Get travel documents

Applying for a passport

All U.S. citizens traveling overseas need a U.S. passport. You should submit your passport application in person at an Authorized Passport Acceptance Facility. ASU has a facility with this designation. ASU’s facility can provide you with passport photos and forward your completed passport application to the Department of State. For location, hours, services and fees, see ASU’s U.S. Passport Acceptance Office.

Receiving a passport

Keep in mind that processing times vary when submitting your passport application. Expedited processing carries additional fees. For more information on expedited processing, see the Department of State’s Get a Passport in a Hurry page.

Complying with passport requirements

If you already have a passport, it is important to make sure it complies with the passport requirements of the country to which you are traveling. Some countries have requirements such as:

• Expiration date must be 6+ months beyond your date of entry/exit.
• Pages must have 1-2 blank pages for entry stamp(s).
• Stamps: must not have stamps from Israel (a condition of some Arab countries).
  

For passport requirements by country, see the Department of State’s Country Information page.

Determining visa requirements

Consider the following when determining your visa needs:

• Destination.
• Citizenship.
• Length of stay.
• Purpose of trip.
  

Failing to obtain a visa, overstaying your visa or obtaining the incorrect type of visa — tourism instead of business — can have severe consequences such as deportation, clearance requirements to exit the country, ban on re-entry, fines and even jail time. To determine visa requirements for your trip, see the Department of State’s Country Information and/or Contact Information for Foreign Embassies in the U.S., and navigate to your destination country. If your visa requires evidence of insurance for ASU business travel, please reach out to [email protected].

Applying for and receiving a visa

Some countries require you to obtain a visa prior to your travel while others require you to obtain a visa at your point of entry, e.g., the airport or border crossing. 

Prior to your travel

Begin this process early, but be aware that some countries start the clock on your visa as soon as they grant it. Research the country to which you are traveling to learn about the application process as well as common challenges, tips and wait times.

Use these strategies for applying for and receiving a visa where appropriate/applicable:

• Send your application to the correct embassy/consulate, i.e., the embassy/consulate that has jurisdiction over your U.S. state.
• Have your host (local partner) submit an invitation/letter(s) of support directly to the embassy/consulate.
• Have your host (local partner) follow up with a phone call to the embassy/consulate — preferably a high-ranking individual.
• Visit the embassy/consulate in person to talk to a consular officer.
• Consider using a visa expeditor. 

At your point of entry

Obtaining a visa at your point of entry to a country can be an easy or difficult task, depending on the country. Research the country to which you are traveling to learn about the process as well as common challenges, tips and wait times.

Use these strategies for obtaining a visa where appropriate/applicable:

• Bring a folder with required documents, which may include copies of your passport, passport photos, proof of vaccinations, itinerary and an official invitation/letter from your host (local partner).
• Have cash for fees in the locally trusted currency and condition. For example, some countries only trust U.S. dollars in poor condition while others only trust them in excellent condition.

Using a visa expeditor

If you decide to use a visa expeditor, some popular vendors are CIBT, International Visa Service, PassportVisasExpress.com and Travisa.