SECTION: TRAVEL;Pg. D-3
LENGTH: 692 words

HEADLINE: Make quick getaways easier

BYLINE: Susan Stellin; Susan Stellin writes for the New York Times News Service.
BODY:

Across the travel industry, companies are responding to consumers' increasing tendency to make last-minute travel plans, with airlines Standard ly offering deals for flights just days away -- often to destinations halfway around the world -- and several online travel agencies specializing in spur-of-the-moment sales.

But there are still a few bureaucratic details that can put a crimp in spontaneous travel plans, especially for those headed overseas. So before you book a last-minute getaway to an exotic destination, make sure passport, visa and immunization requirements fit into your departure time frame. If part of the appeal of a last-minute trip is a low price tag, the cost of expediting some of these services may tip the balance toward a later travel date.

There are plenty of popular destinations that do require visas for U.S. citizens -- among them Brazil, China, Turkey, India, Russia, Vietnam and Kenya. The U.S. Department of State maintains a list of foreign countries' visa requirements at www.travel.state.gov/ foreignentryreqs.html, but it has not been updated since May 2002, so you should double-check with the consular office of the country you are visiting.

How long it takes to get a visa varies by country, but if you live in or near a major city, you can often visit a local consulate to apply in person, but even then plan on a few hours -- or days -- of errands.

Visas

I recently traveled to Brazil on short notice and was surprised when the American Airlines reservation agent told me I would need a visa.

Since I live in Manhattan, I was able to drop off my application at the Brazilian Consulate in midtown and pick it up the following day. But I also had to get a passport photo taken and wait in line at the post office to get a money order for the $100 processing fee, since the consulate does not accept checks, credit cards or cash.

Nor was it cheap. Brazil, like several other countries, recently raised its visa fees for U.S. visitors to match what the United States charges foreigners applying for a visa, now $100, after two price increases last year.

If you do not live near a consular office, getting a foreign visa can be even more time-consuming. Brazil, for example, does not let prospective visitors apply by mail. It can take up to a month (sometimes more).

For those who live far from metropolitan hubs, or are simply pressed for time, various companies that expedite passport applications also handle visa services. ...and American Passport Express (americanpassport.com) are two companies that handle in-person drop-off and pick-up duties. Fees vary but are roughly $75 to $150 (depending on your destination and how quickly the request needs to be processed), which is in addition to the cost of the visa itself.

Passports

Many countries require your passport to be valid six months or longer beyond the return date of your trip.

Immunizations

Bradley A. Connor, founder and director of Travel Health Services, a travel medicine clinic in New York, said that although nearly a quarter of the clinic's patients come in seven days or less before their trip, "We like to have people come in at least a month in advance."

"The reason for that is there are certain vaccines that require multiple doses," he said, citing hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis and rabies as a few examples, while other inoculations, like those for hepatitis A and typhoid, are ideally given 10 days to two weeks before travel.

Travelers can look up recommendations at the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/travel). While some immunizations are only recommended, others are required before you can enter a country -- with the yellow fever vaccine the most common example. "When countries require it, they usually require it 10 days before entering," Connor said.

But he also emphasized that last-minute travelers should not assume they don't have enough time to get recommended immunizations, since certain vaccines can be given in accelerated doses and there is flexibility on recommended lead times.
LOAD-DATE: June 1, 2003