Travel outside of the country can be only with the host family or other authorized/organized group. This always requires the sending family to sign a Parental Permission Form, which AFS-USA staff obtains via the sending country. The participant is responsible for securing a visa if required. All minimum travel criteria and additional criteria listed under Guidelines for On-Program Student Travel need to be met before the trip can be considered.
We request that local AFS volunteers obtain the following information from the participant/host family before reaching out to AFS Staff. Please note the different instructions for Core/CBYX and YES/FLEX students.
- Core and CBYX students: To request a Parental Permission Form for Core and CBYX students, visit the Team widget in your MyAFS Volunteer Portal to find your team's Travel & Logistics staff person (See image at the end of this article) and share the below information:
Participant Full Name:
Participant Confirmed Email:
IOC Country:
Destination(s):
Dates:
Mode(s) of transportation:
Who will be traveling with the student:
Where will the student be staying:
How many days of school will be missed:
Plans to make up missed schoolwork if applicable:
Do the host parents, liaison, and support coordinator approve of this request?
Does the host family agree to comply with AFS sleeping accomodations while traveling policy?
Additional information if an international trip:
Confirmation of multiple-entry visa (should be an “M” under “Entries” on the visa):
Confirmation of visa validity past travel dates(Visa exp date):
- For YES and FLEX students, please fill out THIS JOTFORM and send the completed form request to Sponsored Programs Travel and Logistics Coordinator Rebecca Kowalski at rkowalski@afsusa.org.
When reaching out to AFS-USA to request a Parental Permission Form, we assume this means the local team supports travel and will confirm this during our process. If the team does not support travel, the request will be denied. Participant must not be experiencing academic and/or behavior concerns.
NOTE: If a liaison/support coordinator is not the facilitator of travel requests on team, please be sure to include them on the request to allow insight into student adjustment and clearance for team approval.
Once AFS-USA staff have all the relevant details, we will share with the respective partner office, who will work directly with sending parents to obtain a signed travel waiver. When the AFS Partner office receives the signed waiver from the sending parent/guardian, they will notify AFS-USA, and we will let the team know that we have received the Parental Permission Form and will then endorse the participant's DS2019.
AFS staff will request the endorsement of the DS2019 with the AFS-USA Responsible Officer. Once endorsed, it will be emailed directly to the student and host parent. AFS-USA staff will be notified when it is sent and will then let the team know that the participant is permitted to go on the trip.
For additional information surrounding paperwork and requirements for students to travel internationally while on program, please review THIS ARTICLE advising host family of needs to prepare.
SPECIAL MEXICO TRAVEL ADVISORY REQUEST:
See Department of State – Mexico Travel Advisory. Travel to Mexico destinations listed in the Department of State advisory list under DO NOT TRAVEL (Level 4 threat) is strictly prohibited. Level 1 & 2 will be the same as international travel procedures above, but Level 3 locations will be considered on a case-by-case basis. NO crossing the border into Mexico without prior AFS approval. Due to the great risks currently associated with crossing the Mexico border without an AFS Representative or host parent, AFS-USA will enforce a strict "no tolerance" policy for any student who violates this guideline and crosses the Mexican border for any reason without prior AFS approval. Participants who cross the border without written permission from the Local Support Coordinator, or other designated Team representatives, are subject to an immediate early return from the AFS Program.
We request local AFS volunteers obtain the following information from the participant/host family before reaching out to AFS Staff about a trip to a Level 3 location. To request a Parental Permission Form, visit the Team widget in your MyAFS Volunteer Portal to find your team's Travel & Logistics staff person (See image at the end of this article).
Participant Full name:
Participant Confirmed Email:
IOC Country:
Destination(s):
Dates:
Who will be traveling with the student:
How will they be traveling to their destination?
How many days of school will be missed:
Plans to make up missed schoolwork, if applicable:
Do the host parents, liaison, and support coordinator approve of this request?
Does the host family agree to comply with AFS sleeping accomodations while traveling policy?
In what type of place will they be staying? For example, an all-inclusive resort where they will not leave the premises for the duration of the trip, a private home, or a hotel they have never been in before?:
Additional information if an international trip:
Confirmation of multiple-entry visa (should be an “M” under “Entries” on the visa):
Confirmation of visa validity past travel dates(Visa exp date):
Has the family ever traveled to this location previously? If so, when?:
Is the family aware of the level 3 travel advisory (“Reconsider Travel”) on the State Department’s website?:
To request a Parental Permission Form, visit the Team widget in your MyAFS Volunteer Portal to find your team's Travel & Logistics staff person, or email directly to Rebecca Kowalski at rkowalski@afsusa.org for YES and FLEX requests: