Introduction
Building global business relationships depends on the innate ability to learn about other cultures and proper training to help a person adjust once he or she is in another culture. Whether one is traveling for business or pleasure, new cultures are generally part of the process. Although there are many differences between cultures in the world, there are also similarities. The similarities do not get us into trouble, but the differences can destroy a business deal or a pleasure trip.
Laws, Regulations and Rules
Planners who deal with international meetings are having their jobs complicated somewhat by changing passport rules and uncertainty about deadlines for implementing new passport technology. Despite the fact that the United Kingdom and Japan two of the biggest markets for foreign travel into the United States will not be able to meet an October deadline for issuing biometric passports, indications are that Congress will not grant an extension. In addition, under proposed rules by the State Department, Americans for the first time will be required to show passports when they re-enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean by 2008. Citizens from the 27 visa waiver countries can now enter the United States without a visa. Once the deadline passes, travelers from countries that have not started to produce biometric passports will have to obtain visas to travel to the United States once their current passports expire.
Under the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002, the 27 visa waiver countries were originally required to start issuing biometric passports by October 26, 2004. These passports are machine-readable with biometric identifiers containing information such as digital p ...