International Health Insurance

Updated (04-01-17)

Visitor health insurance is not currently mandatory for all foreign nationals who are temporary visitors to USA, but travelers from certain nations visiting the European Schengen states, UAE, etc. are currently required to provide proof of coverage to qualify for a visitor visa.

Visitors to the United States are typically not eligible to purchase health insurance coverage like citizens and permanent residents. Only immigrants, who are not temporary visitors to USA, are eligible to purchase coverage in the new American government run healthcare exchange marketplace.  Exchange visitors might become eligible for plans under PPACA after two years.


Tipping

In general, a tip of between 15% and 18% of the sub total before taxes is given, is considered appropriate. This applies to waiters, waitresses, barbers and hairdressers, taxi drivers, etc. Bellhops, doormen redcaps (porters) etc., at hotels, airports, and railway stations are generally paid $1 to $2 per item of luggage.


Most major credit cards are honored nationwide. Of these, Visa and Mastercard are the most frequently used. In certain cases, you'll find a retailer or restaurant that will be 'cash only' or refuse to take certain credit cards due to the vendor charges involved. Likewise, 'Debit' cards are also widely accepted, subject to the same considerations as credit cards. ATM machines are easily accessible in almost every community. At the Shady Spruce Hostel , we accept Visa, Mastercard and Debit cards only, through our website. We do not give cash advances on credit or debit card purchases.

Credit and Debit Cards


Foreign Visitors Driving in US

See USA.GOV for latest info: (Updated 04-01-17)

Short-Term Visitors

If you plan to drive when you visit the United States, check the driving rules in the state(s) you'll be visiting to verify that you can use your non-U.S. driver's license. You should get an International Driving Permit (IDP), which translates the information contained on your official driver's license into 10 languages.

The United States does not issue International Driving Permits to foreign visitors, so you will need to obtain this document in your home country beforeyou travel to the United States.

Students

If you are a foreign student coming to the United States to study, you should contact the university or college you'll be attending for information about driving.

Residents (Non-U.S. Citizens)

The residency requirement for obtaining a U.S. driver's license is different in each state. Check the department of motor vehicles in the state where you live to see the requirements.

If you are eligible to apply for a driver's license, you can only get a driver's license from the state where you live. Check with your state's department of motor vehicles to find out how to apply.

Once you receive your U.S. driver's license from a state motor vehicle department, you can drive in all U.S. states. Remember that the driving laws in each state differ and it is your responsibility to know and obey the laws of the state where you are driving.


Foreign Embassies in the US

 

The following is a list of known websites for foreign embassies in the U.S. See the Independent States and Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty for a full list of economies with which the U.S. has diplomatic relations.

 

AFGHANISTAN
http://www.embassyofafghanistan.org/

ALBANIA
http://www.embassyofalbania.org

ALGERIA
http://www.algeria-us.org/

ANGOLA
http://www.angola.org/

ARGENTINA
http://www.embajadaargentina-usa.org

ARMENIA
http://www.armeniaemb.org/

AUSTRALIA
http://www.usa.embassy.gov.au/

AUSTRIA
http://www.austria.org

AZERBAIJAN
http://www.azembassy.us/
azerbaijan@azembassy.com

- B -

BANGLADESH
http://www.bdembassyusa.org/

BAHRAIN
http://www.bahrainembassy.org/

BELARUS
http://www.belarusembassy.org/
usa@belarusembassy.org

BELGIUM
http://www.diplobel.us/
washington@diplobel.fed.be

BELIZE
http://www.embassyofbelize.org/

BENIN
http://www.beninembassy.us/

BOLIVIA
http://www.bolivia-usa.org/

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
http://www.bhembassy.org/

BOTSWANA
http://www.botswanaembassy.org/

BRAZIL
http://www.brasilemb.org/

BRUNEI
http://www.bruneiembassy.org/

BULGARIA
http://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/
office@bulgaria-embassy.org

BURKINA FASO
http://www.burkina-usa.org/

BURUNDI
http://www.burundiembassy-usa.org/

- C -

CAMBODIA
http://www.embassyofcambodia.org/
cambodia@embassy.org

CAMEROON
http://www.ambacam-usa.org/

CANADA
http://geo.international.gc.ca/can-am/washington/menu-en.asp

CAPE VERDE
http://www.capeverdeusaembassy.org

CHILE
http://www.chile-usa.org/

CHINA
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/

COLOMBIA
http://www.colombiaemb.org/

COSTA RICA
embcr-us@rree.go.cr
concr-us-wa@rree.go.cr
http://www.costarica-embassy.org

CROATIA
http://www.croatiaemb.org
webmaster@croatiaemb.org

CYPRUS
http://www.cyprusembassy.net/home/
cypembwash@earthlink.net

CZECH REPUBLIC
http://www.mzv.cz/washington/

- D -

DENMARK
http://www.ambwashington.um.dk
wasamb@um.dk

DOMINICA
embdomdc@aol.com

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
http://www.domrep.org/

- E -

ECUADOR
http://www.ecuador.org
mecuawaa@pop.erols.com

EGYPT
http://www.egyptembassy.net/

EL SALVADOR
http://www.elsalvador.org/
correo@elsalvador.org

ESTONIA
http://www.estemb.org/
info@estemb.org

ETHIOPIA
http://www.ethiopianembassy.org/index.shtml

- F -

FIJI
http://www.fijiembassydc.com/

FINLAND
http://www.finland.org
info@finland.org

FRANCE
http://www.ambafrance-us.org/

- G -

GABON
http://www.gabonembassyusa.org
info@gabonembassyusa.org

GAMBIA
http://www.gambiaembassy.us/
info@gambiaembassy.us

GEORGIA
http://www.georgiaemb.org/
embgeorgiausa@yahoo.com

GERMANY
http://www.germany.info/relaunch/index.html
german-embassy-us@germany.info

GHANA
http://www.ghanaembassy.org/

GREAT BRITAIN, UNITED KINGDOM OF
http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/

GREECE
http://www.greekembassy.org/
greece@greekembassy.org

GRENADA
http://www.grenadaembassyusa.org/

GUATEMALA
http://www.guatemala-embassy.org
info@guatemala-embassy.org

GUINEA
http://www.pngembassy.org/
embaGuinea@aol.com

GUYANA
http://www.guyana.org
guyanaembassy@hotmail.com

- H -

HAITI
http://www.haiti.org/
embassy@haiti.org

HOLY SEE
http://www.holyseemission.org/

HONDURAS
http://www.hondurasemb.org/
embhondu@aol.com

- I -

ICELAND
http://www.iceland.org/us
icemb.wash@utn.stjr.is

INDIA
http://www.indianembassy.org
indembwash@indiagov.org

INDONESIA
http://www.embassyofindonesia.org/

IRAN
www.daftar.org
requests@daftar.org

IRAQ
http://www.iraqiembassy.org/

IRELAND
http://www.irelandemb.org/
embirlus@aol.com

ISRAEL
http://www.israelemb.org/

ITALY
http://www.ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/ambasciata_washington

- J -

JAMAICA
http://www.jamaicanconsulatechicago.org/

JAPAN
www.us.emb-japan.go.jp
http://www.embjapan.org/

JORDAN
http://www.jordanembassyus.org/new/index.shtml
hkjembassydc@aol.com

- K -

KAZAKHSTAN
http://www.kazakhembus.com/
kazakh.embusa@verizon.net

KENYA
http://www.kenyaembassy.com/

KOREA
http://www.koreaembassyusa.org/

KOSOVO
http://ambasada-ks.net/us/

KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
http://www.kyrgyzembassy.org/

- L -

LAOS
http://www.laoembassy.com/

LATVIA
http://www.latvia-usa.org/
embassy.usa@mfa.gov.lv

LEBANON
http://www.lebanonembassyus.org/
info@lebanonembassyus.org

LESOTHO
http://www.lesothoemb-usa.gov.ls/
lesothowashington@compuserve.com

LIBERIA
http://www.embassyofliberia.org/
liberia-embassy@msn.com

LIECHTENSTEIN
http://www.liechtensteinusa.org/

LITHUANIA
http://www.ltembassyus.org/

LUXEMBOURG
http://washington.mae.lu/en

- M -

MACEDONIA
http://www.macedonianembassy.org/
usoffice@macedonianembassy.org

MADAGASCAR
Malagasy@embassy.org

MALAWI
http://www.malawidc.org
malawi@passportregidtry.com
malawidc@aol.com

MALAYSIA
malwashdc@kln.gov.my

MALDIVES
http://www.maldivesembassy.us
Info@maldivesembassy.us

MALI
http://www.maliembassy.us/

MALTA
http://www.magnet.mt

MARSHALL ISLANDS, REPUBLIC OF
http://www.rmiembassyus.org/

MAURITIUS
mauritius.embassy@verizon.net

MEXICO
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/usa/

MICRONESIA
http://www.fsmembassydc.org/

MOLDOVA
http://www.sua.mfa.md
Washington@mfa.md

MONACO
http://www.monaco-usa.org
embassy@monaco-usa.org

MONGOLIA
http://www.mongolianembassy.us/default.php
monemb@aol.com

MOROCCO
http://www.embassyofmorocco.us/
SifaraUSA@erols.com
AnnexUSA@erols.com

MOZAMBIQUE
http://www.embamoc-usa.org/
embamoc@aol.com

MYANMAR
http://www.mewashingtondc.com/

- N -

NAMIBIA
http://www.namibianembassyusa.org/

NEPAL
http://www.nepalembassyusa.org/

NETHERLANDS
http://www.netherlands-embassy.org
nlgovwas@netherlands-embassy.org

NEW ZEALAND
http://www.nzembassy.com/

NIGER
http://niamey.usembassy.gov/

NIGERIA
http://www.nigeriaembassyusa.org/
chanceryadmin@nigeriaembassyusa.org

NORWAY
http://www.norway.org/
emb.washington@mfa.no

- P -

PANAMA
http://www.embassyofpanama.org/
info@embassyofpanama.org

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
http://www.pngembassy.org/
kunduwash@aol.com

PERU
http://www.embassyofperu.org/

PHILIPPINES
http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org/
uswashpe@aol.com

POLAND
http://www.polandembassy.org/

PORTUGAL
http://www.embassyportugal-us.org/

- Q -

QATAR
http://www.qatarembassy.net/
info@qatarembassy.net

- R -

ROMANIA
http://www.roembus.org/
office@roembus.org

RUSSIA
http://www.russianembassy.org/
russ-amb@cerfnet.com

RWANDA
http://www.rwandemb.org/rwanda/
embrwawash@aol.com

- S -

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
http://www.embsvg.com/

SAUDI ARABIA
http://www.saudiembassy.net/
info@saudiembassy.net

SIERRA LEONE
http://embassyofsierraleone.net/

SERBIA
http://www.serbiaembusa.org/
info@serbiaembusa.org

SEYCHELLES
seychelles@un.int

SINGAPORE
http://www.mfa.gov.sg/washington/

SLOVAK
http://www.mzv.sk/washington
info@slovakembassy-us.org

SOUTH AFRICA
http://www.saembassy.org
info@saembassy.org

SPAIN
www.spainemb.org
embespus@mail.mae.es

SRI LANKA
http://www.slembassyusa.org/
slembassy@slembassyusa.org

SURINAME
http://www.surinameembassy.org/
embsur@erols.com

SWAZILAND
Swaziland@compuserve.com

SWEDEN
http://www.swedenabroad.com
ambassaden.washington@gov.se

SWITZERLAND
http://www.swissemb.org

SYRIA
eosdc@yahoo.com

- T -

TAJIKISTAN
http://www.tjus.org/
tajik.embassy@verizon.net

TANZANIA
http://www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org/
tanz-us@clark.net

THAILAND
http://www.thaiembdc.org/

TIMOR-LESTE
embtlusa@comcast.net

TUNISIA
http://tunisia.usembassy.gov/

TURKEY
http://www.turkey.org
embassy@turkey.org

TURKMENISTAN
http://www.turkmenistanembassy.org/

- U -

UGANDA
http://www.ugandaembassy.com/
ambuganda@aol.com

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
http://uae-embassy.org/

UKRAINE
http://www.ukraineinfo.us
letters@ukremb.com

UNITED KINGDOM
UKintheUSA@fco.gov.uk
britishembassyenquiries@gmail.com

URUGUAY
http://www.uruwashi.org/
uruwashi@uruwashi.org

UZBEKISTAN
http://www.uzbekistan.org/

- V -

VENEZUELA
http://venezuela-us.org/
despacho@embavenez-us.org

VIETNAM
http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/
vietnamembassy@msn.com

- Y -

YEMEN
http://www.yemenembassy.org/

- Z -

ZAMBIA
http://www.zambiaembassy.org/

Zimbabwe
http://www.zimbabwe-embassy.us/

EUROPEAN UNION
http://www.eurunion.org
delegation-usa-dl@eeas.europa.eu