First Timers when preparing for an overseas trip 2024
Overseas Preparing for a trip is fun, too: choosing a hotel and tour while imagining the local area, packing your favorite shoes and clothes in your suitcase, etc. However, if it’s your first time traveling abroad, you may be very worried about what to bring.
Even if you are used to traveling, you may be unexpectedly busy and not be prepared enough before the trip.
This time, we will introduce you to the preparations for overseas travel, from when to start, what to bring, and procedures you should not forget.
Please use this as a reference when you are thinking about traveling abroad.
When should you start preparing for an overseas trip? We suggest beginning at least 3 months ahead of time.
There are many preparations that need to be made when traveling abroad, so you should start earlier than when traveling within Japan. The main preparations for an overseas trip are listed below, but as long as you start preparing early, you’ll be fine.
- Book a tour or flight/hotel
- Obtaining a passport
- Visa acquisition depending on destination
- Research local tourist information and apply for optional tours if necessary.
- Prepare your suitcases and bags
- Decide what luggage to take
- Joining overseas travel insurance
- Prepare your credit card
- Preparation of communication equipment such as Wi-Fi router rental
- Exchange to local currency
- Confirmation of emergency contact information
- Pack a suitcase or bag
The earliest you need to do this is to book a tour, flight, or hotel. If you don’t book early, your desired seat on the plane or your hotel room may be booked. In particular, there are discounts if you book early, so it is best to book at least three months in advance.
Also, don’t forget to apply for a passport, which usually takes about a week from application to receipt. If you don’t have a credit card, you should also consider the time it will take to apply for it at a credit card company and receive it.
A checklist of things to bring when traveling abroad for beginners, including useful items from 100 yen shops
Things are often different overseas than they are in Japan, so it can be hard to decide what to bring with you. You may not be able to get the same products you can in Japan, and it can be hard to travel if you bring a lot of luggage.
Tips for packing your belongings when traveling abroad
First, prepare a suitcase. When choosing a suitcase, we recommend considering the amount of souvenirs you will bring back home in addition to the luggage you want to take with you.
The key to reducing the weight of your luggage is to choose items that can be packed compactly and that can be used once you arrive at your destination. When packing, try to place the heavier items at the bottom of your suitcase to help keep it balanced. It is a good idea to wrap fragile items in soft materials such as clothing or towels.
In addition, when boarding a plane, there are restrictions on what you can bring on board as carry-on luggage. Recently, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be required to carry disinfectant and antiviral items with you, but you should be careful about bringing these items on board, so be sure to check in advance.
Packing list for overseas trips
We recommend that you write out a list of what you will put in your suitcase. When making the list, prioritizing items such as “essentials,” “things you should bring,” and “other” will help you organize your luggage more easily.
The essentials you should include in your packing list for international travel are your passport, plane ticket, hotel vouchers, credit cards, etc. Don’t forget your regular medications, smartphone and camera batteries, etc.
Check the hotel’s official website or reservation site to see if toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner are provided at the hotel. If you bring shampoo and other items in small bottles, they won’t take up much space.
When choosing clothes, consider the season and the local climate. When you go to a resort, you might think that light clothing is enough, but it’s useful to have something to put on over your clothes in an air-conditioned room or on an airplane. Also, in temples and other places, it may be strictly forbidden to expose too much skin. As you can see, it’s important to choose clothes considering the local conditions.
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Useful items include laundry clips, small detergent packets, eco bags, eye masks, and compression bags, many of which can be found at 100 yen shops.
A to-do list for preparing for an overseas trip, even for first-timers
Besides what you need to bring, there are other things you should prepare before traveling abroad. Make a list of the things listed below and prepare them one by one.
Join overseas travel insurance
Overseas travel insurance is a great way to protect yourself in the unlikely event that something unexpected happens while you’re abroad. It’s common to fall and get injured while sightseeing, or to suddenly become ill. You may also end up flooding the hotel bathroom, or having something stolen.
Medical care can be expensive overseas, so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Overseas Safety Website recommends taking out overseas travel insurance.
Examples of high medical expenses include:
- A person in the United States was hospitalized with myocardial infarction, and his family came from Japan to help him. The medical expenses and the expenses incurred by the rescuers were paid in total of 13,114,449 yen from overseas travel insurance.
Although it is possible to receive partial reimbursement from Japan’s public health insurance after returning home, it is still a significant expense. This is where overseas travel insurance comes in.
Sompo Japan’s overseas travel insurance , “New Overseas Travel Insurance [off!] ,Applications can be submitted online from 45 days before departure up until the day of departure. (Note: For coverage of aircraft delay expenses, you must apply for a specific plan at) least two days before departure). Many customers apply one to two weeks in advance, but it is ideal to enroll with that much time to spare so you don’t have to panic just before your trip.
The new overseas travel insurance package plan [off!] includes the following coverage:
- Treatment costs
- Death from injury/aftereffects
- Death from illness
- Liability
- Rescue costs
- Damage to personal belongings
- Aircraft checked baggage delay expenses
However, if you use a custom-made plan, medical expenses will be covered as the basic coverage, and you can freely design other coverages.
By the way, if you are participating in dangerous sports such as skydiving or hang gliding, you cannot apply for the New Overseas Travel Insurance [off! (OFF)]. In that case, we recommend that you apply for a comprehensive overseas travel insurance at a handling agency.
Prepare a rental Wi-Fi for overseas use
It’s convenient to be able to connect to the Internet anytime, anywhere, so you can get tourist information once you arrive at your destination, or if you get lost in town.
One option is to use the international data communications service provided by your current carrier, but in many cases it may be more cost-effective to rent a Wi-Fi router.
Exchange local currency
Some currencies can only be exchanged locally, but major currencies such as the US dollar and the euro can be exchanged at Japanese banks, airports, specialized currency exchange shops, gift certificate shops, etc.
It is a good idea to research in advance which places have the best exchange rates and fees compared to local currency exchange offices and banks.
There are cases where it is more economical to exchange money locally, but if your flight arrives late, it is convenient to exchange only the amount you will need on the first day in Japan.
Prepare a list of emergency contacts
When you go abroad, there are some emergency contacts you may want to carry with you. For example, you should write down the emergency contact number for your overseas travel insurance in case you suddenly become ill and need to seek medical help.
In addition, it is a good idea to have the customer service number of your credit card company in case you lose your credit card. Also, make sure to keep a record of the contact information of Japanese diplomatic missions overseas (embassies and consulates) in case you are involved in a crime. You should also write down local emergency phone numbers.
Although it is not an emergency contact, you will need to fill out the immigration card on the plane, so it is a good idea to write down the name and phone number of the hotel you will be staying at. Carrying something that identifies the hotel will make it easier to explain your destination when you get in a taxi.
Prepare the necessary documents
The most important thing when traveling abroad is a passport. To get a new passport, prepare the following documents and go to your nearest passport application office.
Documents required for new applications
- General passport application form: These are available at passport application counters. They can also be downloaded from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
- One copy of family register or extract from family register…created within six months prior to the application date.
- A copy of your resident record: This is required if you do not wish to use the Resident Basic Register Network System or if you are applying in a prefecture where you are not registered as a resident. Please check as this differs depending on the prefecture you are applying to.
- One photo: 45mm x 35mm, with no background. Taken within six months prior to application. There are other points to note, so please check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website .
Documents required for renewal
- Ordinary passport application form
- One copy of family register or extract from family register…Not required if there are no changes to name or registered domicile.
- One photo: 45mm x 35mm, with no background. Taken within six months prior to application. There are other points to note, so please check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
- Previously obtained passport
It takes about a week to obtain your passport, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Passport centers are generally closed on Saturdays and holidays, so be sure to apply well in advance.
In addition, if you lose your passport overseas, you will need to go through the procedure at a Japanese diplomatic mission overseas. In addition to a certificate of theft or loss issued by the local police station, you will also need a certified copy of your family register or an extract from your family register and two photographs, so it will be easier to process if you carry a spare copy with you.
For international travel, particularly to Hawaii (USA), an ESTA application is required.
To travel to the United States, including Hawaii, for short-term business or tourism purposes of less than 90 days, you must apply for ESTA. ESTA is the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, and once obtained, it is valid for two years.
Be sure to apply for ESTA at least 72 hours before your travel date. If you apply later than this, you may be unable to confirm that your travel authorization has been granted and may be denied entry to the U.S.
To apply, you will need a passport valid for the period of your stay plus 6 months, a credit card to cover the application fee, and a local contact (hotel, etc.). Applications can be made online.
Other countries and regions also have electronic visas and electronic travel authorization systems, such as the Australian ETA, Canadian eTA, and Sri Lanka ETA. The EU is also planning to introduce a similar system, ETIAS, in 2022 (as of April 2021).
Summary
One of the most important things to consider when preparing for an overseas trip is choosing what to take with you. Decide what to pack while researching the local climate and conditions. It is recommended that you purchase any small items you want to take with you to the local area at a 100 yen shop.
It is also important to enroll in overseas travel insurance, check your communication devices overseas, exchange money into the local currency, and write down emergency contact information. Of course, don’t forget to get a passport and apply for ESTA if you’re going to Hawaii or somewhere similar.
