include; a passport, permanent resident cards, military ID, re-entry permits, and refugee travel documents.

Travel by Sea

For sea travel, you may need documents such as an ID card, a birth certificate, and a driver’s license. Non-citizens may need Alien Registration Cards, visas, or Permanent Resident Card.

Traveling Within the Country

If you wish to travel from one place to another by driving, you need a valid driver’s license. Additionally, passengers may need to show national or state ID which shows their official name, gender, and date of birth. Passengers may also use passports as a form of identification.

UN Travel Documents

Officials and members of the United Nations (UN) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) can get into most countries using laissez-passers. The laissez-passer is acceptable in most countries in the world, but some countries do not accept it as a document of entry. 

Refugees and Aliens

Refugee travel documents are booklets that look like passports. Refugees use them to get into other countries. Stateless persons can use 1954 Convention travel documents. Aliens may also get passports and identification certificates from national governments.

De Facto Travel Documents

Some files allow you to travel across borders but do not qualify as legal travel documents. They are de facto travel documents. British and Irish citizens do not need any of these when traveling between certain places including the British Crown Dependencies, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, United Kingdom, and Ireland. Citizens from other parts of the world need documentation to create an assumption that they have this nationality. They use de facto ones.

If you plan to travel to another country, you need to plan. Find out about the files you will need and apply. If you need a visa, you should apply about eight weeks earlier since the applications may take four to six weeks. They may take longer during busy travel seasons. Additionally, you may pay for expedited services if you are in a hurry. Check on the expiry date to ensure that your passport is still valid.

Protecting Your Travel Documents

Once you have all your files, you need to keep them safe. Your safety may be compromised if they fall into the wrong hands. Do not give them to anyone unless it is for official purposes. Also, ensure that you get it back. If you have a lot of files, hand them over one by one to ensure that you do not lose them.

Consider buying a wallet for your files. Additionally, you can find some nice ones on Amazon.com. Keep copies of the documents in your wallet and produce the original ones when you have to. Another clever trick is to buy a dummy wallet. It is the wallet that you hand over if you are mugged. This way, you do not lose your files.

If you lose your travel documents, contact your banks immediately. Ask them to cancel the cards. Report to your embassy offices and ask for duplicate tickets from your airline. You can get replace your files fast especially if you have copies.

Next Steps

Now that you’re set with your documents, it’s time to book a place to stay in your chosen destination. Here are some tips to get you started.