Jun/100
Requirements For Foreign Travel That Are As Unique As The Country
You may think that all international United States passport requirements are the same but they can be as different as the country you are visiting. It is vital that you investigate the rules and regulations that apply to the entrance into and return from whatever country you will be traveling to. We have listed some popular destinations here that all require an official passport for entry or return with the exception of Mexico. Our border countries as well as a few nearby accept a passport card in lieu of an official passport but only when travel is not by air. All air travel requires an official passport.
When traveling to the United Kingdom, you must be aware of the rules that govern entry or the need for a visa. A five-tier system is used by the United Kingdom to determine a visitors need to obtain a visa. The first tier applies to "highly skilled" workers such as a chemist and does not require a sponsor. All other tiers, however, do require the visitor has a sponsor in the United Kingdom.
Tier two is for "skilled" workers like teachers and nurses who have received an offer for employment from a business in the United Kingdom. Tier three affects "low-skilled" workers such as construction employees who are entering the United Kingdoms for a specific project, purpose or due to a shortage. Tier four relates to students and Tier five is for all temporary workers and would also include artists traveling into the UK to perform a concert. As previously stated, a sponsor is required for each tier with the exception of Tier one. Tier four with relates to students requires an educational foundation within the United Kingdom to provide sponsorship where the other tiers requiring sponsorship must provide documentation from the United Kingdom employer.
A trip to Mexico give you the option to present a passport card or official passport but only if you are not traveling by air. All air travelers require regular, official United States passports. When a child is accompanying you, written parental consent with a notarized signature from both parents must be presented. The companions traveling with the child as well as the destination, travel dates and purpose and airline must also be indicated. If traveling with a parent, proof of parental relationship must be provided in the form of a birth certificate and it must be an original document. If your travel is for more than 72 hours and will be located outside the "border zone" which is an area more than 30 kilometers from the boarder, a tourist card similar to a visa will be issued. The cost for this document is usually included with your air fare.
If you are traveling to France, you will need a visa if staying for more than 90 days. You will also need to be sure there are at least three months left before the expiration of your passport.
As you can see, some country's US passport requirements are stricter than others. As previously stated, you will need a passport for any air travel.