MTS TRAVEL How Do I Prepare for a Short-Term Mission Assignment?

How Do I Prepare for a Short-Term Mission Assignment?

Advice for Trip Leaders and Travelers
You have an eager group of qualified volunteers ready to accomplish their one-week, two-week or three-month mission assignment. Which steps are necessary to book travel, get passports and visas, and make sure everyone takes the proper health precautions? Here are some practical guidelines.

Find Low Airfares.
You may receive a reduced price per traveler if you book 10 or more on identical flights. It's best to have a reputable travel agency negotiate with the airline for you-preferably an agency that specializes in mission travel. They possess valuable experience in booking travel to developing countries. Some of these agencies have access to low fares for less than 10 travelers. If refundability of tickets is an issue for your group, be sure to ask your travel agent if a slightly higher fare will permit refund for a reasonable penalty.

Adjust to Foreign Air Carrier Schedules (or Non-Schedules!).

Commercial air travel in developing countries can be quite different from U.S. domestic flights. Just because your seats are booked and the flight is scheduled to leave at a certain time doesn't mean everything will run smoothly and punctually!

Be patient and courteous with airline workers. Remember that you are not dealing with the American "instant" culture. Your strident complaining will accomplish little-except to call attention to traveling Americans.

Allow Ample Time for Passport and Visa Issuance.

Passport Application:

New Application
Renewal
Amendments

See detailed information and printable forms at the U.S. State Department's web site: http://travel.state.gov/passport/index.html

Please consult this site RIGHT AWAY. Once all the documents are submitted, passport issuance usually takes four to six weeks. The spring and summer months are very busy, and your passport may take longer. Recent changes in passport requirements have made the processing times even longer. If you're applying for a foreign visa, they must almost always be stamped into the passport's pages, so be sure to apply for your passport in plenty of time.

Be sure each person signs his or her passport upon receipt.

If you are eligible to renew or amend your passport by mail, we suggest you send your documentation via UPS or Federal Express. You may want to ask the passport-issuing agency how much money to include to have the new passport returned to you the same way. These carriers provide reliable tracing if documentation is lost.

Passport Photos: You will need two identical passport-sized photos. Don't submit your own snapshots or use vending machine photos. They will be rejected. Do not wear dark glasses or a head covering in the photo. The background must be white or very light.

Before departure, advise each worker on your short-term team to keep two photos and a photocopy of his or her passport vital information page. They should carry these with them, separate from the passport. If the passport is lost or stolen overseas, the spare documents speed up the issuance of a new one at the American embassy.

Visas: If a short-term worker plans to spend three months or less in a country that requires visas, a tourist visa is usually sufficient. Once the proper documents-passport, visa forms, photos and sometimes a World Health Organization booklet with proof of necessary vaccinations-are submitted to the country's consulate or embassy, visa issuance for a U.S. citizen takes three to ten days.

Many countries require that a passport be valid for six months from date of entry into the country.

Know the Health requirements.
Vaccines: Call the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta (404-332-4559) or see their web page www.cdc.gov Choose Traveler's Health Menu. The CDC will tell you which vaccinations foreign countries require their visitors to have. Many visa applications require proof of certain vaccinations, with time lapses between injections.

It's wise for each traveler to check the validity of his or her tetanus/diphtheria, measles/mumps/rubella and polio vaccines. Depending on where your team serves, typhoid fever and gamma globulin (for hepatitis A) vaccines may also be recommended-as well as oral medication for malaria prevention. Many university hospitals and major airports house International Travel Clinics which administer these vaccines and offer advice. Unless your family doctor is a specialist in overseas medicine or infectious diseases, it's best to consult these clinics rather than relying on your primary-care physician's advice.

Hospitalization and basic evacuation insurance: Have workers check their current medical policies to ensure coverage overseas. Most U.S. insurers and Medicare will not cover policyholders when they travel outside the U.S. Other reliable insurers will issue supplementary travel accident and sickness insurance for the duration of your worker's short-term service. Many of these policies also contain an evacuation clause which provides transportation home in a medical emergency. MTS Travel has brochures detailing the coverage offered by these insurers and the commensurate cost.

Know Airline Baggage Requirements.
There is a free allowance per person two years of age and over. In economy class for direct domestic and international flights, it is usually:

Checked Luggage:

2 pieces
The dimensions (length + width + height) of each piece may not exceed 62 inches. The combined dimensions of your luggage may not exceed 107 inches. Measure each piece separately, and then add the two totals. Dimension limits vary slightly depending upon carrier and route, so verify these with your travel agent or airline.
Maximum weight per piece is generally 50 pounds, depending on the airline and destination. Again, check with your travel agent or airline regarding the limit for your particular flights.

Unchecked Luggage:

1 piece, with maximum dimensions of 39 inches to 45 inches, depending on the airline. Maximum weight is generally 10 pounds, but this also varies by airline.
This must be stored under a seat or in an overhead compartment.

It's always wise to pack a change of clothes and necessary toiletries in your carry-on bag-just in case your luggage doesn't arrive at your destination until some days after you do!

Leaving some countries, you will only be allowed 44 pounds of baggage. Check on the regulations applicable to your route. Short-term workers should only pack a suitcase as heavy as they themselves can handle. There are not always skycaps ready to assist with luggage.

Check import and customs regulations for your destination country. Some articles are excluded from import into certain countries. This is especially necessary if you are bringing food items or other supplies for missionaries overseas. Your mission-sending agency could be a source for reliable information.

Seek Low-Cost En Route Accommodations.
When airline schedules require an overnight stay in a foreign connecting city, the carrier will sometimes cover your hotel bill. Ask if your airline is one of these. Alternately, MTS travel consultants will know of economical hotels/guest houses at or near the major airports.

Be Proactive in Protecting Your Travelers.
Obtain the address and phone number of the U.S. Embassies or Consulates in your country (ies) of travel. These are available from the U.S. Department of State http://usembassy.state.gov/. It is wise to alert the local embassy of your presence and the address at which you are staying in case there is news you need to know.

For more information contact your MTS travel consultant or:

Gwen Kuebler
MTS TRAVEL
800-526-6278
gwenk@mtstravel.com

CST 2013363-40