FAQ

Questions travelers ask us most.

Live answers from the USIDA knowledge base — the same source our team and our assistant use. If your question isn't here, our team answers during business hours.

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Answers published: 27
Topics: 10
Updated: Live

Countries and travel

Eligibility

Emergencies

Fees and payment

Membership

Photos and documents

Procedures

Processing and delivery

Refunds and changes

The permit

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Questions travelers ask us most.

Countries and travel

Q.Countries, the Geneva Convention and Brazil

Q.Do I need a permit for my trip?

Eligibility

Q.Who can apply, and how early

Q.Can I apply from outside the United States?

Q.Does my foreign license qualify? Can visitors get one?

Q.Do U.S. territories qualify? What about military members?

Emergencies

Q.Trip is days away and the permit has not arrived

Q.Order stuck on hold while the traveler is travelling

Q.Stopped by police or at a checkpoint abroad

Q.Disaster, unrest or an evacuation where the traveler is

Q.Passport lost, arrest, hospital or a death abroad

Q.Rental desk or insurer refuses the permit

Q.Posted permit has not arrived

Q.Permit lost or stolen while travelling

Fees and payment

Q.What an IDP costs

Membership

Q.USIDA membership and the free photo

Photos and documents

Q.Documents and photo requirements

Q.What happens if my photo is rejected?

Procedures

Q.Applying on this site

Q.What each order stage means

Q.What is the State Department traveler enrollment?

Processing and delivery

Q.How long it takes and how it arrives

Refunds and changes

Q.Refunds, replacements and changes

The permit

Q.What an International Driving Permit is

Q.What an IDP cannot do

Q.Renewals and expiry

Q.Can I choose when my permit starts?

Still have a question?