Planning your holiday

If you've never had a passport or need to renew your current passport you'll find all the information you need at the Australian Government's Passport Office website.

Don't leave this until the last minute – it's an essential part of your overseas holiday plan that you need to get right.

Many countries no longer require a visa, while others have strict regulations. Make sure you understand what's required for your destination. Apply for any visa you need well in advance to avoid last-minute headaches. For information on visa requirements you can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

In many countries you won't be able to rent a car unless you have an International Driving Permit (IDP). You can get these permits through the motoring association in your state or territory.

• South Australia
• Queensland
• Victoria
• NSW
• Tasmania
• Western Australian
• Northern Territory

These cards can be purchased before you leave. They can save you money both at home and overseas. Using your mobile on global roaming or hotel phones can often be expensive. You can also purchase prepaid cards in your destination, but make sure to use a reputable supplier.

Once you step off the plane into another country, you’re subject to the laws of that country. Things that are legal in Australia can be illegal elsewhere. Make sure you research the laws and customs of the countries you visit. It could keep you out of jail - or worse.

You also need to respect local customs. Some religions forbid women to show their arms, legs and hair. Others require shoes to be removed before entering a house of worship. In some places a woman is forbidden to breast feed in public.

Travelling with your children can be challenging but also rewarding. Babies are very portable but their health is always an issue to consider. Long journeys with pre-school children can be difficult, and you need to decide on the best timing for your family to embark on what could be an expensive once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Here are some tips for travelling with kids:

• try not to carry more than you need; check if it's possible to hire items such as prams and cots
• take toys and games on the plane or in the car to keep your children occupied. Remember when flying to think of the other passengers. Your son's noisy fire engine may not be the most popular toy on board
• ask for seats at the bulkhead, near the toilets or near an exit. There should be a little more room
• book children’s meals when you book your flight
• book accommodation that is both safe and allows you some privacy such as a family apartment
• select accommodation where you can self-cater, which is cheap and convenient with kids
• use disposable nappies
• check the cost of children's activities at the places you intend to stay (also check their safety record)
• use bottled water
• take a medical kit with items such as thermometers, band aids and baby/child medicines.

Note: The standard of childcare overseas will differ from one country to another. Some have better accreditation standards than others. In some cases the sort of accreditation checks we have in Australia simply don't exist.

• Your documents, tickets, passports, medical letters (you may need a letter from your GP to carry medication across boarders and on planes).
• Recurring bills – before you leave, make sure you arrange to have any regular bills paid.
• Language – try to learn a few basic phrases of the language of the countries you’ll be visiting.
• Jetlag – try and adapt to the new time zone immediately. If you arrive exhausted in the morning and go straight to the hotel and sleep, your body clock can take days to adjust.
• Tax – many countries have a GST or Value Added Tax that’s refundable for tourists when they spend a certain amount of money. Check this at the information counter on arrival, and keep receipts if you can claim a refund on departure.
• Adaptor – if you’re carrying anything that needs electricity, buy an adaptor for the countries you intend to visit.
• Change of clothes – make sure you take a change of clothes or at the very least, fresh socks and undies on the plane. Also carry any essential medications/items in hand luggage.
• Know how to get help – always carry a copy of key contact numbers, such as your hotel, the police and the nearest Australian embassy or consulate.
• Get HINTS – the Federal Government produces a terrific booklet called HINTS for Australian Travelers.
• Anyone home? – don’t forget to cancel your newspapers and mail or arrange for them to be collected. Leave a copy of your itinerary with a friend or family member.
• Register with DFAT – the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recommends you register with them before leaving and leave a copy of your itinerary. This can be done online.

If you're planning to head overseas, either for a short or long period we can help you get organized before you go and stay in touch with your banking while you are away.

An A-Z Review^® - if you’re about to head away you may benefit from a conversation with one of our personal bankers. This could help ensure you have the right arrangements in place while you are away and make sure things are also in order back home. Request an A-Z Review^® at your nearest ANZ branch.

Notify us of your travel - For peace of mind, provide ANZ your overseas travel itinerary using ANZ Internet Banking.  That way, we know when you have used your credit card and other ANZ accounts overseas.  This helps avoid transactions being stopped by ANZ Falcon™ when we detect overseas purchases.

Lodging your travel details is easy to do:

• Simply log onto ANZ Internet Banking
• Select ‘SecureMail’
• Select ‘Create Message’
• Select ‘Inform ANZ of your international travel plans’ and provide us your details.

ANZ Travel Insurance – can protect you from the financial impact of a cancelled trip, lost luggage, theft along with illness and injury. Medical expenses overseas can be financially beyond reach. Ask yourself this, if I can’t afford travel insurance, can I really afford to travel? Find out more about ANZ Travel Insurance.

ANZ Travel Card – a secure and convenient way to access your money while you’re abroad, with no transaction fees on purchases. You can load funds in up to 10 different currencies on a single Prepaid Visa card which is accepted more than 29 million locations worldwide. Find out more about ANZ Travel Card.

ANZ Internet Banking – allows you to manage your banking 24/7 wherever you can get online.

ANZ Access Visa Debit card¹ – allows you to use your own money, online, over the phone or in store anywhere Visa is accepted. Find out more about ANZ Access Visa Debit.

Credit cards² - A flexible payment option while you're travelling. Choose from a range of rewards credit cards and you could earn points for travel purchases. Our platinum credit cards come with many built-in travel benefits such as overseas travel and medical cover. Compare ANZ Credit Cards.

Savings solutions – you may need to save for your holiday. We have savings accounts to suit the way you bank:

• ANZ Progress Saver – pays bonus interest³ if you when you make one deposit of $10 or more in a month and no withdrawals or debits in that month. It also provides branch access.
• ANZ Online Saver – if you would rather bank online then this could be the savings account for you. It pays interest and gives you 24/7 online access to your money⁴ via your linked ANZ account.   You can even name your account after your goal – perhaps you’d like to call it your Holiday account!

ANZ Term Deposits – you may want to place some money in a term deposit to deliver income while you are on the road. The minimum balance is $5,000⁵ and we have terms from three months to five years. Find out more about ANZ Term Deposits.

ANZ GoMoney^tm – use your iPhone⁶ to manage your accounts.  Find out more about ANZ GoMoney^tm.

Personal loans – we could hep you find the money to fund your journey. Find out more about ANZ Personal Loans.