travel abroad for 6 months

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Six-Month Validity Update

How Our 6 Month Round The World Trip Changed Our Lives (+ Tips!)

Considering a 6 month round the world trip soon? We’ve been there!

I originally published this blog post in early 2016, on the cusp of starting what we then believed to be a 6 month RTW adventure that would see us backpacking parts of Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America.

Fast forward 7 years, and it turns out that 6 months of backpacking the world turned into a full-time travel lifestyle that has spanned more than 50 countries and counting, entirely reshaping our lives along the way.

Our travels have truly been beyond our wildest dreams.

The decision to go backpacking for 6 months eventually led to us camping in the Sahara , learning to scuba dive in Thailand , climbing a volcano in Guatemala , traveling overland from Mexico City to Bocas del Toro, Panama, visiting most European countries, road-tripping on several continents, and spending a month or more basing ourselves in cities as diverse as Rome , Istanbul , and Cape Town .

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Eventually, we spent a year living in Lisbon, Portugal, and racked up enough long trips to Italy that we can say we’ve spent a year each there, too.

Oh, and we added our dog Ranger to our pack, and who also travels with us now!

For posterity (and, okay, primarily for my own nostalgia), I’ve saved our original post announcing our intention to go backpacking here, complete with all of the excitement, nerves, and anticipation that bleeds through it.

Toward the end of this post, though, I’ll share a little more about where we are now–as well as a few important things we would have done differently when planning a RTW trip if we knew in 2016 what we know now.

Table of Contents

Our Original 6 Month RTW Trip Announcement

What actually happened on our 6 month round the world trip, what we would have done differently, planning a trip.

I have written and deleted and rewritten the opening paragraph of this post at least a dozen times.

It appears that the words just aren’t going to come out right on this subject, but I am so ready to have them out there that I’m just going to have to settle for adequate ones.

Jeremy and I are leaving in May for a 6 month round the world trip.

In the internet world, this is not a big deal.

In our world, it is an enormous upheaval of our entire lives and everything that we thought they would be at this point, and it is an epic adventure.

In mid-2015, we found ourselves growing more and more discontent: with our jobs, with the beautiful house we had bought less than a year before, with our city, with the entire 8-to-5, double-income, double-commute, spend-the-weekend-recovering-from-the-work-week-while-also-squeezing-in-all-your-chores life.

We had already discussed and decided that we would work toward early financial independence from biweekly paychecks (I know, this trip is not exactly moving that goal forward, but hey–we’re not perfect).

Still, though: that was a long, long way away.

Several (for now theoretical) kids away. A lot of gray hairs away. And way, way too many congested commutes away.

We needed out. We needed gone. We needed a whole new lifestyle.

We needed (and yes, this is hopefully the corniest line I’ll ever type), an escape clause from the contract we had apparently signed after college graduation with suburban, corporate America.

From there, we started to discuss seriously: if we were going to redesign our lives, what would they look like?

Kids were a major theme for the future, but we knew that wasn’t a path we were in a hurry for.

Downsizing was a big one: what in the world were we thinking, buying a 2600 square foot house on a tiny lot that made us feel like we were drowning in space inside and claustrophobic outside?

Seriously, that decision now feels utterly insane.

Moving away from San Antonio was also a repeated idea–when we moved there right after Jeremy graduated college, we agreed to give it two years.

We love the food (breakfast tacos, TexMex, and kolaches are all pieces of heaven), but the city feel and heavy traffic was not for us.

2023 Update: turns out we absolutely adore cities, the bigger and more complex the better (spoiler: we very happily moved to New York City of all places). We just don’t like commuting in cities or living in car-dependent neighborhoods!

On top of that, of course, was our big, seemingly unattainable dream: travel.

Long term travel , the kind with a one-way plane ticket and plenty of time to wander as we please.

The type of travel that came with a loose itinerary, and the ability to make plans and decisions along the way.

Adding all this up, we cobbled together the vague idea of a plan: since we knew we wanted to leave San Antonio , we would sell our house.

Assuming that went well, we would take advantage of this transition period and leave on a round the world trip for 6 months.

After wrapping that up, we would return home and decide on our next chapter.

Moving back to our hometown is on the shortlist, but frankly, we’re a little gun-shy about making hardline predictions about our future at the moment.

After all of the discussing and what-iffing, the doing… well, the doing went exceptionally fast. Our house was under contract less than 2 months after putting it on the market.

Our first few destinations ( Spain , Italy , Morocco ) are outlined, with plane tickets purchased and some accommodation arranged.

I have triple and quadruple-checked our budget, and we are squeezing every last penny we can into it while also holding our breaths and hoping the money lasts as long as we hope that it does.

Now, we prepare, prepare, prepare–and wait (oh, okay, and go on an awesome 2 week road trip to Savannah , Charleston , and Atlantic Beach, North Carolina ). 

It took less than a month for our carefully-organized (read: obsessively overplanned) 6 month backpacking itinerary to veer wildly off course.

Years later, I can still remember the decision like it was yesterday.

Rather than double-back from the blue city of Chefchaouen, Morocco to Fez, where a pre-paid Ryanair flight was ready to whisk us off to… Milan ? Venice ? (I honestly can’t remember which), we decided to extend our stay in Chefchaouen once.

And then twice.

After almost 2 weeks in Morocco and nearly a month of traveling at a breakneck pace, we were already exhausted.

The prospect of the long, hot, bumpy bus ride back was just too unappealing for words.

Instead, we stuck around Chefchaouen for a while, and then headed to Tangier and hopped a ferry back to Spain, where we promptly fell in love with both the town of Tarifa and the joy of traveling spontaneously.

And, sure, yes, we lost one of our debit cards in Tarifa, only took about 10 photos of our entire week-long stay there, and one of my clearest memories of our stay is rejoicing upon finding an Old El Paso taco kit in the grocery store (our homesickness for TexMex never went away).

Importantly, though, the electrifying feeling of freedom and opportunity also sunk in during our time in southern Spain.

Here’s what our 6 month RTW trip ended up looking like:

6 Month Around the World Trip Itinerary

Spain ( Madrid , Toledo , Tarifa), Italy ( Bolzano , Lucca , Florence , Volterra , Pisa, Monterosso al Mare ), Morocco ( Marrakech , Erg Chebbi, Tinghir, Air Benhaddou, Fez, Chefchaouen).

Spain (Tarifa, Seville ), Italy ( Milan , Trieste), Slovenia ( Piran , Mojstrana, Triglav National Park, Bled, Lake Bohinj, Ljubljana), Croatia ( Split )

Croatia (Split, Hvar , Dubrovnik ), Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Mostar , Sarajevo ), Thailand ( Bangkok , Koh Tao )

Thailand (Bangkok, Koh Tao, Chiang Mai ), Laos (Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientiane ), Cambodia (Phnom Penh, Koh Rong )

Cambodia (Koh Rong, Siem Reap )… and then the USA.

Yep, after all that careful planning, we ended up not only making it to South America in our first six months of travel (that actually wouldn’t end up happening until early 2018, when we spent a month in Colombia ), but we also took a break before six months was even up.

As it turns out, planning that far into the future wasn’t our strong suit–and still isn’t.

We ended up spending a couple of months at home with family, and then a few days after Thanksgiving, boarding a flight to Mexico City that would end up turning into our six-month adventure of backpacking overland from Mexico City to Bocas del Toro, Panama –which just about brought us to the one-year mark of full-time travel.

After Our First Year of Full-Time Travel…

How we pulled off the next six years and counting is mostly a story for another day (hint: travel blogging is a big part of it, and is now our sole income source).

But, we ended up staying fully nomadic until mid-2020 when the global crisis finally caused us to (temporarily) hang up our bags.

At that point, we headed back to the Lone Star State and spent a year rebuilding our business while based in Austin (2020-2021), and then moved to Lisbon, Portugal for a bit over a year (2021-2022).

As of 2023, we are happily based in NYC (for now?) and continue to travel far and wide in our pursuit of living our personal versions of a deeply fulfilling life.

Overall, we are beyond thrilled with how our decision to go backpacking for 6 months turned out, even and possibly especially because we never could have predicted it!

That being said, we were still fairly novice travelers when we kicked off our RTW trip, and we certainly made plenty of mistakes along the way ( getting scammed in Marrakech is one memorable one).

Looking back, here’s what I would tell our ambitious, mid-twenties selves before they got started traveling the world.

Don’t plan too far in advance.

It took less than a month for our carefully-planned 6 month travel itinerary to fly out the window.

Today, we wouldn’t recommend putting money down on anything more than a couple of weeks in advance, unless it’s a bucket list experience that you’re planning your trip around, like a festival.

Be open to changing your itinerary.

Did we end up not getting around to a lot of things we planned to do on our RTW trip?

Most definitely–for example, we still haven’t been to Malaysia, Ecuador, or Vietnam!

Instead, we ended up with a lot of unforgettable experiences that never even occurred to us before we started traveling, such as scuba diving in Mozambique and chasing waterfalls in Chiapas .

Get rid of more than you think you should.

When we initially sold our house and got rid of most of our belongings, we absolutely did not get rid of enough.

Objectively, we didn’t keep a ton, but going through the boxes years later, it’s laughable what we thought we needed.

At this point, we’ve actually gotten rid of (almost) everything and furnished places from scratch 3 times (not including our pre-travel lives), and each time the “to keep” pile gets smaller.

If you’re planning an open-ended trip, especially if you’re paying for storage, keep only what is nostalgic or entirely practical.

Take more photos than you think.

During the last 7 years, photography has gone from something we use to remember our trips by to a component of our business, and as such we have an absurd amount of photos… but often not the ones we would like.

Take photos of scenery, yes, but make sure to put yourself in some of them, too.

Even if you don’t like how you look at the time, the years have a way of softening edges and turning a photo you were critical of yourself in into a priceless snapshot of your happiness at the time.

I also wish we had more photos of temporal things like bustling markets, restaurant meals, and dogs and people we met along the way.

Those photos don’t seem as valuable at the time, but they tend to grow in sentimental value with the years in a way that standard scenery photos don’t.

Buy a few souvenirs.

Because of the very nature of backpacking the world for six months, we bought shockingly few souvenirs during our first year abroad.

While we still consider ourselves minimalists and don’t necessarily recommend buying things in every destination, I wish we had a few more physical items to remember our adventures by.

We have exactly two surviving souvenirs from our first year: a carved elephant from Thailand and a vase from Nicaragua.

Were they impractical to carry? Yes. But we deeply cherish them both.

Say yes more than no.

Just a couple of months into our 6 month round the world trip, we visited Krka National Park in Croatia.

At the time, you could swim in the waterfalls there–but we were tired from a long day of travels and didn’t like the idea of riding the bus back to Split damp, so we passed.

Fast forward several years, and you can no longer swim in the falls.

I wish we would have said yes.

Most travelers who stick with it long enough have an anecdote or two like that–and the bottom line is, with the exception of incredibly dangerous things, people regret saying no a lot longer than they regret saying yes.

Pack less than you think.

Oh, how we agonized over our packing list!

From clothes to travel gear, we spent weeks checking and double-checking what we needed, trying to anticipate what we would want or wear, and making sure we wouldn’t run out of anything.

Honestly, we should’ve spent about 10% of the energy on it than we did.

It simply does not matter nearly as much as many travelers, us included, think it does before they set off.

The exceptions?

Prescription medication, and high-quality essentials that might be a pain or expensive to source abroad (like your backpack, camera, or hiking boots).

When it comes to things like t-shirts, drugstore shampoo, or flip-flops, though, you’ll find them for sale just about everywhere relevant.

Keep a journal.

I absolutely adore it and desperately wish I had kept a travel journal of some kind during that first 6 month round the world trip.

At the time, I thought blogging would be more than enough writing, but sharing RTW travel advice, or even stories, is simply not the same as notes you keep only for yourself.

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About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

8 thoughts on “How Our 6 Month Round The World Trip Changed Our Lives (+ Tips!)”

Best wishes for an awesome trip! I’ve done my traveling slowly, too, but in chunks – unlike you, I wasn’t smart enough to realize how badly I needed to see the world before I had three kids! Lucky for them, they got dragged around on a bunch of those trips, and now they have the itch themselves. Not sure if your RTW trip will take you places I have or haven’t been, but I look forward to seeing where you go.

Thank you! We are so excited–less than a week to go until departure now!

I think it’s awesome that your kids have had a chance to travel extensively too–we sure hope to do the same, but they certainly throw a huge wrench into things like 6 month adventures.

Happy travels!

So excited to find your blog!! I’ve always dreamed of traveling & so regret not doing what you guys did– taking months, even years, to see the world before kife, work, chires, marriage, kids made it seem so daubting & impractical. I had the bug early & at least was able to spend 3 months livong in Oaxaca Mexico before grad school started. Anyway—NOW way latter, separated, in my early 50’s and still raising my 14 year old son, I’m trying to make a plan–if it’s possible, for he & I to do some traveling. I am permanently disabled from my career so recieve a modest but stable check. Every month. Our plan of moving accross country in a couple years could be the time to put what little we keep in storage & go. He may finish school early at 16 or finish doing alternative on- line school. What are some of your best ideas to save money traveli g through Europe? Wether we do months at a time or 3 or 4 week trios then return….any udeas would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you so much, Ann! So glad you have found our site inspiring.

For our best Europe travel tips, including on budgeting, I recommend looking here: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/europe-travel-tips/

If you search “budget” or “trip cost” in our search bar, you’ll also find write-ups on budgeting in several destinations in Europe, including Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland, and Italy.

Hope you and your son have a chance to hit the road soon!

Do you have a blog post about your dos and donts for packing for a trip like this?!

I actually don’t! It’s on my list of things to write eventually, but my biggest advice is not to stress too much about it and to budget a bit for some clothes/accessories along the way (I still have very fond memories of my elephant romper from Thailand!)

If you search “Central America Packing List” on our website, I wrote that list during our nomadic backpacking days and it’s pretty close to what we carried for the first couple of years. We also have some general Europe packing lists that cover the bases on some of our favorite travel gear that comes with us everywhere (our current favorite anti-theft daybag, etc.)

Love your blog! My husband and I are planning to tour the world soon! Would love to connect with you on this! Thanks

That’s so exciting! We’re always happy to answer a few questions for travelers as they plan. 🙂 Good luck with your adventures!!

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Love and Road

6 months traveling around the world – Costs and Secrets

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Time flies when we are having fun! This quote has never been so true! We are celebrating 6 months of traveling around the world. Our Love and Road Travel Project turned into a life-changing experience. 183 days of happiness, fears, smiles and tears.

Half of a year is gone and after the celebration (October 24th) we decided to put some numbers together and make our first traveling around the world spreadsheet. Prepare to be amazed by some figures, scared about some details, and laugh at our misadventures.

It´s time to reveal our secrets! Keep reading because at the end we share our costs of traveling and how it was cheap to see the world for 6 months then live in Brasil. 

Traveling the world kick-off

On April 24th we left Brazil for an open plan long-term trip. Just one-way ticket, savings, some secrets to budget backpacking , and lots of dreams. The idea to start a travel blog was born a couple of months before and that´s how Love and Road began.

Love and Road 6 months journey

Continents – Africa , Asia and Europe

Countries – Croatia , France , Italy , Monaco , Morocco ,  Portugal , Spain  and  Turkey

(during this trip just 8 countries, but in total, we already visited 29 countries since 2006)

Cities – 57

Different Languages – 7 (Arabic and Croatian are damn difficult)

How we traveled during these 6 months?

To cross all the 8 countries we traveled by different modals.

By Boat – 2 times

By Bus – 14 times

By Car – 2 times

By Flight – 6 times (we use Skyscanner to check the best fares)

Hitchhiking –  8 times

By Train – 6 times ( EURAIL Pass is awesome!!! BOOK HERE!!! )

Where did we stay during these 6 months around the world?

We are big fans of Comfy + Clean + Well Located & Cheap Accommodation. Following these features we stayed in:

Campervan -1 time

Car – 1 time

Flat/Studio – 2 times

Friend’s house – 3 times

Hostels –  2 times

Hotel –  4 times ( Booking.com and Agoda are our choices for searching and booking hotels)

House sitting – 2 times

Shared House/Apt – 13 times

Tent – 2 times ( Moroccan Desert and SONUS Festival )

What did we buy during this period?

Apart from accommodation, transportation and food, there were some essentials (and non-essentials) that we must buy, and here are they:

New clothes:

Rob – 1 T-Shirts + 2 pair of jeans + underwear + socks + 1 jumper

Nat – 2 tops + 1 pair of flat sandals + 1 skirt + 1 pair of jeans + 1 legging

Electronics:

1 Notebook Asus F200M

Toiletries:

As usual, we had to buy soap, shampoo, body lotion, toothbrush, and all the stuff we need to be clean and beautiful. Talking about beauty, I will make a confession: we bought anti-aging for the first time!! We are not getting any younger so we invested in a Day & Night Clinique Face Care ! I loved it and Rob… He doesn’t want to talk about it! 

1 small Backpack

2 Dry Fast Kingcham Towels

We are traveling around the world with a big backpack and a small front bag. That´s what fashion calls a minimalist style! So everything we bought was to replace some old items. What did we do with our used stuff? We donated. We made some bags and give them to homeless people in Istanbul.

Getting sick! More painkillers, please!

Rob says that is the weather, but I keep annoying him that he´s getting old and weak. Botton line, we got sick and hurt ourselves a couple of times in these 6 months traveling around the world. Nothing major, but bad enough to make us homesick and meh.

Sickness Scores:

Rob – 5 (2 times flu, cold sore crises,  diarrhea, and a twisted ankle)

Nat – 6 (I win!!! Back pain, mosquito bites allergy , urinary infection, keen injury, flu, and diarrhea)

All the problems were sorted out with medicines we bought at the local pharmacy. We do have travel insurance but didn’t need to use it. To avoid getting sick we are trying to eat healthily, drink lots of water and do some exercise.

Talking about travel insurance, here is a guide about long-term travel insurance . We listed the companies we use and recommend, plus what you need to know before buying insurance and using it. 

What did we LOVE during this worldwide trip?

Food – Italian (we both agree that Italians are masters in cooking and eating)

City – Barcelona  and Izmir . We couldn’t decide between these two sunny cities.

Beach – For me is Cala San Pedro, Rob chose Playa dos Muertos, both are located at the Cabo de Gata Park , Spain.

Best Party – Hard to pick just one party, but definitely was the week we spent in Barcelona. The summer parties were better than the Sonus Festival we attended in Croatia.

To see all the pictures about these places check our  Instagram !

Beautiful Strangers and the amazing people we met!

We met awesome people in these 6 months of traveling around the world. Old friends, former work colleagues, new friends, and a bunch of nice strangers crossed our way. Each one made a special contribution to our story. The moments we spent together are recorded in our hearts and souls.

Thank you guys! You are amazing! After meeting all these new people we can say:

Most handsome Men – Turkish, especially from Istanbul. (Believe me, girls, they are stylish and good-looking)

Most beautiful Women – French (Rob wanted to include the Russians and Polish, but they are out of this trip.lol)

Friendly People – Italians

People that talk to themselves – Porto, Portugal

Party Animal People – Spanish (I love them!!)

Worst moment of long-term traveling

For us, the worst moment was when we got the news that my cat had passed out. That was our first loss while traveling, the first moment we talked about going back home.

Best moment of our 6 months traveling

So far the highlight of our trip is the Moroccan Desert. Such a unique experience, a dream that came true!

It´s not a regret, but we would organize our Moroccan Tour in a different way. Would spend more money to get a private tour around the countryside and desert.

Also, I regret we didn’t start the Love and Road blog before traveling. It´s hard to manage time between travel, work and study.

We are Proud of

We are proud and happy of catching up with old friends. During these 6 months of traveling around the world, some of the meetings were meant to happen others were by destiny.

It was awesome to see you guys: Dariia Makarova (4 times we ran into each other), Hudson, Paulinho, Belem & Haiko, Captain Dario, Paolo, Senem, Saoro and Mehmet.

You can live a simple life because at the end of the day you will miss the people you love not the things you bought.

Relationship vs Traveling

Not easy to live together 24 hours, seven days per week… I think we didn’t kill each other because Rob is super patient and I am great fun! 😉

Work Hard, Play Hard

The Love and Road blog is part of our life project, however, we didn’t imagine that it would be so time-consuming and tiring. We are doing it with love and I´m really enjoying it, but it´s hard work. Actually, blogging is a full-time job and if you want to know more, our friends Nick & Dariece put together great tips on how to start a travel blog, click here to read it .

We know there are lots of details that we have to improve on the website, however for four months (the blog was launched in July) I think it´s going pretty well!

What do you think? Leave your opinion in the comments! 😉

How much does it cost to travel for 6 months?

With a tight budget and expensive tastes, we are courageously traveling around the world. Not easy but totally possible. After checking our spreadsheet and here are our expenses figures:

Accommodation – USD 3.902,00

Attractions – USD 1.201,49

Eating out – USD 3.329,57

Groceries – USD 1.856,21

Party – USD 1.231,46

Pharmacy – USD 390,87

Purchases – USD 651,13

Souvenirs\Post  – USD 122,75

Transport – USD 2.901,00

WC – USD 13,55

Average per person / per day: USD 53,95 (that´s less than we used to spend per person per day in our daily life in Brazil).

If read until here you might want to have a look at our travel budget for 1 year and 2 years traveling the world. Right?

1 Year around the world – Travel budget and saving tips

2 Years around the world – costs, tips and how we live a nomad life

In the beginning, I thought it would be boring to write this article, but actually was an amazing way to remember our story. Six months traveling around the world doesn’t sound like too much, but if you start thinking about moments, feelings, memories it becomes an eternity.

Crazy Lovely Life. At this same time last year, I was at our home in Brazil, maybe working or organizing the house, dreaming about travels. Today I’m writing this post inside a night bus, leaving Pamukkale and heading to Cappadocia in Turkey.

Rob is already sleeping beside me, outside pouring rain and darkness. No big plans for the future just some booked destinations, and I never been so happy. I’m so grateful for these 6 months of traveling around the world, and hope our journey won’t finish soon!

Lots of LOVE from the ROAD!

42 thoughts on “6 months traveling around the world – Costs and Secrets”

This is a well written article and very informative. So seldom do travelers include actual costs and in such detail. I know I didn’t/don’t even keep such accurate records, but probably should. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Dale!!

The idea is to show how it is possible to travel the world without being rich, and have tons of fun! As we have a tight budget we have to keep everything under control. We take notes of our daily costs so we can organize our money.

Keep following us because we´ll be posting how much we spent in each country we visited. So far we already talked about Portugal, and there are plenty of new information to come! https://loveandroad.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-travel-in-portugal/

All the best and safe travels!!

Olá! Esse é o primeiro post que leio do blog e adorei. A forma como é organizado, bem escrito e engraçado. Impecável. Parabéns. Planejo largar o emprego e fazer o mesmo, sozinho, em março do ano que vem. Vamos ver se consigo manter a coragem. hehe

Sucesso com o blog!

Espero que tenha dado certo!!

Fico super feliz em saber que curtiu o post e o blog!! 🙂 Se tiver algum dica ou dúvida para organizar sua viagem pode contar com a gente. E parabéns pela coragem!! Largar tudo é “Viver a Vida” é para poucos… Muitos usam a desculpa da falta de dinheiro, mas na verdade só é preciso ter sonhos e acreditar!!!

Tudo de melhor! E quando estiver na estrada manda notícias!

Great post! It’s fun to see other travelers post the details about their travels and budgets. Were your costs per person or as a couple? We lost some weight too, but not as much as you did – great alternative to a diet, hey?

Happy travels!

Hey Landon!

Glad that you liked the post! That is a 100% true… Not easy to keep all the records, but I think it’s worth! I´d say travelling is an amazing diet! Good for your body and soul! 😉

All the best! Nat

What a great way to recap your six months! And very interesting to see what it can take to get away and travel like that by looking at what it costs – on average – per day.

Great photos and I’m looking forward to reading more about your travels!

Hey Patricia!!!.

So glad you enjoyed reading the post… The truth is that you don`t need lots of money to travel, you just need to organize your priorities and save some cash… There are plenty of ways to travel on a budget and have tons of fun! Happy Holidays!

Ha, I think the hardest language for me was Greek – hopeless from the start! Great recap.

Tks!!! Greek is really hard too! Don’t remember a word in Greek 🙁 Safe travels!!!!

You guys are fab and inspiring! Intend to travel around the world for 6 months. Just trying to get all the right destinations and Stack up a little more cash. It is on my bucket list and I guess an adventure to remember for eternity!

Go for it Clavier!!!

Travelling is one of the most rewarding things you can do in life! We just celebrate one year on the road, and no regrets at all!! All the best to you and if you need any tip just let us know. 😀 Nat

Wonderful to read your story and experience while traveling. Your details of people you met, times you were sick, and costs tell your story in an intricate and meaningful way.

Tks Brooke! This is something really special, the people we met. I think we are very lucky for meeting such nice and welcoming people! cheers!

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Heyyy,Heyyy !!! 🙂 Both of you are awesome! I am following your adventures as much as I can and thinking of you sometimes,hope all is ok…

When I see my name & Izmir on the article ,I really feel very very happy! Thanks for that!

Crossed my fingers to see you both again, somewhere, somehow…

Hi Mehmet, We are so happy for meeting you!!!! And tks so much for making our stay in Izmir sooooo good! For sure we will return to Izmir!!!! Hope to see you soon! Cheers!

Great writeup! Thanks for all the detail. Looks like an amazing time.

Hi Penny!! We are having a wonderful time indeed! Glad that you like the post! Thanks for stopping by! Cheers, Nat

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What a cool article. I’m glad you did what you did. It feels great to travel and we have done the whole NZ like that in 6 months with absolutely next to nothing. We had so much fun like you did with no regrets. Keep up the great work.

Thanks Marc!!! NZ is on our list!! There is no better thing in life than travel and live the moment, enjoy every second and every place you visit!!! Thanks for stopping by! Cheers,

Awesome! and yes, Croatian is a difficult language:)

Hi Tanja!! Croatian is difficult, but now that we are in Asia, I have to say that Thai and all the Asian languages are damn hard to learn. hahahaha Cheers, Nat

Que delícia de post! Estou voltando a Portugal agora, ao final de fevereiro, e ficarei 3 meses pelo menos pela Europa! Já larguei meu trabalho antigo e,finalmente, iniciei uma nova jornada na minha vida: criei o trabalho que amo e virei nômade digital! Bora viver! Vou acompanhar o site de vcs. Parabéns ao casal! !

Que bom que gostou do post 🙂 E parabéns pela iniciativa! Bom ver mais e mais “almas livres” rodando o mundo. Pode fuçar o blog que vai achar matérias sobre a Europa, Ásia e África. Beijos e boas viagens!

Hey Nat Thanks for sharing…I’m going to leave my life behind for 6 months to travel yayyy. I don’t have a travelling companion. Are there any countries you think are unsafe for me as a single female? Thanks Lisa

Hi Lisa, It’s hard to list the countries that are unsafe, I have friends that have travelled alone in India, Marocco, Turkey and never had a problem, even though these countries are on the list of “not so safe for women travelling alone”. I would say, to go wherever you want to, just be careful. Read about the place and the costumes before travelling, dress respectfully and look after yourself. There are way more good people in the world than bad ones. Happy Travels, Nat

This is such a good way to make sure you are on track! Perhaps I’ll try to keep as good of a record as this… perhaps I will get lazy and forget haha!

That’s so true Courtenay, It’s hard to remember and take not of everything, but that’s the only way you can keep track of your expenses 😉 All the best, Nat

Gostei muito do site e da coragem de vocês de viajar pelo mundo. Fiz um pouquinho isto com meu marido, mas apenas por Marrocos numa autocaravana e gostaria de dar umas dicas para uma próxima viagem por lá. Para viajar bem por Marrocos não precisa de muito dinheiro. O Câmbio favorece o Dólar e até o Real, mas acho que a melhor maneira é ir de autocaravana. Viajar sem destino, comprar comida nos lugares públicos, fazer a sua comida. O turismo lá é muito forte em quase todo o país e o turista é muito bem tratado. Se fizer amizade com alguém lhe levam para casa e comem com eles. É um lugar mágico onde cada cidade tem seu jeito de viver e antes de tudo muito respeito a sua cultura. Acho que esta é a dica para viver bem em qualquer lugar. Em muitos locais é bom cobrir o cabelo, evitar roupas decotadas, estar sempre junto do marido. Os marroquinos acediam muito uma mulher sozinha. Curiosidade…. O único problema para um casal viver uma vida nômade assim são os filhos. Se isto não está nos seus planos ok. Caso pensem. Até os primeiros 5 anos eles podem estar todos os dias consigo. Depois precisam ir para uma escola formal. Conheci muitos casais nômades, que chegou o momento que o filho pediu aos pais para ter uma vida dita normal e isto era mesmo importante para seu desenvolvimento como pessoas. Passado a fase escolar, pé na estrada novamente. Boa sorte e que continuem com muitas histórias para contar.

OI Divane!! Obrigada pelas dicas, o Marrocos é realmente um país incrível! Imagino que viajar de caravana tenha sido um experiência maravilhosa! Pois é, filhos ainda não estão nos nossos planos, quem sabe no futuro. Por enquanto seguimos viagem, fazendo amigos e conhecendo novos lugares. Tudo de melhor para você, abraços Nat

Hi Rob or Nat

My partner and I (uk) are thinking of doing this but after her studies in forensic anthropology and archeaology so we’re looking at working our way around countries. I am 59 so would be 60 but have a military background dee is 51 so would be 52 worked all her life bringing up daughter and spent last 3 years doing degree.

How would be the best way to begin looking into this as I’ve seen Kenya Cyprus Falklands and quite a few others but dee has never been abroad due to not having a pp. As this will be a gap year were looking at student accommodation and working or researching are way around so as dee can pick up info for her masters.

Any ideas pls

Hello Keith,

Sounds like you guys have an exciting year ahead!

The key is to decide the for how long you want to be on the road and the itinerary. From there you can start checking the accommodation options. Pay attention on the Visa requirements, some countries have different policies for researchers/students.

I have been wanting to do this for a while now, busy with business and child raising but the closer they get to graduating high school the more I know I have to do this. Where should I start to do this research of where to go first? And is a woman by herself even recommended? Are you guys still doing this? Thanks

Hi Aura, Yes, we are still traveling 🙂 We recommend a few books on this page . and yes, there are a lot of solo female travelers out there. Cheers,

Hi there! I’m about to leave on a 6 month journey abroad, on my own. I leave the USA in 12 days. I just wanted to let you know that your post pumped up my excitement to get going!

So happy to hear that Anna! Happy travels!

Very helpful!! Thank you so much for including costs!

You are welcome!

Hi Anna, I want to stay my worldwide trip soon , How is your trip going with all these restrictions worldwid

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The World on my Necklace

A Travel Blog by Katie Chavez

Our 6 Month Travel Itinerary: Oceania and Asia

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.

I originally published this 6 month travel itinerary in November 2019 at the beginning of what was going to be a 6-month trip. Unfortunately the last part – Nepal – was derailed by the pandemic (we finally visited in early 2023) but the rest of the trip was incredible and I wanted to republish this post to inspire anyone else that is interested in doing a similar itinerary. Enjoy!

I can’t believe I am already over a week into my big international trip! I have been thinking about it a lot the last few months, and realized that I hadn’t really told you guys what our plans were, other than a casual mention here and there.

Although I am pretty much always traveling – I am in year five of living nomadically – we tend to travel most of the year within the US.

Toby works about eight to nine months of the year building festivals and events around the country, and since July last year until April this year, I was going through the process of getting my green card, which meant that we weren’t able to do our winter international trip last year.

That’s why we are traveling for six months this winter, rather than our regular two-three months.

Now that Toby’s jobs are all over for the year and I have my green card, we are finally ready to do an epic international trip again, and we have been looking forward to this one for a long time!

So without further ado, here is our 6-month travel itinerary:

6 Month Travel Itinerary

End of october: hawaii.

I left the US to start the trip on the 29th October, and spent two nights in Waikiki to break up the otherwise long flight to Sydney.

I only had one day there so spent it relaxing at the beach, enjoying fish and chips and a lava flow cocktail overlooking Waikiki Beach, and eating Leonard’s famous malasadas – it was great to be back, if only for a short while.

November – December: Australia and New Zealand

On the 1st November I landed in Sydney where I spent six nights visiting friends, returning to my favorite haunts from when I lived there, and beach-hopping and hiking. I love visiting Sydney in spring because the jacaranda trees are blooming all over the city and it is so pretty.

From Sydney, I flew home to New Zealand – my first time back in 16 months – which is where I am now.

Toby was meant to be joining me here but we found out his visa was going to take months longer than we originally thought, so we changed our plans around, and I will be spending four weeks here before joining Toby in Asia, visiting friends and family in Auckland , Tauranga, Hamilton, Matakana , and Rotorua. 

Me and my bestie Kurt are also planning to do a little road trip through Taranaki, spending two days hiking the Pouakai Circuit in Egmont National Park, then visiting a friend in Tokoroa, and visiting the stunning Blue Spring in Putaruru.

December – January: Thailand and Laos

We were originally meant to be spending this time traveling around the South Island of New Zealand, but I am excited to return to Thailand to visit one of my last countries in Southeast Asia – Laos.

We start our time in Bangkok at the beginning of December for a week, where I have to get more work done on my teeth. Hopefully, we will also have time to explore more of Bangkok – there are so many things to do in Bangkok !

From there we want to visit Koh Kood, Koh Mak, and Koh Chang, meant to be home to the most beautiful beaches in Thailand, then after a possible return to Bangkok to have stitches cut out, we will fly up to Luang Prabang in Laos, working our way south to Cambodia.

I can’t wait!

January – February: India

India has been on my travel radar for a very long time, and we are finally going there for a month from mid-January!

The plan is to be super tourists and visit Rajasthan , Delhi, Varanasi, and Agra for our first visit, but as we have a whole month I am hoping we can get a bit off the beaten path in this region.

In Rajasthan, we want to take trains between Jaipur, Udaipur, Bundi, Jaisalmer, Jodphur , Pushkar, the Great Thar Desert, and Ranthambore National Park. If you have any other places we have to visit in Rajasthan – please let me know!

My Dad is going to join us for the whole month, and my brother-in-law is planning to meet up with us at some point too. 

February – March: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is another country that I have been wanting to visit for a long time and we are finally making it there! I want to travel all over the country, visiting historic sites, beautiful beaches, tea plantations, and mountain villages.

I am yet to start my real travel planning for Sri Lanka but know a few key places I want to visit including Kandy, Ella, Galle, and Sigiriya.

March: India

As you can get two one-month visas for India pretty easily these days, we thought we would return to celebrate Holi after our time in Sri Lanka for around ten days to two weeks.

I have heard that the Holi celebrations around Goa are pretty great so we will probably explore some of the more chilled beaches there, then head east to Hampi, an ancient village and UNESCO World Heritage site that is full of temples.

March – April: Nepal

Our month to six weeks in Nepal will be all about hiking – well mostly. I want to do at least two weeks of the Annapurna Circuit, if not the full three weeks, which will take us between mountain villages and stunning scenery in the Himalayas. 

I am also interested in doing the Poon Hill hike while we are there, but that will depend on how we are feeling after the Circuit!

Along with hiking the Circuit, I am also looking forward to experiencing chaotic Kathmandu and chilled Pokhara.

May: Hong Kong and Macau

We should be finishing up in Nepal around the end of April or beginning of May and looking to fly back to the US. From what I have seen, a lot of the flights from Kathmandu into the US are through Hong Kong , so depending on the state of affairs there in May, I want to add a one-week stopover there.

While in Hong Kong, I would also like to spend a day or more in Macau but we will see.

So that’s it, our travel plans for the next six months! To say I am excited is an understatement – it already feels good to be back out on the road.

If you are planning your own extended trip, make sure you get travel and health insurance. Safety Wing is my go-to and they are cheap and easy to claim with – it also auto-renews every month unless you turn it off so you don’t have to think about it.

Check out my Travel Wishlists from the past few years for further inspiration:

• My Travel Wishlist For 2024
• My Travel Wishlist For 2023
• My Travel Wishlist For 2022
• My Travel Wishlist For 2021
• My Travel Wishlist For 2020
• My Travel Bucket List for 2019
• My Travel Bucket List for 2018
• My Travel Goals for 2017
• My 2015 Travel Plans Revealed
• Update and my Travel Plans for 2014
• Summer in Alaska Itinerary

6 Comments on Our 6 Month Travel Itinerary: Oceania and Asia

This trip sounds amazing! I’d love to spend six months in this part of the world. Can’t wait to hear about all of your adventures!

Thanks – I am so excited!

Wow, I really envy you your Nepal plans, it looks so beautiful there! I hope you would have an amazing time there (and everywhere else). 🙂

Thanks Lucie – so excited about Nepal!

Happy and safe travels! Glad to see you’re back on the road this winter. I’ve been a lot more circumscribed this year due to moving costs and changing availability of work and things, so I’ll live a little vicariously through you!

Hey Lisa – great to hear from you! Are you still in the UK? Yes I’m excited to be doing a big International trip again 🙂

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International Travel as a Permanent Resident

In general, you will need to present a passport from your country of citizenship or your refugee travel document to travel to a foreign country. In addition, the foreign country may have additional entry/exit requirements (such as a visa). For information on foreign entry and exit requirements, see the Department of State’s website .

If seeking to enter the United States after temporary travel abroad, you will need to present a valid, unexpired “Green Card” (Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card). When arriving at a port of entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer will review your permanent resident card and any other identity documents you present, such as a passport, foreign national I.D. card or U.S. Driver’s License, and determine if you can enter the United States. For information pertaining to entry into the United States, see U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s webpage .

Permanent residents are free to travel outside the United States, and temporary or brief travel usually does not affect your permanent resident status. If it is determined, however, that you did not intend to make the United States your permanent home, you will be found to have abandoned your permanent resident status. A general guide used is whether you have been absent from the United States for more than a year. Abandonment may be found to occur in trips of less than a year where it is believed you did not intend to make the United States your permanent residence. While brief trips abroad generally are not problematic, the officer may consider criteria such as whether your intention was to visit abroad only temporarily, whether you maintained U.S. family and community ties, maintained U.S employment, filed U.S. income taxes as a resident, or otherwise established your intention to return to the United States as your permanent home. Other factors that may be considered include whether you maintained a U.S. mailing address, kept U.S. bank accounts and a valid U.S. driver’s license, own property or run a business in the United States, or any other evidence that supports the temporary nature of your absence.

If you plan on being absent from the United States for longer than a year, it is advisable to first apply for a reentry permit on Form I-131 . Obtaining a reentry permit prior to leaving the United States allows a permanent or conditional permanent resident to apply for admission into the United States during the permit’s validity without the need to obtain a returning resident visa from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. Please note that it does not guarantee entry into the United States upon your return as you must first be determined to be admissible; however, it will assist you in establishing your intention to permanently reside in the United States. For more information, see the Travel Documents page.

If you remain outside of the United States for more than 2 years, any reentry permit granted before your departure from the United States will have expired. In this case, it is advisable to consider applying for a returning resident visa (SB-1) at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. An SB-1 applicant will be required to establish eligibility for an immigrant visa and will need a medical exam. There is an exception to this process for the spouse or child of either a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or civilian employee of the U.S. Government stationed abroad on official orders. For more information on obtaining a returning resident visa, see the Department of State’s webpage on returning resident visas .

Additionally, absences from the United States of six months or more may disrupt the continuous residency required for naturalization. If your absence is one year or longer and you wish to preserve your continuous residency in the United States for naturalization purposes, you may file an Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes on Form N-470. For more information, please see the Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements page.

If you lose your Green Card or reentry permit or it is stolen or destroyed while you are abroad, you may need to file a Form I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation) . This carrier documentation will allow an airline or other transportation carrier to board a lawful permanent resident bound for the United States without the carrier being penalized. For more information, please see the Form I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation) page.

More Information

• Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants (PDF, 3.57 MB)
• How Do I Get a Reentry Permit? (PDF, 667.32 KB)
• I-131, Application for Travel Document
• I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card

Other USCIS Links

• Green Card Resources
• How Do I Help My Relative Become a Lawful Permanent Resident? (PDF, 577.38 KB)
• How Do I Renew or Replace My Permanent Resident Card? (PDF, 550.19 KB)
• "How Do I" Guides for Permanent Residents

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The Six Month Validity Rule for U.S. Passports

Home » Passports » How to Obtain a U.S. Passport

Many countries now require international visitors to have a specific amount of validity remaining on their passports before allowing entry or issuing a visa. Some require as little as 3 months validity , but 6 months has increasingly become the norm. Should you try to board a plane, train, boat, or cross a border with a passport that will expire within the validity window, you will be turned away.

As a result, you may never get to use the full ten years of your passport due to the long list of countries that require passports be valid for six months beyond the travel date for entry. It is kind of like purchasing a year-long gym membership and never getting to use the last few months before you have to renew.

Click for reliable expedited passport courier service .

The rule's origins are the subject of much speculation, but the six-month validity rule provides several key benefits for countries:

• Most countries offer six-month terms for many of their visas. Ensuring the passport will outlast the visa's expiration date helps avoid logistical hurdles both during and at the conclusion of a visitor's stay.
• It reduces the likelihood that unforeseen circumstances like illness or accident could delay your departure beyond the term of your visa.
• It allows countries to be sure that if they need to deport you, they are able to do so without delay as you will have enough passport validity to ensure you can cross borders without incident.
• It reduces the number of people renewing passports at overseas consulates - saving governments time and money.
• Early passport renewals are a way to generate additional funds.

When it comes to entry requirements, each country makes its own rules. As a result, there are certainly outliers. It is crucial to know what these requirements are for each country you plan to travel to and through on your journeys abroad. If you are unsure, you can always double check the information by directly contacting each country's embassy .

Some countries set the three month or six month validity rule from your entry date, some set it for your exit date, so it is important to know each country's rules. Having a passport that is valid five months and twenty-two days beyond your travel date will get you turned away at the boarding gate if six months is required - the rules are that strict.

There are some cases where multiple countries come together to provide a more unified set of entry requirements. For example, all of the European countries that are part of the Schengen Agreement require three months passport validity beyond travel dates.

Top 5 Questions About Expedited Passport Couriers

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You: “I Want to Work Abroad for a Few Months!” Us: Here’s How

Aaron is a Project Integration Manager at an international technology company, currently working ...

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The first time you begin to plan a move abroad, you quickly realize there are some big questions to consider. How long do I want to work abroad? What types of work can I do abroad? And what should I know before I go? 

Don't leave your short term work abroad goals as a pipe dream.

But, don’t stress! We’ve got you covered. We put together a few things to keep in mind before you leave, a quick look at the pros and cons of one, three, and six months working abroad, as well as a few awesome short term work abroad programs.

Essential to-do's before you leave for short term work abroad

Moving abroad is as exciting as it is hectic. With the swirling emotions of goodbyes, planes to catch, and a looming new life to start, it can be easy to make silly mistakes. To help keep your transition as carefree as possible, here are a few things to add to your checklist: 

Get the Proper Visa

Don’t get stuck at your gate without the proper visa for your final destination! Scrambling to contact a visa agency, trying to pay over the phone, and battling language barriers as your plan is pulling away from the gate is a horrible experience.

Keep on spinning until you find your next destination!

Before you leave, double and triple check the latest visa information for your destination country. People, especially those travelling internationally the first time, are unaware that in many countries visa laws can change quickly with the local and regional politics. Contacting a US Embassy or a reputable local visa company are good ways to make sure you don’t get stranded. 

[ Here is all of the expert information you need to get a visa to anywhere ]

Get setup with a wi-fi messenger.

Vibr, Whatsapp, and WeChat are all wifi chat apps that allow you to send texts, make video calls and send voice messages to anyone in the world over wifi for free . I suggest downloading your chosen messenger app before leaving; no one wants their first experience in their new home to be spent frantically trying to download an app or finding a local SIM card. These apps will quickly become your lifeline both locally at to loved ones back one, so knock this one off your to-do list before you leave.  

Setup a Method for Sending Money Back Home

Trying to conduct banking from abroad is a total pain. Assuming you are planning on bringing some money back home when you are done working, make sure you have a way to legally transfer your paycheck either directly into your US account or that a wire transfer is possible. Don’t be forced to leave money behind due to poor planning. WorldRemit can help you with this —and your first 3 times sending money abroad will be free!

Figure Out How Long You're Going to Stay

This seems like an obvious question, but it often catches people by surprise. The types of locations, programs, and job opportunities available to you can greatly differ based on how long you are interested in working abroad. Not to mention your experience abroad will be totally different between staying one month and six months. 

Which is for you? Below are some of the pros and cons of working one month, three months and six months abroad.  

You’ve got a passport and you’re not afraid to use it!

[ We’ll match you with short term work abroad! ]

Work abroad for a month.

What if you want to give living overseas a try, but you aren’t ready to make a long-term commitment just yet? For this, we suggest you work abroad for a month. These programs are fantastic for dipping a toe in the working-abroad waters without the fear of having made a big gamble on a long-term commitment. 

• Great Test Run: Finding work abroad for a month is a great way to try working abroad without the pressure of a year long commitment.
• Minimal Life Disruption: No need for tearful goodbyes, you will be coming back to friends and family in no time! 4
• Enjoy the Honeymoon Phase: With only a month, there is not enough time for homesickness, it is all just fun, fun, fun!
• Not a Full Experience: Living abroad for only a month means you are packing up to leave before you are forced to overcome some of the challenges that come with living abroad long-term.
• Cultural Integration: A month is not enough time to really integrate with local culture, learn the language or make local friends
• Job Quality: Because you won’t be there for long, you will only be able to work in short term paid work abroad. 

Recommended one month work abroad programs

• Work as a Global Service Adventure Guide in Costa Rica for GoBeyond Student Travel | Visit Their Site

Work abroad for 3 months

My dad would call this a “tweener.” Not the flash in the pan of a a month stint abroad, but not the all-in risk of six months, three months has some of the pros (and cons) of both working 1 month and 6 months abroad. Three months may mean better work opportunities outside of short term paid work abroad and a more immersive cultural experience, but without weighty life choices that can come with leaving for 6 months.  

• Greater Sense of Being “Gone”: Finding work abroad for 3 months gives a much greater sense of really leaving home, rather than just going for an extended vacation
• Time to Settle: 3 months is just enough time to begin to get comfortable in your new city.
• More Immersive: You could learn a fair amount if the local language, experience several local holidays, and make true friends in 3 months. 
• Leaving Just as You Get Settled: After you work abroad for 3 months, you will likely be settling in nicely, adapting to the local cultural, and beginning to feel that you belong. And it is right at that time that you will be preparing to leave.  
• Should I Stay or Should I Go?: You won’t be back too soon, but you also won’t be gone that long. Thinking especially about romantic relationships, this can be an awkward amount of time to navigate.

Recommended 3 months work abroad programs

• We Are Sno Ski Instructor Training Course and Paid Job | Visit Their Site
• Medicine & Healthcare in Tanzania with Projects Abroad | Visit Their Site

Your passport and heart are screaming to be stamped.

Working abroad for 6 months

Work overseas for 6 months, wow! That is a good chunk of time. In contrast to just a month, working abroad for six months will be more like really living abroad. You will experience more of the ebbs and flows of working abroad, more of the challenges, more independence (and loneliness) and more personal growth opportunities that one to three months. Here are some pros and cons of 6 month jobs abroad:

• Wider Range of Experiences: Working abroad for six months will give you more time to more deeply experience the local culture, make local friends, etc
• Greater Networking: If you end up wanting to stay longer, you will have had more time to make local professional connections and possibly turn six-months into...as long as you want!
• Learn the Language: Taking work overseas for 6 months is plenty of time to learn the local language which potentially holds a lot of professional value.  
• Life Disruption: Preparing for a 6-month job abroad can mean quitting current jobs, ending romantic relationships and selling possessions. Working abroad for six months abroad will definitely change life back home. 
• Miss Out Back Home: During a 6-month job abroad, babies are born, people get married, and people pass away. Taking opportunities to live and work abroad may mean missing some big life events back home. 
• Home May Not Be the Same: Life keeps moving back home after you leave. By the time you return from working overseas for 6 months, people and places may not feel the same as they did when you get back

Recommended 6 months work abroad programs:

• Move to Berlin - Berliner Kickstarter | Visit Their Site
• Get Paid to Teach English Abroad with ITA | Visit Their Site

Make it rain international currencies

Next steps to short term work abroad

“Okay, I want to work abroad for a few months!” you say. That is great! If you are excited about the idea of working abroad and itching for the next steps to find opportunities to live and work abroad, you will find some awesome GoAbroad resource to check out below:

• Need some one-on-one time with an expert? Have a chat with one of our online advisors
• Compare programs and keep track of the ones you like with MyGoAbroad
• Check out our article Why Work Abroad? 9 Legit Reasons
• Check out our article 6 Bad@%$ Work Abroad Programs for Grown-@%$ Adults

As you begin your research, don’t forget to take things one step at a time. The process can feel a bit overwhelming, but keeping in mind that it is just a long series of baby steps can help things in perspective. It should be exciting after all! 

Opportunities to live and work abroad are abundant. With the right preparation and good advice, your time abroad (no matter how long) can be incredibly exciting and rewarding. But such a big move deserves your respect; putting in the right thought and effort before leaving can be the difference between oodles of fun and a bit of a trainwreck.

Find short term paid work abroad

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Europe Trip – 6 Months, 16 Countries, 55 Cities, 11 Languages

At A Glance

• 55 cities,
• 16 countries.

That’s one third of the 44 countries in Europe.

• And 8% of the world, out of the 195 countries in the world.

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55  cities,, 16  countries., and  8% of the world, out of the 195 countries in the world..

And that’s the number of places I’ve covered in 6 months while travelling around Europe from January to June 2015.

Equipped with my Europe packing list , I set off to Europe for the first time, and I’ve discovered a world far bigger than I’ve imagined.

You can find some of the Europe trip itineraries from the cities I’ve been to below in that 6 months in Europe. This is especially useful if you’re looking to travel Europe on a budget .

In chronological order, I’ve been to:

• Zaanse Schans
• Trouville-Deauville
• Georgensmünd
• Cinque Terre
• Vatican City

You may find links accompanying each of the destinations I’ve been to. They contain my personal experience while spending the 6 months in Europe, as well as some handy tips for making the most of your experience there.

Planning a trip to Europe needn’t be stressful or overwhelming. You can start with this list of 50+ Europe travel tips that teaches you the best way to travel Europe. The cheapest way to travel Europe is by budget airlines, buses and trains.

Europe is a cluster of countries that are relatively close by, so travelling between cities and countries are less arduous than countries like USA or Canada where the land area is massive!

This page will be continuously updated with up to date links, so keep checking back!

If you have further queries regarding the destinations I’ve been/ how to budget, feel free to ask me !

‘Til then, au revoir !

Neglecting to broaden their view has kept some people doing one thing all their lives. – Napolean Hill

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Isabel Leong

Full-time travel blogger at Bel Around The World and SEO coach roaming the world at a whim, Isabel helps aspiring content creators and brands get the most out of their online presence by attracting organic leads/traffic and achieving financial freedom with her Skyrocket With SEO course. She's closely involved in and has been featured as a speaker in other travel & digital nomad networks & podcasts such as Traverse, Travel Massive, The Nomadic Network and Location Indie.

Hi! I'm Isabel, a full-time traveller and digital nomad from Singapore. In the past 10 years, I've lived in New Zealand , Japan , Kauai Hawaii , Mexico , Costa Rica and Bali . Pulling from my own world travel adventures and blogging lessons, I share my tried and tested tips, so that I can get YOU to work LESS and play MORE!

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Bel28 is a sunday in Singapore.

This looks awesome, what a great trip 🙂 Which one was your favourite ?

It’s hard to say – each gave me a very special experience. I loved the mountains in Switzerland, the plains in the Cotswolds, the hot air balloon in Turkey, the cosmpolitan Amsterdam and the tarts in Portugal! Have you been to these places? 🙂

Wow! That is really amazing….traveling the world, meeting people, learning cultures, marveling nature as well as man-made architectural wonders…this is what great life is made of.

Yes I can’t agree more! Everyone should take the time to do that once in a while- to truly LIVE.

wow this is amazing!

Yeah when I look back and see how far I’ve gone, I amaze myself too.

Yes I am sure!! amazing!

Thanks a lot Lynz 🙂

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Hi, do you have the itinerary for your travels? It’s quite difficult planning how to get to places and which places to go next! 🙁 Thanks in advance!

Hi Pee Jay,

Thanks for popping by!

Where exactly are you looking at? I might have depending on which destinations you’re going to! 🙂

Hi Isabel, most of the countries which you have visited are in the Schengen region (except UK).How did you manage to stay in the regions for 6 months? According to the travel rule, traveller only can stay in Schengen region for 90 days out of 180. Kindly advise

Hi Edison, Thanks for your query! I was on a student exchange that’s why. 🙂

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As a Brit I am slightly biased, but please return and see more of the country! Especially Devon and Cornwall; Pembrokeshire; and the some of the cities and national parks up north such as the lake district and Yorkshire dales. Scotland would be its own trip entirely !

Granted a lot of what I would show people would involve a lot of coastal walks and hikes up mountains which isn’t everyone’s thing.

What an excellent guide and list. Thanks for sharing!

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Six Months Passport Validity Rule

What is the six-month passport validity rule? When traveling overseas, most people know that a valid United States passport is required to enter an international destination. But, what is unknown to the traveler is that some countries would need to have enough six-month validity on their passport to travel to the country known as the six-month validity passport rule for visitors .  Therefore, if your passport expires within the next six months or, in some cases, three months, some countries will refuse to give you entry into the country.

Hence, this rule is in place so that if the unexpected visitor needs to stay for up to six months, his/her passport would be valid to leave the country.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is the Six Month Passport Validity Rule?

The 6 Month Validity Rule is imposed by foreign countries and not by the United States of America. It means that your passport should be valid for more than six months before you can enter a foreign country that imposes the six-month rule. This rule is imposed by some of the countries we have listed below. This rule is prevalent in the Asian continent, such as China and Hong Kong.

Which Countries Require Six Months on Passport?

When visiting another country, remember that the six-month rule is enforced by countries outside the US, not by the US. Hence, it’s important to know the rules when entering or leaving to avoid any issues.

Countries That Require a 3-Month Passport Rule?

Which countries need you to have a passport that is valid for three months or more? As a traveler, it’s important to know the requirements for international travel. One important factor to consider is the validity of your passport. While most countries require a passport to be valid for at least six months, there are some that have a 3 months passport rule.

Other Countries with Passport Validity Requirements

U.s. citizens entering u.s. with a passport expiring in 6 months.

The six-month validity requirement does NOT apply to an American citizen using a U.S. passport to enter the United States or Canada. He/she may do so up until the date of expiration of the passport.

Even though many countries implemented the six-month validity rule, other restrictions are enforced to enter these countries. Some require a passport to have one clean page per stamp or at least one available sheet. Also, a visa is a requirement to enter some countries. Be aware of this significant document because without it, when it is required, you will not be allowed to board your flight or enter the country you plan to visit.

Having a passport with plenty of validity before travel is best and wise. Also, it is necessary to know some laws of the country you plan to visit to avoid any mishaps or know what to do when you are there.

Get an Expedited Passport in As Little as 24 Hours!

Looking to travel in 30 days? And need to replace your passport, renew passport or get a new passport. U.S. Passport Help Guide provides all passport expediting services with passport services starting as low $199.00

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Home » Blog » Travel Abroad Affects N-400 Citizenship Eligibility

Travel Abroad Affects N-400 Citizenship Eligibility

November 2, 2021 Citizenship Travel Documents

When applying for U.S. citizenship via naturalization, English and civics tests get much of the attention. But permanent residents often do not understand how travel abroad can affect their eligibility for naturalization.

Two related but separate requirements, continuous residence and physical presence, must be satisfied for one to be eligible to file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization . Excessive travel abroad can adversely affect eligibility. Excessive travel can include one long trip or the accumulation of several trips over the period that precedes your admission as a U.S. citizen.

Continuous Residence

Continuous residence means that the applicant has maintained residence within the United States for a specified period of time. An applicant must have continuous residence in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for at least 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing N-400, Application for Naturalization . The continuous residence requirement is adjusted to 3 years for an applicant filing as a permanent resident married to a U.S. citizen. For certain military applicants, immigration law completely waives the requirement.

The purpose of the continuous residence requirement is to establish the applicant’s genuine intent to integrate with American society and not just take advantage of the benefits of U.S. citizenship. USCIS wants to know that the applicant truly wants to become a citizen. The continuous residence requirement helps the applicant demonstrate that he or she has begun to integrate with American community and intends to stay in the U.S. long term. So how long can one be absent from the United States?

Disrupting the Continuous Residence Requirement

In general, the following guidelines apply for permanent residents who are traveling abroad:

• A trip abroad that is less than 6 months will not disrupt continuous residence.
• A trip abroad of 6-12 months will likely disrupt continuous residence.
• A trip abroad 12 months or longer will disrupt continuous residence.

USCIS officers are also well aware of the games some people play. They will examine all of the trips taken during the 5 years that precede the filing of the application. USCIS will notice if the applicant has taken multiple trips which appear calculated to take less than six months. (For example, the applicant travels abroad for 5 months and 15 days, returns to the U.S. for 10 ten days, then leaves again for another 5 months.) The USCIS officer may consider the two separate trips as one long trip of more than 10 months.

RECOMMENDED: Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements

Physical Presence

Physical presence means that the applicant has been physically present within the United States for a specified period of time. A permanent resident must have 30 months of physical presence in the United States over the 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing N-400, Application for Naturalization. The physical presence requirement is reduced to 18 months for permanent residents married to a U.S. citizen (over a 3-year period). And again the requirement may be waived for certain applicants who have served the U.S. government.

Unlike continuous residence, physical presence is a cumulative requirement. When calculating physical presence, the permanent resident must combine each day that he or she was inside the United States. If a permanent resident spends more time abroad than in the United States, it raises concerns that the U.S. may not be his or her true home.

Calculate Continuous Residence & Physical Presence

An N-400 applicant can determine time as a permanent resident by reviewing his or her green card. You can find the date that permanent residence status began on the green card next to “Resident Since.” Calculate this manually or start CitizenPath’s N-400 Eligibility Quiz .

Note: If you came to the United States as a refugee, your permanent residence date will be backdated to the day you arrived in the U.S. If you were initially in asylum status, it will be backdated one year.

USCIS will count the day that an applicant departs from the United States and the day he or she returns as days of physical presence within the United States for naturalization purposes.

Travel as a Permanent Resident

Immigration law allows lawful permanent residents to travel abroad freely and re-enter the United States with a valid green card. But extensive travel may affect permanent resident status as well as eligibility for U.S. citizenship.

As a rule, permanent residents should not travel outside the United States for periods of six months or more. When a permanent resident spends significant time outside the United States, it may give rise to the notion that he/she has abandoned his/her permanent resident status.

Travel Under Six Months

A permanent resident may generally leave the United States and re-enter less than six months later without any issues. To re-enter he or she must provide valid proof of permanent resident status. Most people may use a valid, unexpired permanent resident card (green card) for re-entry. File Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card , to renew a green card that will expire in six months or less.

Travel Longer Than Six Months But Less Than a Year

If an applicant is absent from the United States for a period of more than six months, but less than one year, there will be a presumption that he or she has disrupted continuous resident. This includes any absence that takes place prior to filing the naturalization application or between filing and the applicant’s admission to citizenship. The applicant will have to demonstrate proof of residence. In other words, the person will have to show that he/she did not abandon residence in the U.S. and that the U.S. is the primary place of residence. Although many applicants have done this on their own, we recommend that you seek the support and advice of an immigration attorney that can help you document your case. Examples of evidence may include, but are not limited to documents that show the applicant:

• Did not terminate his or her employment in the United States or obtain employment while abroad.
• Had immediate family who remained in the United States.
• Retained full access to his or her United States residence.

Travel Longer Than One Year

An absence from the United States for a period of one year or more during the period for which continuous residence is required will break the continuous residence requirement. Again, the applicable period includes time prior to and after filing the naturalization application.

What’s more, if a permanent resident stays outside the U.S. for one year or longer without securing a reentry permit , the government may try to revoke the person’s permanent residence.

A naturalization applicant who is required to establish continuous residence for at least five years and whose application for naturalization is denied due to an absence of one year or longer, may apply for naturalization four years and one day after returning to the United States to resume permanent residence. (An applicant who is subject to the three-year continuous residence requirement may apply two years and one day after returning to the United States to resume permanent residence.)

Most attorneys prefer that their clients do not travel abroad once the applicant has filed Form N-400. However, it is possible. If you would like to travel outside the United States during the naturalization process or if you plan to travel abroad for a period of six months are more, please speak to an experienced immigration attorney that can explain the ramifications.

Travel Abroad After Filing Form N-400

Many naturalization applicants want to know if it’s permissible to travel abroad after filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The simple answer is “yes,” but there are several considerations. First, you continue to be a permanent resident and have the right to travel outside the United States, even after filing Form N-400. But your absence from the U.S. still has the potential to interfere with your eligibility and the application process.

The continuous residence requirement is still in effect. You must have resided continuously in the United States after your permanent residence admission for at least five years prior to filing the naturalization application and up to the time of naturalization . (For an applicant applying on the basis of three years of permanent residence while married to a U.S. citizen, the same is true. The continuous residence requirement counts up to the time of naturalization.) Therefore, the trip should be short and certainly less than six months in duration.

USCIS Appointments

Another consideration when traveling abroad after filing Form N-400 is the obligation to attend mandatory USCIS appointments. For most candidates, there will be three key appointments: the biometric appointment , the naturalization interview, and the oath ceremony. While you may typically reschedule these appointments, make every attempt to attend the appointment as scheduled. Missing an appointment and failure to address the absence can lead to a denial of your application. We provide an approximate N-400 time line that outlines the steps after filing Form N-400. However, USCIS schedules these appointments and may deviate from the estimated time line.

Exceptions to Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements

There are special provisions in the law that exempt members of the U.S. armed forces, certain business travelers, religious workers, government employees, and researchers for a U.S. research agency, from the continuous residence requirement. This allows certain individuals to maintain eligibility for U.S. citizenship despite travel abroad for long periods.

Such applicants must file a Form N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes . You must meet the following criteria to qualify for Form N-470:

• The applicant must have been physically present in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for an uninterrupted period of at least one year prior to working abroad.
• The application may be filed either before or after the applicant’s employment begins, but before the applicant has been abroad for a continuous period of one year.

In addition, the applicant must have been employed:

• With or under contract with the U.S. government or an American institution of research recognized as such by the Attorney General;
• By an American firm or corporation engaged in the development of U.S. foreign trade and commerce, or a subsidiary thereof if more than 50 percent of its stock is owned by an American firm or corporation; or
• By a public international organization of which the United States is a member by a treaty or statute and by which the applicant was not employed until after becoming a lawful permanent resident.

If you believe that you may meet these criteria, contact an experienced immigration attorney to discuss your options.

About CitizenPath

CitizenPath provides simple, affordable, step-by-step guidance through USCIS immigration applications. Individuals, attorneys and non-profits use the service on desktop or mobile device to prepare immigration forms accurately, avoiding costly delays. CitizenPath allows users to try the service for free and provides a 100% money-back guarantee that USCIS will approve the application or petition. We provide support for Green Card Renewal (Form I-90) , the Citizenship Application (Form N-400) , and several other immigration forms .

Note to Reader: This post was originally published on March 10, 2015, and has been modified with improvements.

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Full-Time Travel: How Much Does It Actually Cost to Travel the World?

This post may contain affiliate links. This just means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you for helping them promote their product or service. I don’t endorse any services I don’t personally use or recommend.

Due to our least favorite world traveler, COVID-19, no one is going anywhere at the moment. HOWEVER, this is a great time to plan for future trips, and depending on your financial situation start saving for your dream trip. So, how much does it actually cost to travel the world?

Less than it costs to pay rent in America. Seriously.

We do A LOT of advocating for budget travel and have often proclaimed that it’s possible to travel the world for $50 a day or less. And we aren’t the only backpackers/bloggers making this claim. We decided to put our money where our mouth is on our most recent adventure.

A one-way ticket to Asia. Our plan was for a year–maybe two– depending on how our daily budget faired. Unfortunately, the microbial world had other plans.

Although our long-term trip came to a screeching halt with the onslaught of this global pandemic, we still managed to travel for 6-months throughout Asia. And we plan to return abroad the day travel bans are lifted.

But after 6 months of logging our every expense, we have the hard numbers to help you determine just how much it costs to travel long-term.

This post will be continuously updated once we continue our trip abroad. So stay tuned.

How Much Does it Cost Two People to Travel the World for 6 Months?

We lumped our funds together and set off with the goal of spending $55 per day- everything included . Flights, accommodation, food, and all the fun stuff in between. 182 days abroad &…

Our Grand Total was $9,277.37

This means we spent less than $5,000 per person. And as for our daily budget…we crushed it. Our average daily budget was just $50.97 as a couple.

You may be wondering ‘ Why is Malaysia so expensive ?’. And due to a small hiccup on our end, we had to buy another round-trip flight back to Sumatra to retrieve Evan’s laptop. Whoopsies. In actuality, our Malaysia costs would have been $61 a day had it not been for those multiple flights. Mistakes happen.

Budget Breakdown

$50 a day seems like a teensy-tiny budget. But we could have spent less. Thanks to my handy-dandy TripCoin app it’s really easy to see exactly where that money went.

Financial-Friendly Tip : If you’re planning a trip, I cannot recommend TripCoin enough. Even if you’re not sticking to a strict budget, it’s proven you’ll spend less just by recording exactly where your money goes.

Our Average Accommodation Cost: $11.66

Our Average Meal Cost: $3.92

That average meal cost is also taking into account the random times we decided to eat at nicer restaurants and treat ourselves. ( It does not, however , include alcohol) . & about 80% of our lodgings provided breakfast.

That adds up to an average of $19.50 spent on food & a place to sleep every day. The other $30 per day was spent on alcohol, activities, trains, flights, souvenirs, and replacement clothes.

Day to day we were probably spending around $30-35. But a few bigger ticket items in each country add up. ( & of course the few mishaps like getting $150 stolen from our bungalow in Pai, Thailand & forgetting our laptop at airport security. )

Our Travel Hacks

So, how much does it cost to travel the world? That’s kinda up to you. These are the travel tips and hacks we used to travel cheaply and save money every step of the way.

Stay in Guesthouses . Or CouchSurf.

Cheap accommodation is key. You’ll likely spend very little time in your room so don’t waste your daily budget on a place to sleep. We tried Couchsurfing in Sumatra & loved it. You sleep for free in a local’s spare room ( or couch depending on the place ) & often you get an additional insight into the city. Our host took us to an amazing dinner spot we never would have found otherwise and gave us a little tour around the city.

Booking.com is where we find our cheapest guesthouses & accommodation.

Prioritize your needs..

After about a week, we decided we didn’t need to pay extra for A/C anymore. A fan in most countries is more than sufficient. That saves you a bundle when booking rooms. The same goes for transport–we opted for the cheaper 3rd class seats on trains if the ride was 12-hours or less.

Travel Slowly .

Take a ferry, bus, or train instead of a flight. When your traveling long-term time isn’t as much of a concern. You’ll save loads and get to watch the scenery pass by from the window seat. Just be sure to download some good podcasts first.

Eat the Street Food. Or at the very least at local restaurants.

Don’t be afraid. I’ve never gotten food poisoning from street food. It’s cheap, authentic, and so damn delicious. Also, eat local cuisine, avoid any foreign or westernized restaurants.

Clarification: I have gotten food poisoning a number of times. Just never from street food. You can read all about our travel mistakes and mishaps here .

Learn Local Transportation. As frustrating as it may be.

Buses & trains should become your best friend. Take the subway. Ride the Skyrail. Don’t just jump into the nearest Tuk-Tuk or Taxi because they are often 10x the price.

Arrange Your Own Transport.

Buy your bus or train tickets at the station. Rent yourself a motorbike. Hostels and guesthouses will offer to arrange these kinds of things for you but convenience comes with a higher price tag.

Take the Long Route.

Certain activities (especially hikes) can be DIY. Don’t always gravitate toward the planned excursions. We saved nearly $40 by taking the long route to Mount Bromo in Indonesia instead of opting for the jeep trek.

Find Freebies where you can.

Many guesthouses offer free breakfast and many cities have free walking tours. Some guesthouses even offer free train station pick-up. Do a little research and you’ll save loads.

Make Friends.

Splitting the cost of a private room or transport to your next activity definitely lightens your financial burden. Safari jeeps, Angkor Wat tuk-tuk tours, basically anything charging by the vehicle–it pays to have friends.

Travel Light.

Carry-on only . This lets you opt for the super-saver fares on flights. Outside of the US and Europe airlines are a lot more lenient on the weight/size of your carry-on. But the lighter you travel the less likely you’ll ever need to pay for that checked baggage.

Buy a LifeStraw Water Bottle .

Water adds up. & bottled water is horrendous for the planet. You’ll have to purchase bottles of water almost everywhere you go in the world & just having a LifeStraw filter bottle saved us $500 on this trip alone.

Where We Traveled

We traveled to 9 different South Asian countries. But utilizing the tips outlined above this travel budget can be applied almost everywhere in the world. From South & Central America to the tropical islands of the Pacific to the crisp fall colors of Eastern Europe–the vast majority of the world can be seen for $55 a day.

Big Ticket Items

Flights. Obviously, getting to the other side of the world is a huge expense. We managed to find tickets for $360 apiece to Bali with a 3-day layover in Singapore. Check out my tips for scoring cheap flights .

Excursions. Trekking to find wild Orangutans in the jungles of Sumatra. Visiting an ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Embarking on a 12-hour safari in Wilpattu National Park in search of elusive wild leopards. (Spoiler: we found them.) Visiting Angkor Wat & Borobudur temple complexes. Whale watching in Mirissa, Sri Lanka.

Pre-Trip Expenses

I did not include our travel insurance and the cost of tossing all of our belongings into a storage unit in the overall trip budget. I wrote a huge guide on how to save money for long term-travel that includes all my pre-trip recommendations.

We found the cheapest storage unit we could find. $30 a month for a year sitting right on the border of the United States and Tijuana, Mexico.

As for travel insurance, this was the first trip I decided to bite the bullet and get it. Thankfully, we did. Because a nasty bout of food poisoning near killed me in India. All drama aside, I did have to be hospitalized 3 times for the one stubborn food-borne illness and thankfully I was fully reimbursed.

WorldNomads is the top of the line adventure travel insurance that will cover you even if you maim yourself base-jumping into a tank of great white sharks. ( Maybe not quite that literally. ) We went with the cheaper and more conservative coverage of SevenCorners . It cost us $650 for coverage for the two of us.

I highly recommend checking out Travel Insurance Master to browse insurance companies to find the best deal. Their website is super easy to use and has cheaper companies like SevenCorners. Check them out here .

For more info on trip planning and budget hacks on how to save money to travel the world, I wrote a big beautiful guide on all things travel hacking.

How You Can Do Better

A large expense of ours was alcohol. We enjoy a beer or 10 on beach days and craft cocktails with dinner. As bartenders, trying cocktails from around the world is important to us. I’m not going to do the math on how much we spent on alcohol…just for my own sanity.

That’s honestly the only expense from our trip that seems a bit lavish. I would never recommend you cut spending on activities because that’s the whole reason you’re traveling in the first place.

Cost of Living in the US

I probably don’t need to outline how much it costs you to live in your home country BUT, for the sake of comparison, I’m going to anyway.

My monthly Los Angeles Expenses:

• Electricity/Internet: $35
• Car Insurance: $112
• Phone Bill: $40
• MONTHLY TOTAL: $1,012

This doesn’t even begin to cover expenses like groceries, gas, and having any kind of social life.

While traveling my TOTAL monthly expenses were $773.11 vs. $1,012 in basic living expenses back home.

Travel isn’t as expensive as we are made to think. If you have a burning curiosity to see the world and the drive to make it happen—money isn’t what is standing in your way.

If you need help planning your next trip abroad feel free to reach out ( I’m more than happy to help ) or check out my guide on how to plan a long term adventure abroad ( coming soon ).

Looking for other Trip Planning Resources?

• How to Finance Long-Term Travel & Make Your Dream Trip Cheaper.
• Your Guide to Scoring a Cheap Flight For Any Destination.
• How to Avoid Getting Scammed in South-East Asia.

Further Reading...

Health and Safety Abroad: How to Stay Healthy While Traveling

What It’s Really Like Staying in Hostels (For Travelers 25 & Older)

5 Savvy Money-Saving Tips to Save You Hundreds Abroad

This is a great article, so helpful! What one can also do is save up on ATM and bank fees. Save up on ATM side of the fees with apps like ATM Fee Saver – it gives a list of atms in many countries that do not charge any fees to foreign card holders or have much lower fees than others along with withdrawal limits. quite a life saviour. worth adding to your list of tricks! And also a get fee free cards while travelling.

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Your Complete Guide to Climbing Adam's Peak: The 12,000 Step Stairway to Heaven in Sri Lanka

Sri lanka's best beaches: which one is right for you, beyond_the_bucketlist.

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International Travel with a 6-Month Old Baby Tips and Tricks

Once my son turned six months old, we decided to do two big trips with him – one to Mexico and one to Japan . The destinations couldn’t have been more different, nor could the trip experiences. For one we mostly lounged on the beach, and for the other we hit 4 different cities traveling on public transportation the whole way.

We learned a lot from those experiences. Here’s everything you should know before traveling internationally with your six month old:

Get a Passport and Potentially Global Entry

No matter how young they are, yes, your baby does need their own passport . If you have Global Entry and want to use the expedited line, you will also need take to get your baby their own Global Entry prior to the trip! Although TSA pre-check extends to children, everybody has to have their own global entry regardless of age. Keep in mind these are US rules. Your country may have different ones depending on where you’re from.

To get the passport, I recommend taking your own passport photos , then making an appointment either at a post office or an expedited passport agency, filling out all of the paperwork, and then waiting for the passport to arrive. Keep in mind you will need the birth certificate first. Depending on which state you live in, there could be a delay in obtaining a copy.

Since we wanted to travel by the time my son was 5 1/2 months, we made sure to pay extra to expedite the passport. If your trip takes place even sooner, consider using a passport agency for a quick turnaround. Unfortunately they only exist in major cities. Find out more about passports here and Global Entry here .

Leave Extra Time for Everything

We arrive at the airport much earlier now than we ever did before having a baby. The first step is ordering an Uber and quickly installing the car seat before we go and taking it out once we get to the airport. From there, check in usually takes a bit longer because babies are required to have a printed boarding pass , and we usually have baggage to check.

Unless your baby is exclusively breast-fed, chances are you will have some baby food along with you whether you’re traveling with formula , expressed milk, or any combination of the two. Your baby might also already be on solids, in which case you might have baby food. All of this is allowed by TSA, but you’ll need to leave extra time as they’ll perform extra checks on the liquids over 3oz. Read more about TSA with a baby here .

Once at the airport, you’ll probably need time to change the baby and potentially do a feed before boarding. Look for a family bathroom to easily take care of everyone’s needs at once. Most US airports also have Mamava lactation pods for breastfeeding or pumping, or nurseries.

If you’re mainly pumping like I was, I highly recommend bringing portable/wearable pumps along. I can’t imagine exclusively pumping without them! Here’s the pump I used.

What to Bring (and How to Pack Light)

It seems like the younger the baby is, the more things they need. Still, when we traveled to Japan , we had to pack light and could only bring what the two of us could feasibly carry through Japan’s train and metro stations. That meant one large bag, a couple of backpacks, and a large purse for the three of us to share.

This is my minimalist packing list . No matter what, I’d bring:

• Plenty of very absorbent diapers. There’s really no contest when it comes to the best brand to prevent leaks – Coterie .
• Multiple changes of clothes for the carry on.
• A comfortable carrier for the airport. This is the one I tend to use and this is my partner’s favorite.
• More than enough food for baby.
• Small toys. We love the ones from our Lovevery subscription .
• A nice, big diaper bag that will fit everything.

Most airlines will allow you to check a stroller and car seat as hold luggage at no cost. Diaper bags usually do not count against carry-on allowance, either. You can also gate check your car seat and stroller, though be prepared for extra checks at security.

How to Survive the Flight

Flying can be the most nerve-racking part of international travel for a lot of parents. Nobody wants to be the one with the screaming baby on board. Plus, how do you keep them entertained for 13+ hours? Thankfully I’ve found that at 6 months, babies are pretty easy to travel with. They’re usually not crawling yet, so lap sitting is less of a big deal. Here’s what to consider:

• Babies usually do not fly free internationally, even if they are sitting on your lap! They usually cost 10% of the adult fare.
• If you’re able to get in the front row, you can sometimes reserve a bassinet ahead of time. Call your airline to inquire.
• We usually fly coach with our little one, but we have flown business class our baby as well. If you have the miles or funds, this makes tummy time and sleep easier.
• Breast, bottle or binkie at takeoff and landing to help with their ears. This is key for a happy baby!
• Try to maintain nap times and wake windows as usual.
• Bring small toys or books to keep baby engaged during wake times. So far we have completely avoided screen time.
• Airplane bathrooms have changing tables. Bring a portable changing mat for airport and airplane changes.

Also, if your baby cries, it’s OK. It bothered me the first time it happened, but then I stopped caring. Sometimes babies cry, and they are a part of society. They’re allowed to fly like the rest of us! Plus, I’m never going to see any of those strangers again.

Dealing with Jet Lag

One of my biggest fears about traveling internationally with my baby was dealing with jet lag. To be honest, baby sleep on vacation is rarely as good as at home. When traveling to Mexico, we were two time zones ahead, so we just kept my baby’s normal schedule and shifted everything two hours later – I didn’t mind sleeping in! But Japan was 16 hours ahead, so we had no choice but to adjust.

Our flight out took place in the afternoon, so we kept our usual nap time and by the time we landed, it was nighttime in Japan so we went straight to bed. When our baby woke up early or in the middle of the night, we just kept things quiet, dark, and fed and rocked him back to sleep. For the most part, he adjusted better than I usually do! Within a few days, we were on Japan time.

Back at home was a little rougher. I traveled to over 60 countries before having my son, and I have always struggled more with going east than west. The same was true for our baby. Our flight back home was an overnight flight, so we slept on board, but since we landed at night due to the time change, it was tougher to get to sleep and adjust back to Pacific time. Still, he did better than I did and was back on his normal sleep schedule within four days.

Baby Sleep Abroad

How can you practice safe sleep abroad and how should you handle naps and bedtime? Every baby is different. Some of them will nap just fine in a baby carrier or stroller , others need darkness and to be kept to a schedule. Some are somewhere in between.

For our trip to San Pancho, Mexico, we decided to stay in the same vacation rental for the week with our only transit being to and from the airport. It had two bedrooms and its own the kitchen and living room, which made eating, sleeping, and nap time easy. We didn’t have any set schedule or goals other than to chill out and enjoy ourselves. Maintaining nap time and bedtime was easy in this scenario.

We brought along his portable bassinet since the rental didn’t have one. If you’ll all be in one room, consider bringing a Slumberpod as well to create a dark sleep space without having to go lights out at 7pm for everyone.

Our trip to Japan was a different story. We didn’t have space to bring a bassinet. He mostly had his naps in the baby carrier and would sleep on the floor beds offered by our accommodation at night. We only found one hotel crib for him out of the four places we stayed. He certainly did not sleep as well that trip as he normally would, but it was worth it to travel together as a family.

You can also consider using local baby gear rental companies abroad to cut down on luggage, or booking accommodation that has baby bedding.

Baby Products Abroad

Depending on how long you’ll be gone, you might want to re-up your baby products abroad. I would Google your destination and see what the options are for baby food, formula (if you’re using a specialized kind, travel with formula from home), diapers, and whatever else you may need. Depending on how small the town is that you are visiting, you may need to make a stop before you get there to get provisions. Since we only went to Mexico for a week, we brought enough with us, but I did see baby food and formula in both large and small grocery stores.

In Japan, we ended up buying diapers locally except for the Coteries we bring from home for overnights. They also had formula and baby food, which I would have happily tried had we run out. Since we do baby-led weaning , we mostly bought his food at grocery stores and fed him in the room or shared what we had at restaurants as long as it didn’t seem salted. Candidly we didn’t worry too much about solids and mostly did breast milk and formula since he was only six months old.

Cleaning and Sanitizing Abroad

Unless you exclusively breastfeed, you’re going to need to wash baby bottles and potentially pacifiers and teethers abroad. I always bring our portable bottle washing station as well as these microwave steam clean bags. They are tiny and can be used up to 20 times. It feels like the ultimate parenting hack, though it does require a microwave.

In Japan the tap water is potable and rooms almost always come with hot water kettles. In Mexico, our rental had a home water filter and UV system. If you’re worried about the cleanliness of the water, boil it first if you can. You can also bring your own water filtration system to clean the water before using. I prefer this to using bottled whenever possible to reduce plastic waste, though we did use bottled water for his formula in Mexico.

Adjusting Schedules and Expectations

When I traveled without a baby previously, I could pack so much into my day. I would often wake up for sunrise or photograph the stars. These are two of my passions but I have yet to do either one on a trip with my baby. Traveling with a six month old is different.

Adjust your expectations for how many things you are going to do in a day. You are probably not going to cross as much off of your bucket list. Your baby is going to need to sleep, it’s going to take more time to get out the door because you need to make sure the baby is fed, the diaper bag is packed, the diapers changed, etc. This is something that was hard for me to adjust to at first.

But with the right understanding of the difference of traveling with a baby – putting their needs first – it’s a rewarding experience. I loved how people interacted with our son in Japan, and it was so beautiful going to the beach with him for the first time in Mexico. You’re not losing out on experiences, you are exchanging them for new ones.

All of that said, it’s easier to plan and take a trip where you have just one destination and aren’t going to be moving. But although our Japan trip with major transit days was a lot more involved, I still enjoyed it immensely.

Ground Transportation

Research what type of transportation you’ll be using ahead of time and discern whether you need to bring a car seat or can travel without one .

Can you rent at your destination? Are you mostly taking public transport and won’t need one? We brought one to Mexico for the ride to and from the airport, but did not bring one to Japan, and I am so glad that we did it that way each time! It all comes down to what you’ll encounter abroad, and that’s location-dependent.

When it comes down to it, traveling with your baby is going to be different than traveling without. But we found traveling with a six month old to be the perfect age. They are alert enough to take in their surroundings, usually aren’t yet crawling and are therefore easier to contain, can be interactive with people but don’t usually have stranger danger yet, and since they are only beginning solids, feeding is a bit easier.

I’m so thankful for the family trips we took and I’m glad that nobody scared us out of traveling internationally with our six month old. Enjoy your journey – you got this!

*Some links in this post are affiliate links that support our site at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products that we use and love ourselves.

Kristin is the founder of Parenthood Adventures, combining her love of travel and newfound joy of motherhood. She's the creator of one of the most-read women's travel blogs in the world, bemytravelmuse.com, with a readership in the millions each year.

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Work abroad to enhance your CV by gaining unique experience on your gap year or career break. Showing future employers that you have not only lived overseas but committed to a paid job will set you ahead of everybody else. Most of our paid work programmes run for 3-6 months. Some people even choose to work abroad for a year in multiple jobs. By working overseas and earning money, you can fund further travelling and experience what the world has to offer. If you are stuck for gap year ideas and the thought of volunteering for an extended period of time leaves you feeling anxious, a paid work programme overseas could be just what you are looking for to give you that financial security. Want paid work in the conservation sector? Oyster have teamed up with our friends at  Conservation Careers  who support people to find paid work in conservation following study or a career change. You can add their fantastic and flexible course to your volunteering trip with Oyster. Your Oyster experience will help add interest to your conservation resume as an eye catching addition to your job applications in future. The Conservation Career Kick-Starter: Start your career in wildlife conservation with our unique programme of training, support community & jobs.

Paid horse work, training and Sydney tour in Australia

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Up to 13 nights orientation available and 12months job support.

• For full support opt for the horsemanship plus 8 day welcome package and job set up in Sydney .
• If you are in country or have your work admin ready to go, no problem! Take the fast track 8 night programme on the horsemanship course and job to follow.

This is a unique equine experience for paid work abroad found nowhere else. A once in a lifetime opportunity for those passionate about horses. Receive a high level of teaching from our very qualified team, who will ‘Australianize’ your existing horse skills and set you up with a professional, paid job in the Australian equine industry.

Price from: £1860

Price Guide

Dates: Shorter programme arrives in Brisbane for 3 days prior to course. Sydney arrival includes 8 days tourist week and bonus city work membership.

Eligibility: From reciprocal countries eligible for a 417 or 462 visa. Driving licence required. Horse ability: intermediate to advanced.

Age : 18-35

Whistler, Blackcomb Ski Instructor Jobs, Courses & Training

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Qualify as a CSIA Level 1 ski instructor in Whistler Blackcomb and join a world-renowned ski school, teaching children how to ski for the season. You get a job and staff accommodation for the whole season and get to enjoy the breath-taking scenery  and diverse cultural scene of Whistler Village.

This is the perfect opportunity to spend every day on some of the best slopes in the world suitable for all skill levels. While others typically require a Level 2 CSIA qualification to apply for Whistler Blackcomb positions, with Oyster, you’ll leap straight into an instructor role as a freshly qualified CSIA Level 1 graduate!

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Includes CSIA Level 1 exam and training from Level 4 instructors, plus accommodation costs for the first 3 weeks (duration of the course).

The season runs from mid-November until mid-April each season.

Return flights from London can be added for an additional £900.

Austria Ski Instructor Course With Guaranteed Job

Join our 4 or 6 week Anwarter ski instructor course in Austria and have a guaranteed job for the rest of the season.

Our course is based in Kaprun, Zell am See, and you could then work anywhere in Austria as an instructor.

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Prices based on self-catered shared accommodation.

Get in contact for more information and options.

Train and teach English in Vietnam

• Teach English Abroad

Head to dynamic Vietnam – a country rising in popularity with the traveling community. Take part in cultural and sightseeing activities, gain a TESOL qualification and then teach in Vietnam for up to a year!

Price from: £1895

£1895 for the 120 hour TESOL course and paid teaching job

If you already have a 120 hour TESOL or TEFL, you can join the cultural orientation week and then get a paid teaching job straight away for £1295

Paid work and orientation tour in Auckland, New Zealand

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Discover the North Island’s finest offerings on an unforgettable stain Auckland and a 3-day Bay of Islands Adventure. Witness dolphins and marine wonders, explore the iconic Hole in the Rock on Motukokako Island, and unwind at the serene Otehei Bay and Paihia Beaches. Our Auckland team stands ready to assist, from facilitating essential tasks like setting up bank accounts, tax file numbers, and SIM cards to providing insightful presentations on job hunting. With 12 months of ongoing support for paid work and abundant guidance for your travel endeavours, your journey promises not only employment opportunities but also countless moments of joy and exploration.

Price from: £995

A full orientation week and support with jobs for up to one year.

Starts every Thursday.

Whistler Ski Season Jobs

Experience the buzz of working in the heart of a busy snow school as a member of support staff for Whistler Kids, or as part of the mountain operations team. Depending on your experience, we have a variety of roles available. Choose from being a kitchen assistant, preparing meals for the students and instructors; work as a den master, or as an Outdoor Ranger supervising the outdoor play facilities.

Whether it’s your first time seeing snow or you were born on the slopes, joining our team means discovering (or re-discovering!) a passion for the outdoors while building lifelong connections with teammates and guests from around the world.

Price from: £2195

Hospitality Jobs in Whistler With Accommodation

Front of House Experience : Work in one of Whistler Blackcomb’s most prestigious hotels or spas for a whole winter season. The work is tough but the pay is good and the days off are awesome! If you have hotel or hospitality work experience, use your skills to work in Whistler. All of the jobs are in Whistler Village and everything is within walking distance of the ski lifts. On days off, getting up on the mountain is a must!

Back of House Experience : This year we are also opening up the Chef and Kitchen team opportunities – if you have experience working in kitchens, or have just finished working in a culinary specific qualification or internship, you can join the teams at the one of the best 5* resorts in North America.

Join us in Whistler’s top hotels and spas for an amazing kitchen adventure! Picture yourself cooking up a storm in the heart of this famous ski spot. From creating tasty menus to working behind the scenes, you’ll be part of the action. Get ready for a thrilling ski season where your kitchen skills meet snow-filled fun. This is your chance to level up your cooking game with a big-name brand while enjoying the mountain buzz. Come join our team for a tasty journey that’s as exciting as it gets!

The season runs from late-November until mid-May each season.

Gain a TESOL and teach English in Thailand

Head to Hua Hin or Chiang Mai in Thailand and gain an internationally accredited 120 hour TESOL/TEFL qualification which can be used to teach abroad. Want to live and teach in Thailand? Use your qualification to gain a job in a reputable school and experience life living the beautiful ‘Land of Smiles’.

Paid work and orientation tour in Sydney, Australia

Sunny Sydney is the place to live and work for up to a year (or extend for two or three on the amazing work scheme…) Following a fantastic 7 day orientation programme including local attractions, get support in setting up your admin and find paid work with membership to an exclusive online job database! *OPTIONS TO START IN MELBOURNE AND PERTH ALSO AVAILABLE*

Available for a minimum of 3 months and up to one year.

Banff Ski Season Jobs

Earn money working full-time in a hotel in the resort town of Banff. Expect an entry level position, such as housekeeping. There are certainly worse places to do this job, on a tough day at work, you can look out of the window and see the awesome Rocky Mountains. On your days off, you can be hitting the slopes!

The season runs from late-November until late-May each season.

Return flights from London can be added for an additional cost.

Banff Summer Hospitality Jobs

Spend your summer living and working in the popular resort town of Banff in Alberta. You’ll be in the heart of all the action that Banff National Park has to offer. Make the most of your days off with all of the hiking, biking and water sports that are available. How are you going to afford this for a summer season? This is where the guaranteed job comes in!

The season runs from late-May until early-September each summer. Longer stays are possible.

Paid Farm Work in Australia

Experience life as a jackeroo or jillaroo by completing an introductory farm work in Australia course in the vast and beautiful outback. Learn to ride dirt bikes and horses, muster and work with cattle, pick up fencing skills, use chainsaws and operate tractors. Oh, and did we mention you are guaranteed a paid job at the end of the programme?

Price from: £2199

Oyster’s Outback farm Programme includes 4 days in Brisbane, a full 5 day agricultural training programme with food and accommodation and up to a year’s worth of jobs.

Start any Thursday of the year except the 4 weeks over the Christmas/ Wet season period.

Why work abroad?

Why not combine travelling with one of our working abroad programs? This is a great way to experience what a country and culture is all about by living and working as a local. Oyster offers a variety of paid work abroad opportunities in different locations around the world.

Our paid working gap year programs include teaching abroad in Thailand or China and gaining a TESOL qualification. We can help you gain a hospitality or city job in either Canada, Australia or New Zealand or help you to become a paid ski or snowboard instructor in one of the worlds’ top ski resorts. For the outdoorsy types, we offer amazing rural farm work and horse work opportunities in the Australian Outback.

The benefits to our live and work abroad programs means you can earn money to finance your tourist and travelling activities. This may mean utilising the amazing surroundings and pursuits in the area you are living, or saving it for expeditions further a field such as getting involved in marine conservation or animal welfare projects.

All these experiences will aid in making your CV look more interesting and desirable to future employers and universities by showing off your paid work abroad experience. Gap year work abroad helps demonstrate that you have the maturity and independence to live away from home and that you can commit to a job or a course. Whilst immersing yourself in a new culture, you may even develop skills in learning a new language.  Don’t forget, you will make loads of life long friends from all over the world!

Oyster Worldwide can help you when it comes to looking for jobs abroad and in some cases assist with organising holiday visas. To help keep costs down even further, some employers include food and accommodation when you work abroad.

If you are not convinced yet, check out our top 5 reasons for working abroad . We have over 15 work abroad programs for young adults.

Learn more about how we select employers to work with on our paid work policy page.

Want paid work in the conservation sector? Oyster have teamed up with our friends at  Conservation Careers   who support people to find paid work in conservation following study or a career change. You can add their fantastic and flexible course to your volunteering trip with Oyster. Your Oyster experience will help add interest to your conservation resume as an eye catching addition to your job applications in future.

The Conservation Career Kick-Starter: Start your career in wildlife conservation with our unique programme of training, support community & jobs.

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12 tips on how to travel internationally with a baby

Traveling with an infant is already an adventure -- and traveling abroad with one is an even bigger feat to tackle.

Knowing the rules, researching and prepping ahead of time and packing the right things can make (or break) your first international trip with a baby. If you're in the know, you can take advantage of all the options afforded to traveling families, from bassinets on the plane and security shortcuts to special infant fares and other perks.

Covering everything from booking and documents to travel insurance and even jet lag, this guide provides everything you need to prepare for an international trip with your baby.

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Get your baby's passport

Before you get too far into planning a trip abroad, you'll need to get your baby's first passport .

While you're at it, make sure everyone else in the family has a valid passport, too. Remember, U.S. passports for children under 16 expire after five years, not 10 years like adult passports. Also, make sure everyone's passport isn't nearing expiration. Many countries require three or six months of validity to enter, which effectively means that child passports are really only valid for 4 1/2 years, which go quickly.

When getting a passport for your baby , here are the main steps to follow:

• Get their birth certificate.
• Find out where to apply.
• Make an appointment. You'll need to go in person and bring your baby with you.
• Take their passport photo. It can be difficult to get a photo of your baby. Rules for photos state that the child/baby should be looking directly at the camera with a natural smile or neutral look. If you can manage to get the baby's eyes to stay open, that's typically enough for their first passport photo. The background should be white and the size 2 by 2 inches with no filters. Within that size, your baby/child's head needs to be 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. If you're struggling to get everything just right, the ItsEasy App can help you crop and size your photo to the correct dimensions.
• Gather the paperwork. Fill out Form DS-11 and take your baby's birth certificate plus photocopies of each document. Bring a couple of photos, a valid ID for each parent, a photocopy of parental IDs and the fee (you can pay by check). Fees are currently $100 for the passport and $35 for processing.
• Attend the appointment in person with both parents present . If only one parent can go, fill out and bring parental consent form DS-3053 plus a copy.

Get your baby Global Entry

If you already have Global Entry , you won't be able to use the service as a family if your little ones don't have it. So, get a start on your baby's application. Or, if this is something your whole family wants to do, apply simultaneously, making expiration dates and renewals easier to complete for everyone at the same time.

Do note that with TSA PreCheck , kids 12 and under won't need to have their own number to accompany parents through these special security lanes -- but that's not true for Global Entry, which you use to return to the U.S.

Check with your doctor

Check with your pediatrician to see when your baby can start flying.

To give you an idea, TPG talked to Dr. Jenny Yu , medical director at Healthline , to find out when it's typically safe for babies to travel. "While babies typically develop their immune system around 1 month, most pediatricians would recommend waiting until 3 to 6 months for travel," she said. For premature babies, it might be a little longer.

Also, with international travel, it's important to factor in any additional vaccines they might need, especially if you're traveling to emerging countries. Start by checking with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for recommendations on which vaccines both adults and babies should get, then talk with your pediatrician to see what is best for your family, baby and travel situation.

Other important questions to ask your doctor should be if your baby can wear sunblock or mosquito repellent and how to keep your baby and your whole family safe from tropical or waterborne diseases, COVID-19 and any other possible infections, which can depend highly on your destination.

Pick the right destination

Whether it's a far-flung visit to Asia, a trip to visit family in Europe, a Caribbean escape or an African safari, you can travel anywhere with a baby as long as you and your family feel comfortable doing so. Choose a destination that makes you feel joy, not anxiety or stress at the thought of getting there and enjoying it with your baby.

Consider things like the activities you want to do, and if the destination is a place that feels welcoming for families. Also think about logistics, like the language barrier, climate and local transportation, when deciding if that particular destination is right for your family.

Book tickets

Depending on how old your baby is, you have some options when flying abroad with them. Here are a few to consider:

• Lap infant: If your baby is under 2 years old, they don't need their own seat. They can instead sit on the lap of a ticketed adult. For international travel, some airlines charge 10% to 30% of the adult ticket price or just the taxes and fees for a lap infant, and some airlines don't charge anything at all. This table shows the costs by airline to buy your baby a lap ticket. Make sure to check on luggage policies when traveling with a lap infant. Most airlines allow for a stroller and car seat checked free of charge. You may also be able to check or carry on additional baggage, too, but more on that later.
• Bassinet for lap infant: Many airlines have bassinet options, especially aboard larger aircraft that fly internationally. See if you can select this option while booking or call the airline for more information on securing a bassinet. Bassinets are usually free, but given to those who request them first. Ask for one right after booking to ensure you'll be assigned a seat with one when available. In most cases, bassinet weight limits max out at 20 to 24 pounds, so they're best for smaller babies and newborns.
• Extra seat with car seat or restraint for babies 2 years and up: If your baby is older than 2 years, you must pay for their seat. Many airlines have discounted tickets for children. If the child weighs more than 44 pounds, they won't need any additional restraint system within their own seat. If they weigh less than 44 pounds, see the information on a certified child restraint or car seat below.
• Additional seat with car seat or restraint for babies under 2: If your baby is less than 2 years old, you can still book them their own seat. In fact, the Federal Aviation Administration suggests that children under 44 pounds wear an FAA-approved harness (such as the CARES harness ) or certified child restraint to help keep them safe during turbulence, takeoff and landing. Make sure to check your car seat to see if there is an FAA-approved sticker on it.

It's worth noting that car seat, bassinet and harness options and policies vary wildly by airline and class of service. For more information on these policies by airline, read this article on 23 airline car seat and bassinet policies around the world .

Note that when booking seats for your family on an international flight, there are areas where kids and babies are not allowed to sit, like exit rows. Malaysia Airlines doesn't allow babies in its first-class cabins on A380 and 747 aircraft. Some international airlines such as AirAsia, Scoot and IndiGo also have kid-free and quiet zones where families with babies and children under a certain age (usually 10 or 12) aren't allowed to sit.

Additionally, if your baby is closer to 2 years old, you might want to compare the price of a lap ticket to the price of getting them their own seat. Sometimes, the price difference may not be that much, and it could make the flight more comfortable for the entire family.

Organize documents, including visas and COVID-19 forms

Passports aren't the only documents you'll need for international travel these days. Check to see if you and your baby need a visa to enter whatever country you're visiting. If you're traveling without your partner, look into completing a Child Consent Form.

Have proof of vaccines, complete any health forms and entry forms and take those COVID-19 tests if required to enter the country. Be clear on if your baby or children need to wear masks during the flight and plan accordingly. While babies 2 and up need to wear masks on board U.S. airlines, international airlines have different rules. For example, Iberia only requires children 6 and up to wear masks. Presently, British Airways has made masking up for all passengers a "personal choice" when not required by international law. We expect these rules to continue to rapidly evolve.

It's worth checking what documents you need for the trip when booking and again before traveling to ensure that you have everything you need as rules and regulations frequently change, especially in this era of pandemic travel .

Understand luggage rules

Different airlines have varying rules for how much luggage you can take when traveling abroad, especially when traveling with lap infants or children/babies occupying their own seats. Most airlines allow you to check a stroller and/or car seat. Many also offer additional checked luggage, as well as a carry-on bag or item for the baby.

For example, British Airways allows both lap infants and children ages 2 and up to have a carry-on item and a checked bag in most cases, giving parents a little flexibility when bringing along all those key items babies need . Cathay Pacific allows lap infants two additional bags at 10 kilograms each when flying between most destinations.

If you aren't clear on the luggage rules, call the airline before traveling to confirm so you won't get stuck with any surprises or have to pay additional fees.

Know the rules for breast milk and formula

Thanks to the Friendly Airports for Mothers Improvement Act, all large- and medium-size airports in the U.S. now provide lockable, non-bathroom places to pump or nurse babies in every terminal and at least one men's and one women's restroom with changing tables in each terminal. This may not be the case abroad, so if you're concerned, research your destination airport to see what options are provided when it comes to these services.

You shouldn't have any issues flying with breast milk or formula on your outbound trip from the U.S. , as regular Transportation Security Administration liquid regulations don't apply to these special liquids. According to the TSA , "reasonable quantities" of these liquids are allowed, but you must take them out during screening for the security officer to test.

You can look up rules to see what's allowed when returning from your destination. For example, the United Kingdom allows breast milk past security in containers up to 2,000 milliliters. You can also take formula, milk and bottled water for the baby, but the baby must be present. In the European Union , you can take breast milk and formula through security and when flying as long as your baby is traveling with you.

Your airline may also provide clarity on these types of rules. Cathay Pacific, for example, states that breastfeeding is allowed during all phases of the flight, using an electric pump is allowed once electric devices can be switched on and travelers can even bring along suitably packed dry ice to refrigerate expressed milk, assuming it's declared during check-in.

According to some airlines, if you're taking a large breast pump along, this may count as a medical device and not be part of your carry-on allowance, but these regulations often aren't very clear. Contact your airline for more information and print out the rules in case you have any issues during security screening or boarding.

If you're traveling from a very obscure destination within an emerging country and you can't find answers about bringing breast milk, it may be best to have a Plan B in place, such as bringing along enough formula in powder form to last you for the flight or planning to pump or breastfeed in flight.

Should you want to ship your breast milk abroad, options are available for you depending on your destination, such as Maven Milk and Milk Stork .

Book accommodations

When booking accommodations in your destination abroad, take things into account like baby necessities, baby-friendly items, the option to do laundry and the availability to heat, cool and store milk and formula. Choosing a vacation rental instead of a hotel may be the right idea if you need more space, a kitchen and laundry facilities.

If your baby is eating solid foods, make sure there are restaurants or supermarkets nearby where you can get exactly what you need. Doing a little pre-trip research can help you feel confident and comfortable when traveling with your baby regardless of which hotel or home rental you choose to stay in.

Pack strategically

Packing with a baby can seem precarious, but it doesn't have to be. Just make sure you have enough of everything you need to get through the flight, plus a bit extra in case of delays or cancellations. For an exact list of everything you need to pack, see this article on how to pack -- and prepare -- for travel with a baby .

For extra-long flights, try to have everything to help your baby comfortably nap on hand, like a lovey, blanket, pacifier and more. Have changes of clothes on hand for the whole family in case of a messy situation, and enough layers for a plane that may be hot or chilly. A baby carrier can be key, too.

When packing for a trip abroad, the most important items to remember are everyone's passport, visa and key documents, plus anything essential that you know you can't get in another country. Babies live all over the world, so you can easily get items like diapers, wipes, formula and more anywhere. However, you may not find the exact brand you want, or if you're going somewhere rural or far-flung, like on a safari in Africa, you may want to bring enough for your entire trip.

For example, Enfamil, a popular baby formula brand, is found all over Europe and even in the Caribbean and Latin America. However, it may not be available in Africa or Asia, so do your homework.

If you're traveling with items that need to plug in to charge, like a breast pump, baby monitor or nightlight, bring converters if necessary. You can always rent baby items abroad, too, rather than lugging everything along with you. It's possible to preorder diapers and wipes in many destinations, as well.

Strongly consider travel insurance

Things happen. While getting the flu abroad may not be a big deal for an adult, a sick baby can be scary and stressful, especially if you're in a foreign country. Having travel insurance that covers accidents and emergencies -- and COVID-19, too -- can set your mind at ease and save the day if something happens.

Before travel, note where the nearest hospital or health care facilities are, as well as any international hospitals where staff may be more likely to speak English. Know exactly how to use your insurance, like what numbers to call or what to do if a situation arises. Check if any of your credit cards have travel insurance that may cover you and your family if things go awry.

Plan for jet lag

Jet lag stinks. Jet lag with a baby might be even worse. There are things you can do to make jet lag a little less stressful, though, especially when traveling abroad to very different time zones.

First, give yourselves a few days to adjust, planning big events later in the trip. Limit your baby's naps when possible. If your baby takes a five-hour nap, they definitely won't be sleeping through the night.

Shift mealtimes, naptimes and bedtimes to the new time zone as quickly as possible, getting daylight during the day and darkness at night, so internal clocks begin to adjust for the whole family. If the time zone difference is small, you may want to keep your baby on the original time zone to minimize disruption, especially for a shorter trip.

For more tips on combating jet lag with a baby in tow, read this guide on surviving jet lag with your baby .

Bottom line

Planning and taking an international trip with a baby can be simple and create memories for a lifetime if you prepare just right. With a little bit of extra research, you'll be armed with everything you need to know, do and bring to make your trip abroad smooth and hassle-free.

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Top questions about passports.

• How do I check my application status ?
• When should I renew my passport ?
• I’m a dual citizen. Do I need my Canadian passport to return to Canada ?
• Can I renew my passport instead of applying for a new one ?
• What should I do if my passport is lost, damaged or stolen ?
• How do I open your application forms ?

See more questions in the Help Centre

Travelling in general

There isn’t a specific answer to this question. This is because each country has its own entry requirements.

Always check the entry and exit requirements for all countries you’re going to visit before making your plans. Then check your passport to see when it expires. This will tell you whether you need to renew your passport yet.

All countries have their own entry requirements. Read the  travel advisories  to view the entry and exit requirements of each country.

Since these requirements can change, you may also check with the  Government of Canada office  of the country you visit.

You shouldn’t travel with a passport that will expire during your trip or shortly after your planned return. To avoid problems while travelling, you should get a new passport before leaving if your passport could expire around or during your travels.

Some countries won’t allow you to enter if your passport expires shortly after your planned return date. To find out more about entry and exit requirements, consult the:

• travel advisories
• Government of Canada office  of the country you will be visiting

You should make all travel arrangements in the name on your passport.

If the names don't match, you may have problems at border crossings or when boarding flights.

Check with the authorities in the destination country to find out if you need any other documents.

Travelling with children

We strongly recommend that your child carry a consent letter if they’re travelling abroad:

• friends or relatives
• only one parent/guardian

For the purposes of the consent letter, a Canadian child is defined as anyone who is under the age of majority (18 or 19, depending on the province or territory of residence).

Learn more about children travelling abroad and get a  sample consent letter at Travel.gc.ca .

Page details

Worldwide travel alert issued ahead of Pride month by State Department

S AN FRANCISCO ( KRON ) — The United States Department of State has taken the unusual step of issuing a worldwide travel warning related to threats against LGBTQI+ persons. The warning advises U.S. citizens traveling overseas to “exercise increased caution.”

The warning was issued “due to the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.”

“The Department of State is aware of the increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violent against LGBTQI+ persons and events,” the warning continues. The warning advises U.S. citizens abroad to stay alert in locations frequented by tourists, “including Pride celebrations and venues frequented by LGBTQI+ persons.”

Friday’s warning follows a similar advisory earlier in the week from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security warning of “foreign terrorist organizations or their supporters potential targeting of LGBTQI+-related events and venues.”

“Foreign terrorist organizations may seek to exploit increased gatherings associated with the upcoming June 2024 Pride Month,” the agencies warned.

In both warnings, agencies did not specify any locations or indicate they were tracking any specific threats.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.

Watch CBS News

State Department issues worldwide alert, warns of violence against LGBTQ community

By Margaret Brennan , Andres Triay , Nicole Sganga , Olivia Gazis , Camilla Schick , Sam Vinograd

May 17, 2024 / 6:11 PM EDT / CBS News

The State Department on Friday issued a worldwide caution security alert, warning of "the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests." 

The threat warning is a result of intelligence citing threats by ISIS against Pride events in parts of Europe, three sources told CBS News. 

The State Department bulletin cites "increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events." The last such global threat warning was issued in October 2023.

Friday's alert follows one from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security last week that warned of the "potential targeting of LGBTQIA+-related events and venues." 

"Foreign terrorist organizations or supporters may seek to exploit increased gatherings associated with the upcoming June 2024 Pride Month," it said. 

June is Pride Month with events and celebrations in much of the Western world, including the U.S. 

While the State Department bulletin is meant for overseas travel, there is concern about a domestic threat from ISIS, two sources told CBS News. 

An unclassified intelligence bulletin obtained by CBS News and dated May 10 says, "Since January 2024, ISIS has successfully conducted external operations in Iran, Russia, and Turkey; called for attacks against the West; and has promised to exact revenge on its enemies, which could include the LGBTQIA+ community."

In May, the Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team — which includes inputs from FBI, DHS and the National Counterterrorism Center — also issued  guidance  on violent extremist attacks, plotting and messaging against the LGBTQIA+ community. That document flagged an incident from October 2023 in which a user of a well-known U.S. video game company who publicly swore allegiance to Hamas and ISIS posted videos calling for such attacks. The guidance urged greater engagement between the LGBTQIA+ community and public safety officials. 

The last significant ISIS attack was in March in Moscow, Russia. 

"We continue to work with our partners to evaluate the threat environment, provide updates to the American public, and protect our homeland. We urge the public to stay vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activity to their local law enforcement," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement Friday. 

• United States Department of State
• Pride Month
• Domestic Terrorism

Margaret Brennan is the moderator of "Face The Nation with Margaret Brennan." She is also the Network's chief foreign affairs correspondent based in Washington, D.C.

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