Summer is here and for many people that means vacation getaways and travel. According to industry experts, nearly 100 million Americans will visit destinations across the United States and abroad. There are many legal issues that can arise when planning and taking trips. Here are some tips to keep you and your loved ones safe when on vacation.

• Protect yourself from travel scams. The Federal Trade Commission has a checklist of things to be aware of when booking summer travel. Recommendations include doing online research of travel companies, hotels, and rentals with key words “scam” and “complaint” included in your search and to ask about extra costs such as resort fees, taxes, and cancellation policies before you pay. Visit the FTC website for more recommendations.
• Make copies of important travel documents. Passports, driver licenses, and other important papers can be lost or stolen during travel. Especially when traveling abroad, the U.S. State Department recommends making two copies of travel related documents in the event of an emergency. One copy should be left with a trusted relative or friend and the other you should carry with you apart from your original documents.
• Prepare Will, Living Will, and Power of Attorney documents. Drafting essential legal forms in advance of your travels can help you and your family to be better prepared for accidents, medical, and other emergencies. Consult an attorney in your local area for assistance. Individuals can also prepare legal forms on their own by downloading state-specific documents online. USLegalForms.com offers a number of Personal Planning Packages with essential legal documents available for immediate download.
• Guard Against Identity Theft – Identity theft increases during the summer and tourists are prime targets for those seeking to steal personal data. To better protect yourself, be mindful of your personal information, currency, and belongs at all times while away from home. Do morning and evening checks to make sure you have your passport, driver’s license, credit cards, monies, and any other personal records on hand. Be careful as well when accessing email and social media accounts from unsecure connections and public WiFi.
• Notify Financial Institutions – Contact your bank and credit card companies in advance if you are traveling far from home and especially if you are traveling internationally to avoid restrictions being placed on your debit and/or credit card accounts. Banks and credit card companies are getting a lot better about detecting suspicious activities which are outside your normal spending patterns, but this will not be helpful if you need to use your accounts on vacation and find they are on hold. Letting financial institutions know about your travels beforehand will prevent problems. At the same time, contact your bank or credit card company immediately if you notice a credit or debit card is lost or stolen to minimize potential unauthorized use.
• Be Aware of International Laws and Foreign Travel Issues – If you are planning to visit a foreign country, it is worthwhile to review the Traveler’s Checklist put out by the U.S. State Department which covers additional topics such as crisis planning, health precautions, money matters, visas, international driving permits, traveling with minors, and more.

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Legal Definitions

United States Department of State

The United States Department of State is the U.S. executive department responsible for international relations of the U.S. It is often referred to as the State Department. It resembles the foreign ministries of other countries. The Department was formed in 1789, and was the first executive department established in the U.S. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Secretary of State heads the department. The secretary is nominated by the U.S. President and confirmed by the senate.

The Department is tasked with the responsibility of operating the diplomatic missions of the U.S. abroad. It is also responsible for implementing the foreign policy of the U.S. and U.S. diplomacy efforts.

For more legal definitions, please visit our free online legal dictionary at http://www.uslegalforms.com/legaldefinitions/.