Do you need to register as a member of the press in the country you are visiting? (Consider also how this will impact your safety depending on a government that is friendly or unfriendly to news media.) Do you need to be issued a special type of credential or permits? Who else will have knowledge of your permitting? Keep two copies with you (print and digital) as well as make sure those documents are accessible to an editor, colleague or emergency contact in your home country. Depending on the length of stay, do you need to report any type of information to the host government? (residence in the country, contacts, etc.) How might that affect your safety and security?

Knowing the legalities is not the same as understanding local customs and relationships to being recorded. How you comport yourself as a journalist will impact how you are perceived and your relative level of danger.

Will you need a visa to your final destination? What documents do you need to apply for the visa? How long is the processing time? Will you need any form of permit to leave the country you are based in? (depending on immigration status) If you will have a connecting flight, does the intermediary country or airport require a different type of visa or travel permit? (i.e. Schengen area vs. visa to visit Britain) Do you need a specific special visa for connecting flights?

While this will be useful for others locating you in a crisis situation, you should also consider how a location finder app might negatively impact your security and its limitations. Will you always have access to cell service? What is the state of surveillance in the country you are visiting or while crossing borders? (consider this also for your communication plan)

Having a burner phone that has no information/data or photos/video that would give away personal info about you is ideal. It should also have only crucial communications apps. The phone and apps should not be linked to your accounts or your cloud (if it’s a smart phone). Consider creating “burner” accounts specifically for that device that will not compromise your safety or provide access to sensitive data.

All clothes should be comfortable, breathable, and fitting to the weather Consider local attire, culture, and keeping your profile low in any particular space. Appropriate shoes would be close-toed, sturdy, no heels and soles with solid grip or traction.

Have a basic understanding of the political situation in the nation, state, region, city, etc. and what those various factions and power structures might mean for your safety and your journalistic work. Have a basic understanding of the country’s socio-economic situation. Have a general knowledge about the country’s laws around gender, sex and sexuality, religion, clothing, etc. (Dating apps can help you research a country’s culture, LGBTQI+ laws, etc.)

One that you keep on you somewhere you can quickly access + another copy somewhere secure in your lodging accommodation. Quick dial for emergency contacts (have an emergency text written and ready to be sent). Include international codes when saving contacts. Do not save sensitive contacts with their actual names (you can come up with a system that protects their privacy and identity that is also easy for you to recall under potential duress).

How might you be perceived by local citizens, law enforcement, etc. Do you have visible tattoos and what are they potentially suggesting about you?

i.e. Signal is a secure app that is recommended, but it is important to research if, for example, Signal could increase your security profile in the eyes of local law enforcement or mark you as associated with activists, journalists, and other potentially targeted individuals.

What type of roads are there i.e. highways or single lane roads? What type of vehicle is more appropriate? (high profile vs. low profile) How is local public transportation in the area? What is your exit plan in the event of an emergency? What are the closest cities/towns/countries where you can get help? Do you know how to make your way to a planned exit route?

Did you look up the different areas for accommodation? How many hotels are in the area? Is AirBnb an option? Which area will you have a higher safety profile vs. a lower profile? I.e. what does where you are staying in a particular city potentially broadcast about you? Depending on the length of your stay, will you need to change accommodation while you are there? (Consider exposure time)

What is the perception about journalists who carry similar passports/nationalities in the country you are visiting? (i.e. are they more criticized and not welcomed, might this introduce security risks?)

What PPE is allowed in the airport you will be traveling through? What PPE is allowed in the country you are going to? Did you look up trusted PPE places in the country you are visiting?

Research any potential medications you might need while traveling, i.e. local names (brands) and substitutions: Names of medications might differ from one place to another, make sure to check in advance whether the different names are generic or not for the medications you might need.

Determine who your point(s) of contact are, how often you will check in, what method of communication you will use and what to do in the event of a communications failure i.e. power outage, no cell phone service. What is the channel or escalation to address a comms failure? Your key contacts should include: editors, safety/security point of contact, family/friend point of contact, emergency contact, lawyer, etc. and should be saved in a digital format to an accessible cloud and also needs to be saved and easy to dial on your phone.