Forensic Anthropology Field School

PASSPORTS

You will need a valid passport to travel abroad. For information on applying for a new passport or renewing one that has expired, go to the State Department’s Web site:

www.travel.state.gov/passport

You will need to apply in person if you are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time; if your currently valid U.S. passport has been lost of stolen; if your expired U.S. passport is not in your possession; if your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago; or if your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under 16.

If you need to obtain a passport for the first time, you must go in person to one of 6,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with:

two photographs of yourself;
proof of U.S. citizenship (e.g., an original birth certificate); and
a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.

Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state, and probate courts; post offices; some public libraries; and a number of county and municipal offices. There are several acceptance facilities in Utica including the Oneida County Court House at 800 Park Avenue (8th Floor) and the U.S. Post Office at 100 Pitcher Street.

VACCINATIONS

The Centers for Disease Control (http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/regionEasternEuropeNorthernAsia.aspx) recommend that travelers to Albania and Romania obtain the following vaccinations at least 4-6 weeks before the trip to allow time for the shots to take effect:

Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG);
Hepatitis B, if you might be exposed to blood (e.g., health-care workers), have intimate contact with the local population, stay longer than six months, or be exposed through medical treatment;
Rabies, if you might be exposed to wild or domestic animals through your work or recreation;
Typhoid, for travelers who may eat or drink outside major restaurants and hotels; and
As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles-mumps-rubella, varicella, and a one-time dose of
polio vaccine for adults.

You may obtain these vaccinations at the Oneida County Health Department’s Travel Clinic at 406 Elizabeth Street in Utica. Appointments are necessary; call the clinic at 798-5747.

Travelers’ diarrhea is the most common travel-related ailment. All travelers should bring along an antibiotic and an antidiarrheal drug to be started promptly if significant diarrhea occurs. A quinolone antibiotic is usually prescribed: either ciprofloxacin (Cipro) (PDF) 500 mg twice daily or levofloxacin (Levaquin) (PDF) 500 mg once daily for a total of three days. An antidiarrheal drug such as diphenoxylate (Lomotil) (PDF) or loperamide (Imodium) should be taken as needed.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Important: You must provide your own health insurance. Make sure that it includes overseas coverage or sign up for a one-month rider to cover you while we travel (which is typically inexpensive). You will need to provide us with a copy of a valid insurance card before we leave. We will enroll all participants in the MEDEX emergency flight insurance program as part of your program fee.

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