Documentation

Entry Requirements (Passports and Visas)
Notarized letter for minors

Important Notes

Please check the expiration of your passport and/or drivers license or state id and make sure that these do not expire before or while on your trip. You will be denied boarding if these are not current and up to date.

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Newly wed brides should travel under their maiden name, be ticketed and have documentation for that with them. When returning, they may change over the documentation to the new name.

Passports and Visas

PASSPORTS

Important information to know :

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

Implemented on January 23, 2007, ALL PERSONS traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States .All other areas of the world also require a passport. You must have six months validity from day of return left on your passport to travel to most countries. For additional information please see http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

Important:
Correct travel documents are the traveler's responsibility. Bear Tracks Travel and Paradise Registry assumes no liability for costs incurred or denied boarding as a result of failure to comply with customs and/or immigration requirements. Passengers who are denied boarding for lack of proper travel documentation will forfeit all money paid for unused air seats and any other nonrecoverable costs.
*Passports are by the easiest way to travel the world. For those over 15 years old, the passports will be good for 10 years, for those 15 and under, they will be good for 5 years.

*For most destinations, you must have six months validation left on it from the time you will return home from your travels. There are many countries that will refuse your entry if you do not have six months left on your passport. Make sure to check the expiration of your passport.

*If you will needing a visa for a country(ies), check with Bear Tracks Travel to see how many pages you will need to have left in your passport for the visa. Some countries require that you have 2-3 complete pages left in your passport. Also, see section on visas below for additional information.

*Most local City Halls or License bureaus will process passports. Most will do the special passport photos as well. Call ahead and see if your locality does passports. You will need your birth certificate with the state seal on it to apply. (See section on how to obtain a birth certificate).

*It will generally take 6 weeks to secure a passport. You can put a rush on the process for an additional fee. Plan ahead.

*For all the information you will need about passports please click the link to www.travel.state.gov This is an excellent site to get the most updated information on passports. You can even print the applications and do by mail if you wish.

*Make sure to leave a copy of the front page of your passport at home and bring an extra copy with you and keep it separate from your original. If your passport gets lost or stolen while you are away contact the nearest consulate or Embassy.

Also see www.travel.state.gov and check under passports.

VISAS

Traveling to many countries outside of the United States requires that you have a visa to do so. Some visas can be secured thru the countries Consulate General, other visas have to be secured using a visa service. Some countries will require you to have 2-3 pages left in your passport for the visa.

Most countries require 1-3 passport type photos for the visa. Bear Tracks Travel is up to date on all visas for all countries and will help you secure these. Leave plenty of time to do so.

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Notarized Letters For Minors

Children under 18 years of age traveling without both parents/legal guardians, must carry a notarized letter of authorization to travel any where out of the country from each parent/guardian. A notarized birth certificate showing only one parent, a parent's death certificate, or a court order of child custody may also be permissible.

If a child does not have this, they will be denied boarding. Plan ahead...

On the letter please have:
Childs name
Where they will travel to
When they will travel
Permission to leave the country
This must be signed and notarized as stated above.

Sample letter

March 16, 2007

To whom it may concern,

John Smith age 16, will be traveling with the O’Brien family to Cancun Mexico March 19-26, 2007.

I give him permission to travel at this time and to leave the country.

Sincerely,
Mary Smith


If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us at Bear Tracks travel 651-429-5244 or info@beartrackstravel.com

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