Passport

Immediately upon acceptance into the program, you should apply for a Passport, if you don’t already have one. If you do have a valid passport, the expiration date must be no earlier than six months after you expect to return home from your year abroad. A “raised-seal” birth certificate is needed to apply for a passport.  At least one parent should have a valid passport in case of an emergency.

• How to Apply for a Passport in Oregon or Washington

VISA (Not a credit card)

A visa is an official document that allows the bearer to legally enter a foreign country. The visa is usually stamped or glued into the bearer’s passport. There are several different types of visas, each of which affords the bearer different rights in the host country. The requirements for a visa vary by country, and our travel agency and Rotary contacts will be able to guide you through the process of securing a visa.

The Travel Agent will obtain the student VISA that will be required for student entry into their exchange country.  IYWT does not charge an additional fee for the VISA processing but individual countries do.  

• Any VISA processing fees required by the sponsor country will be the responsibility of the student or their family.  
• Some countries also require a personal visit to one of their consulates outside the Portland area.  The USA requires almost all students entering the US on exchange to personally be interviewed by the US Embassy in their country.  This could be over a day’s travel from their homes.  We have been fortunate in the past that this requirement has not been placed on most of our American student VISA applicants, however, this is changing.  If our students are required to present themselves at a foreign embassy or consulate prior to receiving their travel documents, the Travel Agent will notify the family. The cost of travel to visit a consulate is the responsibility of the student or their family.
• Requirements to obtain the VISA will vary from country to country and may include chest X-rays, police reports, document translations, etc.  Please comply with all verbal and written requests from the Travel Agent as soon as they are received. 
• Ensure that your medical records and prescriptions for medication are up to date before you apply for a visa.