Travel Tips From Budget Direct
Make sure you’re a Smart Traveller
- Register as a smart traveler at www.smarttraveller.gov.au and you and your family will receive the latest government travel advice and emergency information on your chosen destination.
Guard against lost travel documents
Losing important travel documents can be inconvenient, time consuming and stressful. Protect yourself by following these three easy security steps before you leave home:
- Make sure your passport has at least six months validity
- Pack additional copies of your passport photo in case you need a replacement passport while overseas
- Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers' cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals, and leave a copy with someone at home.
Obey the law
Familiarise yourself with local laws and customs of your chosen destination. Overseas laws and legal processes differ greatly from country to country. Consular assistance cannot override local laws, even when they may appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards.
Visa requirements
A visa is temporary permission from a foreign country to enter that country. In most cases, visas can be sought for reasons of business, leisure, schooling or religious grounds, depending on the requirements of the particular country you’re traveling to. Each of these four reasons for travel has vastly different visa application requirements and each consulate takes a different amount of time to process these applications, some can take as little as three days, while others can take four weeks or more. If you are unsure about your overseas visa requirements, consult your local travel agent.
Vaccinations
If you’re traveling overseas you should visit your doctor or travel health clinic to find out what vaccinations and/or additional precautions you may need. Even if you think your travel destination is safe, vaccinating provides good protection against many diseases both abroad and at home. For more information on vaccinations and to find out about overseas laws on travelling with medicines, speak to your health professional or travel agent.
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