Spring Break Travel Tips from the State Dept.

Travelling abroad this spring break? Check out the State Department's spring break safety advice on:

• Spring Break - International Travel Safety Information for Students
• Spring Break in Mexico
• New Requirements for Travelers
• Register Your Trip
• Travel Tips for Students
• Tips for Women Traveling Alone
• Travel Warning on Drugs Abroad
• Emergencies and Crises
• Consular Information Sheets
• Help for American Victims of Crime Overseas

For more travel information check out the Kelley Center for Government Information and Microforms travel information links.

Have Passport, Will Travel

According to the U.S. Department of State, as of January 23, 2007, all persons (including U.S. citizens) traveling by air to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, Panama, and the Caribbean must now display a valid passport or one of the following substitutes: an Air NEXUS card, a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, a U.S.Permanent Resident Card, or an asylee or refugee document. However, land and sea travelers are exempt until at least January 2008, and passports are not required for air travel to or from U.S. territories including Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. For information about obtaining or renewing a passport (U.S. citizens), access the State Department's passport page or call toll free 1-877-4USA-PPT or TDD/TYY: 1-888-874-7793.

Holiday Travel - Be Informed!

If you are traveling during the holiday season, access these links to make your trip easier.

To find out about traffic conditions in Houston including road closures and construction and speed reports, view Houston Transtar. For Texas statewide road conditions visit the Texas Department of Transportation Travel site.

If you are traveling by air, check out the "live updates" section of Avoid Delays to see if a particular airport is experiencing delays. If you plan to take carry-on luggage, read the requirements on the TSA site. Access the Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection Division's latest report to find out if your airline has a reputation for flight delays, mishandled baggage, oversales, or consumer complaints.

If you are traveling overseas, it's a good idea to read Tips for Traveling Abroad and A Safe Trip Abroad first. If you plan to drive a car in a foreign country, in addition to your driver's license you may need an International Drivers Permit (IDP) available from a local office of the American Automobile Association. Check with the consular office in the country you are visiting to find out if the IDP is required. To locate that office, call the Federal Information toll-free line at 1 (800) FED INFO. For precautions about driving abroad or riding a train, see the State Department's article "Traveling by Train and Driving Abroad." If you are going to an area of the world experiencing political unrest, access the State Department's Travel Warnings and
Consular Information Sheets. To view the recommended immunizations for visiting a particular country, acess the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Travel Information Page. If you have passport questions, visit the State Department's Passport page. See details about the new electronic passport. For questions about what you can bring back with you, access the
U.S. Customs and Border Protection site.

Bon Voyage!