Planning a vacation soon?

After over a year when travel was minimal due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are getting stir crazy and ready to get out again. Are you planning a trip? Here are some tips to remember as you plan your getaway:

1. Health information: COVID rules to travel to and return to countries are changing often. Stay up with the latest information and other policies on the State Department’s website Travel Checklist. Don’t forget to check on if a proof of COVID vaccine or test is needed. Also, bring a copy of a list of your prescription drugs from your doctor as well as your doctor’s contact information. 
   
2. Personal ID: Having your driver’s license and passport when traveling overseas is essential. Making a copy of these forms of ID in case you lose them while traveling is a good idea.
   
3. Emergency Contact: While on the road or traveling out of the country, keep the emergency contact information close at hand in case an unforeseen emergency arises. When traveling to another country, you can keep this address and phone number information at the US Embassy. 
   
4. Itinerary: Place all of your important travel information all in one document. This includes flight information, sightseeing tours, rental car bookings, and hotel reservations just to name a few. Emailing the information to yourself can also be a helpful double check in case you lose your paper copies. 
   

To keep all of the above information secure, you can make 2 copies of everything. Keep one set in your carry-on suitcase and give the other set to a trusted family member or friend not going on the trip. Scan your documents and securely store an electronic copy. To do this, you can email the documents to yourself, use a thumb drive to hold everything, or upload your copies to an online document storage company. Of the 3 storage methods, the last—uploading copies to a secure server—offers the highest level of security. You never know what could happen to your luggage when you travel. Give yourself some peace of mind knowing that—with access to the internet—you can upload, share, and retrieve your digital documents anytime, anywhere. That way you'll be ready to enjoy whatever adventures lie ahead.

Source: Fidelity Viewpoints. 2 August 2021. https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/financial-basics/traveling-and-document-security?ccsource=email_weekly_0805S10

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