The Complete International Travel Guide for US Travelers

A travel eSIM is the other way to get data abroad. It's a digital SIM you install at home by scanning a QR code, and it connects to a local network when you land. HelloRoam regional plans keep one eSIM working across borders, so a multi-country trip takes one setup, not a new SIM at every stop.

Passport and entry rules come first for US travelers

Check your passport's expiry date before you book. Schengen countries such as Italy and Portugal want it valid for at least three months beyond your stay. Vietnam requires six months beyond your planned stay, and Peru and Indonesia require six months from the day you arrive. The State Department strongly recommends six months for Thailand.

The table shows the State Department's advisory level and the basic entry rules for eight popular destinations, as of October 15, 2026. Rules change, so read the State Department's country pages before you book.

Portugal, Italy and Greece are all in the Schengen area, which covers 29 European countries. US citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole area without a visa, not 90 days in each country. If you work remotely and want to stay longer, see what Portugal's digital nomad visa requires.

The best places to travel right now sit at advisory Level 1

Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions, is the State Department's lowest advisory. As of October 15, 2026, it covers Portugal, Greece, Poland and Hungary in Europe, and Japan, Thailand and Vietnam in Asia. Most of them let US tourists in for a short trip with no visa, and you can apply for Vietnam's e-visa online.

Italy is Level 2 for terrorism, and France and Spain are Level 2 for terrorism and unrest. USAGov says a Level 2 alert means you should be aware of heightened risk when you travel.

In Latin America, Mexico and Peru are Level 2, with higher levels in some areas, so check the state or region you plan to visit. Colombia is Level 3, Reconsider Travel, because of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and natural disasters.

In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are all Level 3 right now. The safety section below explains why.

International travel costs often leave out phone data and health cover

Flights and hotels are easy to price. Phone data and health cover are the costs people forget. AT&T charges $12 a day for its International Day Pass, plus $6 for each extra line used the same day. Verizon's TravelPass is $12 a day in most countries and $6 a day in Canada and Mexico.

These fees can start before you notice. AT&T's day pass starts its daily fee the first time you use data abroad. Sending a text or making or accepting a call starts it too. Verizon adds TravelPass on its own to Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Welcome lines, and its Unlimited Ultimate plan already includes use abroad.

Smaller brands work differently. Brands like Cricket and Visible use the big carriers' networks, but what MVNO plans include abroad varies by plan.

Check your health cover as well. Medicare usually doesn't cover health care while you're traveling outside the US. Medicare also warns that travel insurance doesn't always include health insurance, so read a policy's conditions before you buy it.

Staying connected while traveling internationally takes three steps

An eSIM (an embedded digital SIM profile stored on your phone's hardware chip, activated via QR code) removes the airport SIM kiosk from the equation entirely. No queuing at a foreign telco counter, no fumbling for local currency before you've cleared customs.

Two of the steps happen at home, and one happens when you land.

Step 1: Check your phone. Apple says iPhone 14 and later models bought in the US can only be activated with an eSIM. On other phones, look for an EID number. On iPhone it's under Settings > General > About, and on Android you can dial *#06#. An EID means the phone has eSIM hardware, and the phone must also be carrier-unlocked. Our list shows which phones support eSIM.

Step 2: Install the eSIM at home. Buy the plan, then scan the QR code on Wi-Fi before you leave. Our iPhone setup guide puts the install at about 5 minutes. The plan's days start only when the eSIM first connects to a local network in your destination. Installing a few days early doesn't use up your plan.

Step 3: Switch your data when you land. Turn on the eSIM line, make it your mobile data line and turn on data roaming for it. If your US line has its own data roaming switch, turn it off, since your home carrier can charge you for roaming on it. Phone stuck on SOS or No Service? Check that data roaming is on for the eSIM line.

Carrier plans can also slow you down. Verizon's $100 International Monthly Plan gives you 20 GB of high-speed data, then drops to 3G speeds. A travel eSIM uses a local network in your destination instead of your US carrier's roaming deal.

HelloRoam has plans for 185+ destinations and 24/7 support, which helps if a connection drops late at night far from home.

Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe are cheap places to travel from the US

A US dollar goes a long way in Southeast Asia. World Bank price data puts everyday consumer prices in Indonesia and Thailand at about 31% and 32% of US levels in 2025. Vietnam was at about 30% in 2024.

Eastern Europe costs much less than Western Europe. Eurostat's 2025 data puts consumer prices at 73.3 in Poland and 77.5 in Hungary, where 100 is the EU average. Germany is at 108.3 and France at 110.3. For the full list, see 12 European countries ranked on Eurostat prices, with entry rules and night trains.

Morocco is another low-cost choice. World Bank data puts its everyday prices at about 42% of US levels in 2025. US tourists need no visa for visits under 90 days, and the State Department rates Morocco Level 2 for terrorism.

Closer to home, the same World Bank data puts everyday prices at about 54% of US levels in Peru and 59% in Mexico in 2025.

For more ideas, see 14 low-cost countries for US travelers.

Safe travel abroad starts with the State Department's four advisory levels

The State Department rates countries on four advisory levels. Level 1 is Exercise Normal Precautions, Level 2 is Exercise Increased Caution, Level 3 is Reconsider Travel and Level 4 is Do Not Travel. As of October 15, 2026, 24 countries and areas sit at Level 4, including Iran, Russia and Ukraine. Our guide explains what each advisory level means for your trip.

The Middle East shows why the details matter. The State Department rates Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan Level 3, Reconsider Travel. All four advisories cite an ongoing threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran since US-Iran hostilities began on February 28, 2026. They also report disruptions to commercial flights.

Check before you book, not after.

Read the whole advisory, not just the number. Some areas carry more risk than the country's overall level, as in Mexico, Peru and Saudi Arabia.

Enroll your trip in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). It's a free State Department service that emails you alerts for your destination. USAGov says STEP also lets the local embassy give you instructions in an emergency and help family reach you. It can speed up getting a temporary passport if yours is lost.

If your plans include hiking, diving or riding a motorbike, check your travel insurance for exclusions before you buy it.