We recommend you take care of your passport as soon as you book your tour. Read this page to get information on how to get a passport or how to renew an existing passport. Visas are also necessary for travel to many countries and should be taken care of immediately.
Please note that the following information applies to United States citizens. If you are not a citizen of the United States, Explorica highly recommends you contact your country’s embassy to determine your passport status, and to determine any tour destinations that may require visas as those requirements may differ from the United States’. You may also visit visacentral.com/Explorica to verify the entry requirements for your destination.
Passports
Obtaining a passport
You must have a
valid passport to leave and reenter the country; this includes trips to Canada and Mexico.
Visit the U.S. State Department Passport Information page for complete information on how to apply for a new passport.
We recommend applying for a passport as soon as you enroll on your tour, and no later than four months prior to departure. The passport application process can take at least eight to twelve weeks and we require passport information be submitted to us in advance (often three months prior to departure) for many of our destinations.
Once you have begun the application process, the U.S. State Department allows you to track the status of your application on their website.
Renewing your passport
If your passport has passed its
expiration date it is no longer considered valid and you will not be allowed to leave the country. Passports are valid for five years for minors under the age of 16 and 10 years for those aged 16 and older.
If your passport has passed its expiration date, visit the U.S. State Department Passport Information page for complete information on how to renew your passport.
Additionally, some countries will not allow travelers to enter their country if they have
less than six months of validity left on their passport. To check if any of the countries you are visiting have this requirement, visit the U.S. State Department International Travel Information page for country specific information.
Visas
A visa is an official travel document that allows an individual to enter and travel through a foreign country. Some countries require that travelers obtain a visa before they are allowed entry into their country. You are responsible for obtaining any necessary visas and travel documents for your tour. Participants arriving at the airport without proper documentation may be denied boarding and would not be eligible for a refund. You must have a valid passport before you can obtain a visa, so it is very important to apply for or renew your passport well in advance.
Since requirements vary for each nationality, we recommend all travelers verify the individual requirements for their nationality with the local consulate for the countries you are visiting, or VisaCentral, Explorica’s partner for travel visas. As an American passport holder, you can verify entry/exit requirements at the U.S. State Department website by searching for the countries that you are visiting. To learn more about the visa requirements for the country you are visiting, please visit the website of the country’s consular service, or www.visacentral.com/Explorica.
Obtaining a visa
Explorica’s visa services are handled by Visa Central, the largest and most well-established travel visa and passport company in the world. Visa Central has the tools, experience, and global network necessary to effectively assist you with all your visa needs.
When you contact Visa Central for visa and passport information, please have the following information available:
- Traveler’s country of citizenship and type of passport
- State of residence
- Destination(s) including any countries that will be transited
Do Explorica travelers benefit from any discounted rates?
Yes. Visa Central and Explorica have negotiated rates that are significantly discounted. Travelers who access Visa Central’s information from the website will be identified and will automatically receive these rates.
How does a traveler pay for Visa Central Services?
Visa Central will ask all travelers to provide payment at the time services are provided. Visa Central accepts all major credit cards, checks and money orders.