faq

What should I pack for my trip?
What are "e-tickets" and how do I use them?
What immunizations do I need for my destination?
Have any government travel advisories been issued for my destination?
Do I need a passport to leave the United States? What other documentation do I need?
How do I get a passport?
One of my documentation options is a certified copy of my birth certificate. What is that and how do I get one?
Do I really need travel insurance?

What you pack for your trip really depends on your destination. For ideas, hints, tips, and tricks, see our Packing page.

E-tickets, or electronic tickets, are the preferred ticketing system used by most airlines. Instead of issuing traditional paper tickets, your flight information is stored in a computer database. To check in at the airport, all you need is a picture ID and your flight number. E-tickets are beneficial in several ways. They save the airlines money, conserve natural resources by eliminating unnecessary paper, and save the ticket holder from worry over losing their tickets! E-tickets provide the traveler with all the benefits of traditional paper ticket, with the additional benefit of protection against If you still feel uncomfortable using an e-ticket, paper tickets can still be purchased from some airlines for an additional fee.

In order to check which immunizations are required and recommended for your destination, visit the Travel section of the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov/travel. Remember, you can always check with your family physician well.

Up-to-date information on government travel advisories is available from the United States State Department travel website at www.state.gov/travel.

Generally, you do need a passport to leave the United States for destinations outside North America. A passport is not necessary for travel to Canada and Mexico. For most cruises and travel within North America, a photo ID (such as a driver's license or military ID) and a certified copy of your birth certificate are the required documentation. In general, you will not be allowed to board the plane or ship if you do not have the required documentation and no refunds will be given by the tour/cruise operators. Please check with your travel agent and thoroughly read your travel itineraries and documents to make sure you have the correct documentation before you leave on your trip.

In addition, one parent planning to take their child out of the country without the other parent in attendance must have a notarized permission form stating that both parents consent to allow the child to leave the country with only one parent.

To get a passport, you need a completed application, the passport fee, and two passport photos. The current fee for a 10 year passport is $85.00. The application is available at most courthouses in the state of Kentucky, at our office, and on-line at www.state.gov/passport_services.html Passport photos are available at most Wal-Mart and Meijer stores and at many photo studios.

Remember to leave plenty of time for the passport to be processed and arrive. If there is any doubt about whether your passport will arrive on time, you can have it expedited at a cost of $60.00 per application. An expedited passport generally takes 1-2 weeks to receive. (An unexpedited passport generally takes six weeks to be processed.) The $60.00 fee is a small price to pay compared to the cost of having to cancel your trip should your passport not arrive in time.

A certified copy of your birth certificate is one which has the raised seal of the State of Kentucky (or the state you were born in) on it. You can request a copy of your birth certificate from the courthouse in Frankfort (Please allow at least 1-2 weeks for it to arrive.) or you can get a copy from a network service like VitalChek (Kentucky VitalChek number is (502) 564-4212). Again, please allow enough time for your birth certificate to arrive if you are requesting that it be sent to you by mail. They can usually be overnighted for an extra charge.

The question is not "can I afford to purchase travel insurance?", but "can I afford not to purchase it?". When you consider the costs associated with lost baggage, canceled flights, unexpected illness, and emergency medical services, an extra $25-150 per person isn't a large amount to pay for peace of mind.

Thomas Travel, Inc. offers two forms of travel insurance: Access America and Travel Guard. To speak to an agent about getting insurance on your trip, call our office at (859) 236-0000.

Have a question we didn't answer? E-mail us at ThomasTravel@wspan.com or call (859) 236-0000 and we'll be glad to answer it for you.

Carlson Wagonlit/ Thomas Travel, Inc. is not responsible for any errors or omissions on these pages.