There is much that you can do to prepare for your trip abroad, depending on where you are going, how long you are staying, and your reasons for traveling.
The following suggestions and sources may be useful:
Do your homework and read as much as possible about the countries in which you plan to travel. Informing yourself [...]
A U.S. citizen needs a passport to depart or enter the United States and to enter and depart most foreign countries. Exceptions include short-term travel between the United States and Mexico, Canada, and some countries in the Caribbean, where a U.S. birth certificate or other proof of U.S. citizenship may be accepted.
Your travel agent or [...]
All travelers should familiarize themselves with conditions at their destination that could affect their health (high altitude or pollution, types of medical facilities, required immunizations, availability of required pharmaceuticals, etc.). While some of this information may be found in the documents listed above, the key resource for health information is the Travelers’ Health page [...]
Gifts you bring back for your personal use must be declared, but you may include them in your personal exemption. This includes gifts people gave you while you were out of the country, such as wedding or birthday presents, and gifts you have brought back for others.
Gifts intended for business, promotional, or other commercial purposes [...]
Return Transportation
You should confirm your return reservation at least twice, and at least 72 hours before your scheduled departure. Whenever possible, obtain a written confirmation. If you confirm your return reservation by phone, record the time, day, and the name of the agent who took your call. If your name does not appear on the [...]
A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. Only the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassies and Consulates have the authority to grant, issue, or verify U.S. passports. For travel overseas and to facilitate reentry into the U.S., a valid U.S. passport is the [...]
Accompanied baggage &ndash Baggage that you have with you when you return to the United States
CBP &ndash U.S. Customs and Border Protection was created in 2003, by combining the U.S. Customs Service, Immigration Inspection Service, Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service and the U.S. Border Patrol into one border agency.
DHS &ndash Department of Homeland Security [...]