Passports & Visas

In an effort to ensure Duke employees adhere to the immigration laws of countries they plan to visit when conducting their research, collaborations and teaching, the Office of Global Administrative and Travel Support can assist travelers with their travel documentation. Travel documentation ranges from a basic passport, to an entry and/or exit visa, or for those who plan an extended period abroad and in accordance to the laws of the host country, work and residency permits that grant one permission to live and conduct research or teaching in the host country.

The last decade has seen a significant increase in government’s taking a more proactive approach to monitor foreigners entering their countries. Many have begun requiring visas in advance of arrival at their borders. A visa is a conditional authorization given by a competent authority of a country for a person who is not a citizen of that country to enter its territory and to remain there for a limited duration or for a specific purpose. Visas are usually a stamp endorsed in the traveler's passport booklet. Visas were historically granted by an immigration official on a visitor's arrival at the frontiers of the host country, increasingly travelers today who wish to enter another country must apply in advance for a visa, sometimes in person at a consular office, by mail or online.

To facilitate the purchase of the correct travel documentation to enter another country the policy on Payments Related to Obtaining Travel Documentation was created and issued in April 2015.

For assistance in securing a passport, visa or work/residency permit, please contact Global Administrative and Travel Support to begin the process.

Did you know...

• That once you are within 6-months of the expiration date on your passport, you will not be allowed to board an international flight?
• That U.S. passport holders are no longer permitted to add pages to a passport booklet once VISA pages are used?
• That U.S. passport holders, and many other citizenships, are allowed to have two passports? One primary and a second, limited validity passport, to be used to process for visas required for future travel while the primary passport is being utilized for current travel.

GATS is here to help if you need to renew or wish to apply for a second passport. Please reach out to us today to begin the process.