This is perhaps a blog that many people have told me to write and due to high demand, I thought I’d better write it up.

The most important document when leaving your country to travel is of course your passport. Getting this document comes at a fee but you can’t just enter a boarder without governments confirming your identity and records.

The biggest mistake I’ve come across was leaving my passport in the hotel safe the day we were meant to drive to another country. A very shocking situation that lead me to hopping off the tour bus at the border and getting a public bus back to the hotel to collect it. Extra money is required for situations like this as I needed to pay for a bus ticket and then hotel accommodation.

In other cases, such as losing your passport, or it has been stolen is a very serious situation. Head to the nearest embassy or consulate ASAP as the document will need to be replaced for you to keep on travelling and to get home. In the case of some tour companies, the result of misplacing your passport or being stolen leads to tour termination.

Another important thing to take note is that if your passport has less than 6 months validation before expiration day, most counties will not let you enter. A few countries also require an additional visa for entry, some of these places include: China, Vietnam, Russia & United States.

So why is a passport so important? Well firstly you need proof of your citizenship and identity. Also for major security reasons, we live in times where terrorism is increasing, and countries don’t want their citizens in danger. They need to be able to keep these people  from entering.

So, remember always keep your passport on you when travelling and never ever lose sight of it or let someone else carry it for you unless family/close friend. If you decide to place in the hotel safe make sure you collect it first before packing your suitcase for departure.

If you do this right, you’ll have an enjoyable time.

Safe Travels,

TZULS 😛

Need more information? then check out the Australian Passport Office Website here.