Pacific Cascades Area
AFS Intercultural Programs

AFS is the leading high school foreign exchange program, with opportunities to live and study in over 50 countries worldwide. 

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL WAIVERS
for Hosted Students

As the end of the school year approaches, so starts the busy travel season. Due to the sharp increase in travel waiver requests for hosted students, the following is a reminder of some simple ways to streamline the request process so that AFS can make sure that requests are fulfilled in a timely manner and hosted students receive their waivers in time for independent travel.

For more details go to the Host Family Handbook and read it with your student as this could save some hurt feelings should you have to tell your student they must cancel plans.

TRAVEL is defined as: any time a student is away from home for more than 24 hours.

AFS sanctioned travel not needing special permission would be:

1. With host family member who is at least 25 years of age or 21 with Area Team approval.
2. AFS sponsored trips or with an AFS volunteers over 25 years of age or 21 with Area Team approval.
3. Any school sponsored activities.

All other types of travel are classified as Independent Travel and require formal approval from AFS-USA and the AFS office in the student’s home country.

Please note the following steps to take before contacting the Western Regional Service Center to request an independent travel waiver:

1. Finalize specific dates of travel (no more than 10 consecutive days as per AFS Guidelines).
2. Obtain permission from the host family.
3. Inform Natural family of plans and if Natural family approves, they must make a formal request to the AS office in home country (see sample on last page in Host Family Handbook.
4. Student (and/or host family) requests approval from Area Team Support Coordinator or volunteer designated by AT Support Coordinator at least two weeks prior to the proposed travel date. This allows ample time (preferably 7-10 business days) for the office to process these requests.
5. Support Coordinator (or designee such as chapter liaison) sends request to Regional Office in Portland (not host families or students as this ensures that the local volunteers approve the travel).
6. Regional Office requests approval from AFS office in the student’s home country and/or verifies that the travel waiver has been received from the Nat family.
7. Regional Office informs Area Suppport Coordinator of approval.
8. Area Support Coordinator or designee informs both the student and host family.
9. Student and host family must receive the final approval before funds are expended for travel and the trip begins.

To clarify, an independent travel waiver is required when:

• the student is not traveling with their host family
• the student is not traveling with a registered AFS volunteer
• travel is not related to an official AFS or hosted school event
• travel is away from the host community for a period of time that involves one or more overnight stays [host community is any community to which you routinely travel for shopping, medical appointments, entertainment, etc.]

The host family handbook.also includes details about traveling outside the U.S. This is a more complex process and takes longer to arrange. Three weeks for the AFS process and can be nine weeks if a visa is required. You must check with the consulate of the country being visited to see if a visa is required. Check www.abriggs.com Information on Visa requirements for every country in the world. Also to search for embassies of the world go to www.embassyworld.com.

Last revision October 22, 2006