Passports, visas and the vital paperwork of travel

Here, in a different spin on the blog, is a conversation that I had with CBC Radio’s Nadia Kidwai about the ever-changing rules and regulations about travel.

Not only passport validity needs to be checked, and the requirements vary from country to country, but visas, childrens’ documentation and other entry requirements.

Canada’s introduction of an Electronic Travel Authorisation a short while caught a lot of travellers by surprise, as did the South African government’s introduction of birth certificate requirements for all minors visiting the country.

I nearly got caught as well; I am travelling to Uzbekistan in June and had read in an English newspaper about the relaxation of visa restrictions that were announced in December. I had not read that in January they were reintroduced, and so I need now to get a permit from their embassy in Washington.

Things change, and it is always the traveller who is ultimately responsible for their own paperwork!

You are warned.

I would love to hear from you – do you like the radio links? I do a weekly broadcast on CBC Radio, and am happy to put the links up on the blog … let me know!