Australia is ranked the #1 travel destination for Chinese citizens, which is anticipated to continue for the next few years. In fact, according to a study by Visa PATA Travel Intention Survey, they found that more than half of the travelers from China are expecting to visit Australia within the next two years. This has been further underscored by last month’s announcement by the Australian government to invest $30 million to market Australia as an attractive travel destination in China.

Australia, known for its natural beauty, tradition, and culture, has been a hot travel destination for many international travelers. Since 1999 when Australia was added to the Approved Destination Status list of approved countries for international travel, Australia has continuously grown to be one of the travel favorites. Currently, China is ranked 4th in the world in terms of the number of visitors Australia receives each year.

While Australia has reciprocal health agreements with specific nations, China is a non-participating member. Because of this, it is highly recommend to purchase an international travel insurance policy while traveling to Australia. The Atlas Travel Insurance plan is well designed for this as it provides coverage for inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drugs, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc. To be eligible for this plan, individuals must simply be outside their home country and can purchase as little as 5 days of coverage.

If you are interested in finding out about more information on our international travel insurance for your trip to Australia, you can check out our benefits and exclusions right online.

The United States Consulate will have a new fee schedule that will take effect on July 13, 2010 for immigrant visas. These changes come shortly after the non-immigrant visa fees increased on June 4, 2010.

These new few schedules for the US Consulates are intended to cover operating expenses for overseas consulates and passport agencies. Twenty-seven of the fees have been adjusted, including for passports, immigrant visas, and consular services.

Under the current scheme, the fees were unable to cover the costs for operations in the United States and abroad, especially with the new security enhancements. As a result, the Department of State has phased in new fees associated with visa processing and services.

As of June 4, 2010, all visas that are not petition-based (i.e., B1/B2, F, M and J visas) will pay a fee of $140 and those visas that are petition-based (i.e., H, L, O, P, Q, and R) will pay a fee of $150. The application fee for K visas for fiancé of U.S. citizens will be $350 and E visas for treaty-traders and treaty-investors will be $390 for example. For further information of the fee schedule enacted on July 13, 2010, the Department of State has made a list available for review.

On April 12, 2010, the United States Department extended a travel warning in Mexico until May 12 due to the violence that has erupted particularly in the Northern region including in Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey, and Matamoros.

This extension was in part due to the bomb that was targeted at the United State Consulate building in Nuevo Laredo on Friday night. Though no one was injured, the Consulate General and Consular Agency in Piedras Negras have been closed indefinitely starting Monday, April 12, 2010, until they have sufficient security in place.

This follows the recent violence linked to drug trafficking targeted at US consulate workers in Ciudad Juarez where three people were killed. According to the New York Times, “Drug violence is raging across Mexico, and almost 20,000 people have died in the fight among cartels and with Mexican security forces since President Felipe Calderón began his crackdown on drug gangs in 2006.”

For the latest security information, the US State Department offers information on Travel Warnings and Alerts to monitor the security status.

Starting May 1st 2010, the Cuban Government will make it a mandatory requirement for all international travelers to purchase and show proof of international travel insurance when entering their country. Details are still a little sketchy about what will be required in terms of coverage levels, however the information we have at the moment is that coverage will only be accepted by a few “select” international insurance companies.

If a traveler arrives in Cuban after May 1st 2010 without proof of coverage, they will have to purchase a plan from a Cuban insurer at the airport before being granted access to enter the country.

For US Citizens, it is also still unclear about how this will work for you when traveling to Cuban, as the current US embargo restricts Cuban businesses from operating in the USA – and thus this would make purchasing Cuban insurance impossible or very hard before any travel.

As more details about this requirement unravels, we will keep you updated. In the meantime, if you need to purchase any international travel insurance coverage, please check out our dedicated section,

An important question to ask before purchasing your international insurance plan is, “what is the procedure if I want to use my plan?” Whether you are looking for a travel or international health insurance, you’ll want to know how much you will pay out-of-pocket before the plan covers you and also how claims are paid. This will determine if you will pay the full service fee up front or whether you will just pay your out-of-pocket expenses.

Most international insurance plans do not have an international network outside the US. Depending on the plan, claims are generally paid 2 ways:

1. The insurance company will pay directly to the doctor or hospital
2. You will pay for the treatment and be reimbursed

Some insurance plans may not have an international network, but may still reach out to your doctor or hospital to pay directly. Some companies have an international network where you can find nearby hospitals or doctors that they have previously worked with and recommend. Other companies have a client relations phone number you can reach, and they will work with you to find a local provider.

This may not be as important for a doctor visit – but knowing how your plan works in case of something major, like hospitalization or a medical evacuation, can save you thousands of dollars (or its equivalent) up front.

We recommend that you call your customer service representative to find out the procedure for the policy you are interested in.