Mission Trip Prep Expenses

In many cases the published mission trip cost will cover airfare, ground fees, and spending money and all your trip needs.  However most participants experience some additional expenses as they prepare for their trip, depending on their circumstances.  When planning for your mission trip take these potential expenses into consideration.

Passport & Entrance Visa

Do you have a current passport?  If so check to make sure the expiration date is at least six months (twelve months for Sierra Leone) beyond your mission trip departure date.  Your passport should expire after January of the coming New Year (2012).  As of 2008, a passport costs $85 if you are under 18 and $100 if you are 18 or older.  There are additional fees to speed up the process so plan ahead.

Some countries will only allow you to enter the country if they have given you a permission document.  This is called a visa.  Often the visa can be obtained at the point you enter the country but in some cases it must be applied for before you come.  Royal Servants handles the visa application for you but there is sometimes an additional visa cost which is not included in the published cost.  If there is a visa cost, it is listed under “Other Expenses” for your mission trip. You must send a check in for the visa separately or raise additional funds to cover it.  You must have the money available before or when you send in your visa form.

Medical Needs

Have you had a physical in the last year?  When coming on Royal Servants you are required to have a basic physical examination.

Are you immunized for your destination?  Most mission trips do not require many immunizations, but you may want to be immunized for certain diseases depending upon the locale. However there are certain immunizations that you are required to get such as a Yellow Fever immunization for those going to Sierra Leone.

Do you have medical insurance, and does it cover you overseas? You will be required to have medical coverage that will cover you overseas while on your Royal Servants trip.

Very few students ever need medical care during a Royal Servants mission trip.  Should you need medical attention and there is an out-of-pocket expense, it can be covered by your spending money.  However if the medical expenses are too much and would deplete your spending money fund, you or your parents may need to cover your out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Domestic Travel Costs

Do you live near Chicago or Portage, Wisconsin?  Royal Servants mission trips begin in either Chicago or at our Training Camp in Portage, Wisconsin.  Your mission trip ends once your team arrives back at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.  You will need to make your own travel arrangements to and from these locations. If you raise more funds than required for your airfare, groundfees, and spending money, then—per our support policies—you can use the excess funds to: 1) help other students, 2) begin preparing for another Royal Servants mission trip, 3)  help pay for the cost of your domestic flights, or 4) cover college expenses (staff disciplers only).

Airline Surcharges

We negotiate hard to get the best group airfares available to keep your costs low.  If you signup late, or if the airline adds unanticipated fuel surcharges, there may be additional costs that you have to cover.  Surcharges are rare, however in times of rapidly rising oil prices there is a greater chance of a $50 to $100 surcharge on airfares to some nations.

Packing List

Each Royal Servants mission trip has a required packing list.  All of the items on the lists are basic and you probably have most of them.  We make recommendations about quantities of most of the items and you will probably need to purchase some items to complete the packing list.

Blue Pack

You will be given a “blue pack” duffle bag to pack your gear during the trip.  There is a small deposit added ($30 to $50 depending on pack costs) to the cost of the trip that will be returned to you when you send the blue pack back after the summer.  If you already have a blue pack and plan to use it we will remove the deposit.  Packs are due at Reign Ministries by October 1 to be eligible for the refund.

Excess Support

Contributions raised in excess of the total can be used to cover:

• domestic travel to and from Chicago
• any airline surcharges
• visas
• some packing list requirements

However reimbursements cannot be made until after you have completed the mission trip.  If you would like to be reimbursed for these from support you raised please contact the office at royalservants@reignministries.org or (763) 535-9555 X720.