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