Do I need a passport to participate in AMIGOS programs? How long should it be valid for?  

For international travel you will need a passport that is valid for 6 months after the date your return to the United States from your AMIGOS project.

I don't have a valid passport. What should I do?  

• If you are traveling to Latin America and do not have a valid passport, please apply for or renew your passport as soon as possible. The routine passport application or renewal process takes about 18 weeks, and it can take some time to schedule an appointment near you. You can also choose to expedite your passport in order to receive it in 12 weeks for an additional fee. 
• If you have a photo of your expiring passport, please still complete your Passport Information form as our team can move forward with the booking process using this information. On the form, respond affirmatively to the question that your passport is expiring so our team can follow up to collect your updated passport information. 

Do I need to book my own flight to my project site?  

AMIGOS manages flight bookings for all volunteers on Latin American projects to ensure a safe and streamlined travel experience for each volunteer group. By purchasing flights, we are able to support our volunteers at gateway airports like Houston and Miami, handle any issues that may arise in the event of a delay or cancellation, avoid overnight international layovers, facilitate multi-day layovers as necessary for pre-departure trainings, and be on-call 24/7 when students are traveling. 

You can find additional information about flights & travel through AMIGOS here.

Does an AMIGOS staff member fly with the volunteers? 

• An AMIGOS staff member will be on any international flight with Middle School Program volunteers. 
• An AMIGOS staff member will not be on the US domestic feeder flight nor the international flight to the project site with High School volunteers. However, there will be AMIGOS staff members in connecting airports such as Houston and Miami to support with connections and a staff member to meet volunteers at their final destination.  

Can I ask AMIGOS to use my miles to book my flight?  

Unfortunately, we cannot use your miles to book your volunteer's flight to Latin America. 

What kind of airport support will the volunteers have while traveling?  

Volunteers will be able to call AMIGOS staff via our Travel Hotline if they encounter any delays, cancelled flights, or if they are trying to find the AMIGOS group at the airport. AMIGOS staff will remain at the connection airports until all AMIGOS flights have taken off. 

What if I want to meet my volunteer in the country they are traveling to?

In order to meet your volunteer in their destination country, you will need to fill out an in-country release form and travel deviation form and submit these to admissions@amigosinternational.org so we can coordinate travel plans with you and your volunteer. 

What if my volunteer needs to leave from and return to different airports?

Please indicate this on the Passport Information form by stating their varying departure and arrival airport codes. 

Can my volunteer start the program late? Can they leave the program early?

No. Our programs take place largely in remote areas, and we cannot accommodate travel dates other than those published for the program. 

Who do I contact if I have questions regarding travel?

Please reach out to our Travel Team at travel@amigosinternational.org