Travel Glossary
Amendment
means a change in name
descriptive data, number of pages in a current passport and validity.
Application Forms -
When applying for a passport or visa certain applications are required
as part of the documentation required to process your request. The forms
must only be filled out and signed by the applicant. If the
application aren't filled out correctly your passport or visa
application can be denied.
Authentication -
Documents issued in one country which need to be used in another country
must be "authenticated" or "legalized" before they
can be recognized as valid in the foreign country. This is a process in
which various seals are placed on the document. Such documents range
from powers of attorney, affidavits, birth, death and marriages records,
incorporation papers, deeds, patent applications, home studies and other
legal papers.
Birth Certificate is
a document consisting of an official record of a persons date of birth
and place of birth and parentage.
Business travel -
refers to people entering a foreign country for the purpose of
conducting commercial discussions. Persons traveling for business
should not be encourage to secure tourist visas. Only a few countries
issue the same visa to tourists and business people. Business visas are
not work visas.
Consulate - A
division within a foreign government's representation that has a
specific purpose, one which is responsible for the issuance of visas.
Consulate Fees - is
the fee paid to the embassy or consulate of the country of destination
in order to have the visa issued. Fees can range from no fees to
several hundreds of dollars.
Deportation
is forcing a person to leave a country by official order.
Duty free
are goods on which no duty or tax must be paid.
Embassy - The
official representation of a foreign government in Washington, which is
staffed by an ambassador and his personnel.
Execution of Passport
Applications - is the procedure performed by passport agents,
designated clerks of courts, or designated postal officials which check
the authenticity of documents submitted for a passport and to witness
the identity of the applicant as being the legitimate bearer of the
passport applying for. Execution of a passport application may not
be executed by a notary of public.
Immigration Photos are
photos required for application purposes in order to apply for
citizenship or entry permit.
International Driver's
License - is proof that you hold a valid driving license in your own
country. It is not always necessary to have one, since many countries
recognize each other's licenses, but possessing an international drivers
license has many advantages.
Itinerary is a piece
of paper with the travel arrangements stating your departure and arrival
date and destination. The itinerary should have the travelers name
on it.
Jurisdiction - the
states for whose residents a particular consulate has the responsibility
for issuing of visas.
Legalizations - the
procedure to certify the signatures on a legal or commercial document,
in order to prove that it is a valid document abroad. See
authentications.
Length of Stay is the
duration of stay permitted in a country as designated by the visa
issued.
Number of Entries is
the number of times the passport bearer may enter and reenter the county
of destination on one visa.
Passport is a travel
document in booklet form attesting to the identity and nationality of the passport
bearer. It is issued by a government to its citizens or non citizens to
protect them when traveling abroad. A passport must be signed
before it can be considered valid.
Passport Photos are
photos needed in order to apply for a passport. They must be two inch by
two inch and taken within the last 3 months. The background must
be white. A passport photo can be either black/white or color.
Processing Time is
the length of time it takes a passport agency, embassy, or consulate to
prepare the documentation required in order for you to travel.
Processing times can range from a few hours to several months depending
on the nationality of the applicant.
Proof of Identity is
a legal document attesting to the identity of the bearer. It
should include the name, address and a photo of the bearer. A driver's
license is the most common proof of identity.
Proof of Nationality is
a legal document attesting to the nationality of the bearer. All
countries accept a valid passport.
Restricted or Second
Limited Passport is a second passport issued for the purpose of
making it easier for the traveler to travel.
Tourist is
a person who travels for the sole purpose of sight seeing other
places. People who travel for business, playing sports, or visiting
relatives are not considered tourists.
Tourist Card is an
entry permit issued by a commercial airline or other vessel, by a
government tourist office, or by a consulate. It is similar to a
visa in purpose but is not stamped inside a passport. Tourist
cards are usually good for a short trip of up to three months depending
on the country.
Transit - is a
traveler passing through one country for the sole purpose of traveling
to another country.
Travel agent is a
person who makes your travel bookings for you.
Vaccination is an
inoculation taken to ward off potential infectious diseases.