Millennials today are constantly pursuing abetter work-life balance.An increasing number of business travelers are combining work with leisure and getting tasks done while being on the move by staying connected 24/7. With the availability of international sim cards for most of the popular countries, traveling abroad on worknow comes with the convenience of keeping in touch with your friends and family instantly. Business travelers usually want to connect with family or colleagues upon arrival at a destination and need to make quick, short internationalcalls without the hassle of buying a local simcard. Here are some additional things to consider when traveling abroad on work.
Traveling with Documentation
To begin with, you need to make sure that your passport is valid for six months after your return date to India and that it willnot expire when you are abroad. Also, ensure that you have the right visa for the countries you are planning and verify if there are any other entry or exit requirements.If you’re traveling to an interesting destination, you may consider taking a short holiday after your work is over. Ensure that you get visa accommodates for this additional time. Make a photocopy of the important pages of your passport and the visa page for your destination and pack them separately from your passport. Also, find out details of the nearest embassy of your country in the foreign destination. Keep the contact details saved on your phone.
Medication
If there are any vaccination requirements you need to make sure that they are up to date.And,if you’re carrying prescription medicines from India, you need to check that the drugs are not illegal in your destination country. It is better to carryextra medicinesas it may not be easy to get a prescription filled abroad. if you do run out, carry photocopies of your prescription from your doctor and make a note of the generic drug names. If you are traveling to a country where the language is a barrier, equip yourself with an international sim card call to your doctor.
Traveling Light!
If you are traveling on work, it’s better to rely solely on your carry-on bag with only the travel essentials. Dress appropriately – avoid white and opt for a neutral navy blue or gray colored suit, with a couple of shirts in different colors, and shoes that match up with your business attire. Pack a pair of casual footwear in case you decide to get out for some sightseeing. Don’t carry too many toiletries since they take up space and can add unnecessary weight to your bag.
Make sure you pack the right electronics for business travel – noise-cancelling headphones, a universal adaptor, a fully charged backup battery power bank, a mobile phone with an international sim card, and a laptop – they should be small, light and ergonomic. A wireless foldable keyboard with a portable stand can transform your smartphone into a tablet that you can easily use on the plane and with the advent of cloud-based storage systems,your work can be more connected and truly mobile.
Traveling with Cash!
The simplest way to carry foreign currency for your expenses abroad is by opting for a prepaid travel forex card that you can load with the currency of your destination country. You could also exchange some of your cash for the local currency before embarking on your trip, and an international debit card will allow you to withdraw money from almost any ATM abroad. A well thought out itinerary accompanied by a well-planned budget can help you accomplish your work objectives and save you money at the same time.
Shopping around for a card with low transaction fees could save you from unnecessary high charges being levied on your international transactions. Carryonly one or at most two credit cards and inform your bank of the countries you will be visiting. You don’t want them to see a suspicious-looking foreign transaction and freeze the card. If your credit card is declined, you may have to contact your credit card company from abroad and confirm that the attempted charges were valid. Often this can lead to phone calls. So, ensure your international sim card has an attractive voice calling rate.
Before you leave for your business trip, find out about the etiquettes in the destination country. It is always a good idea to learn a little about the history and gain familiarity with the social customs and language of the country that you plan to visit. Learning a few simple phrases such as ‘hello’, ‘thank you’ and other frequently used greetings can go a long way towards showing your local counterparts that you are respectful and have come prepared. When you travel abroad for work, you are not just representing yourself, but are also an ambassador for your country.
