The U.S. Department of State posts the entry requirements for all countries on its website.  Also listed are any travel warnings pertinent to the health, safety, and welfare of Americans abroad. Review these pages carefully.

Visa

You are responsible for determining if your stay requires a visa. Usually you will apply for a student visa if your stay extends beyond 90 days. A visa is a document issued by a country, giving an individual permission to formally request entrance to the country during a given period of time and for certain purposes. It is usually stamped or glued inside of a passport or issued as a separate piece of paper. A passport is generally required to issue a visa, and as a rule, you will be asked to present a program acceptance letter and financial evidence that you are capable of paying for your stay in a given country.

Apply for your visa at the appropriate embassy of the country of your destination. Example: If you need a visa for Spain, you apply for the visa through the Spanish Embassy. Embassies are usually located in the major U.S. cities - Tampa, D.C., N.Y., etc.

You will be required to send your passport to the consulate and then travel to the embassy to collect a passport and visa.

Determine whether you'll need a visa. Find visa requirements for all countries at the US Department of State.

Start the application process five months in advance of your departure date. Remember, you'll need a passport in order to apply for the visa.  If you are having difficulties getting through to the Consul in the state or region to which the Consul is assigned try contacting those in other states. For example, if you are traveling to Ecuador, and you cannot get through to the Ecuadorian Consul in Miami, try the one in Tampa, Washington D.C., and others until you get the answers you need. Be patient and diligent. Anyone who has ever traveled abroad has gone through the same (sometimes daunting) process; you are not alone.

Passport

Apply for a passport at the Sarasota Clerk of the Circuit Court, phone: (941) 362-4066, 2000 Main Street., Room 102 (corner of Main and U.S. 301). The current passport application fee is $67 and subject to increase, along with a processing fee of $30. Allow up to two months or more for processing. For a fee, expedited processing may be arranged.

To apply for the passport you'll need:

• A photo ID (drivers license, student ID, or military ID)
• Two, color only, passport photos (2x2s available at Walgreen's on South Tamiami Trail about a mile south of campus in their photo department)
• Official birth certificate (photo copies are unacceptable). If you don't have an official birth certificate, order it online from VitalChek.

• Things change. Take a few copies of the New College contract renegotiation form and an extra contract in case you decide to extend your stay abroad.

• Currency. Most airports have currency exchange centers and you can exchange U.S. dollars upon arrival. However, if you're more comfortable having a littie foreign currency in your wallet predeparture, your local bank can order it for you. There's a charge for ti,e service, from. 7 - $10. Local banks don't keep foreign currency on hand; it usually takes about four days for the currency
to arrive because they must order it. Be aware of exchange rates and the effect on the value of the dollar. You can determine how much your dollar is worth in any country by visiting a universal currency converter.

• Credit cards and ATMS. If you're using credit cards abroad and/or ATMs, call your bank or ATM provider a week before your departure and let tilem know ti1at tiley can expect to see charges on your account that originate within your chosen destination(s). Having been alerted, the banks will not lock or flag your account, and life abroad will proceed without an interruption to your cash flow.

• Placing international calls. Be aware that you'll need to know the international calling codes of the countries you're dialing to or from. When calling to the US, the code will usually consist of a string of two or three digits followed by the standard area code and phone number that you're dialing.

• Read and learn as much as you can about your destination. Familiarize yourself with customs, culture, and the transportation system. Always remember that you are an ambassador of New College and the USA while you're abroad.