TODAY’S TRAVEL
TIPS VISAS
*WHAT IS A VISA
*INTRODUCTION
*REQUIREMENTS TO GET VISA
*ENTRY REQUIREMENT LINKS
*HOW TO GET A VISA?
*THE BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION
---------------------------------------------
*INTRODUCTION
Hello,
I thought “VISA” would be an easy subject to talk about,
but I was wrong. There are about 270 (mais ou menos) different countries,
or territories, islands, etc, in the world.
So there are 270 different answers for each country.
What is that, 270 X 270 combinations possible..?
It’s important to understand, and remember.
The requirements change for every country you enter,
The rules to enter for a citizen of the USA, are not
the same rules for a person from Ecuador.
---------------------------------------------
*WHAT IS A VISA
DEFINITION FROM DICTIONARY:
An official authorization appended to a passport, permitting
entry into and travel within a particular country or region
I will add:
The name tourist card, and Visa are used interchangeably.
The Visa is needed also to: LEAVE THE COUNTRY....
It is not always attached.
These term are used by travel agents, other travelers, and
the world, as if everyone understands the terms. Do not feel stupid,
but make them define, what they mean. The word VISA changes
for every country. If you do not understand, it is you that
will not enter the country.
When talking about a Visa, or Tourist card, or we say
“I need to get my stamp”.
The thing to remember.
“YOU NEED PERMISSION TO ENTER”
“YOU NEED PERMISSION TO LEAVE”
When you enter a country. 2 things usually happen.
1. They make you complete a small form.
2. They take a rubber stamp, that is use with ink, to
mark you passport. Sometime they take a sticker, or
stamp and place in you passport.
(Make sure to request double the days needed)
WARNING: THE STAMP IN THE PASSPORT IS
NOT THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO HAVE TO
LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
They will often hand you back the form you filled out,
and it will have the stamp on it, and the number of day.
You must provide that form to leave the country. There can be fines,
detained, and other hassles, if you lose this paper.
A. KEEP ALL PAPERS IN YOU PASSPORT UNTIL YOU LEAVE.
B. THEY DO NOT HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR AT THE BORDER.
C. ALWAYS CHECK IN AT THE BORDER, AND “Get Stamped”
D. ALWAYS CHECK OUT TO LEAVE, AND “Get Stamped”
This advice may at first seem silly. Like how could you cross a
border without being stopped. I just entered Paraguay to
get “My Stamp”. I had to pretend that I was staying for
a long time to get it. If they knew I was coming back the
next day, they would not have stamped my passport.
Lots of borders are wide open.
At the border of Ecuador, and Colombia. I had to force the
bus to stop so I could get out, to get “My Stamp”
They would have taken me to the next town, They did
not see the reason to stop at the border.
---------------------------------------------
*REQUIREMENTS TO GET VISA
UNDER-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES HAVE TROUBLE
GETTING A VISA.
If you are from a country where lots of people leave and do
not come back.
You will have to prove you have MONEY, and you are
leaving something of value in the country. Like a wife,
husband, or a house. The idea is that you will come
because of you ties.
I have a friend that wanted to go to the USA from Ecuador.
She needed:
1. Own a car
2. Own a house.
3. Have 300 dollars in a bank account for 6 month.
4. Have a credit card.
This was the requirements of the USA for a person from
Ecuador to enter the country.
If you are from USA, Britain, German, etc
Here are some normal type requirements:
Requirement:
$25 (business) fee. I
AIDS test
Anti-malarial
Anyone with a criminal record (including a DWI charge)
Cholera
Company letter needed for business visa
Financial Responsibility
Hotel reservations
Letter of invitation
Medical examination
Money
Onward ticket
Passport
Photo 2 x 2 passport type.
Picture ID
Proof of round-trip travel required
Proof of sufficient funds
Questionnaire ( I had to fill out a lot to enter Chiapas Mexico
SASE for return of passport. Self Addressed Stamped Envelope
Smallpox immunizations
Sufficient health insurance and funds
Travel itinerary
U.S. passports are not valid for travel in, to, or
through Iraq without authorization from the Department of State
USA money. At the border of Honduras / Nicaragua. The only accepted
US dollars from foreigners. No Honduras, or Nicaragua
money.
Voter registration card
Yellow fever vaccination
(BRIBE)
If you need a shot, vaccination etc. You can usually get them
at the border.
---------------------------------------------
*ENTRY REQUIREMENT LINKS
COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD
Here are 90 plus links on Visas, Passports.
Please submit at the bottom of page, and I have missed.
http://www.hobotraveler.com/passportsvisas.shtml
USA Citizens
BROKE URL http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html
---------------------------------------------
*HOW TO GET A VISA?
You will never know what they want?
Easiest to hardest methods:
1. Ride in a bus that is crossing the border.
2. Walk up to the border. They will tell you what you
need. Or probably just send you on through.
20 countries. I have never been asked for proof of money,
or an onward ticket.
3. Check with the closest country to the border:
Example: I got my Visa for Venezuela, when I was in
Cartagena, Colombia.
CHECK ENTRY REQUIREMENTS WITH THE
CONSULAR OFFICIALS , (EMBASSY)
OF THE COUNTRIES TO BE VISITED WELL IN ADVANCE.
4. Travel Agent should know. (only in you home country, and when
actually buying a ticket)
5. Check the embassy (COUNTRY TO BE VISITED) in your home country.
Note: Also check with your embassy (YOUR COUNTRY)
Be very careful here. If for example you go to the USA embassy in
Quito, Ecuador, and ask for information on Sweden. You may
get totally wrong information. Make them give you
PRINTED MATERIALS.. bulletins. pamphlets.
Do NOT trust the word of the clerk.
6. Go to the airport, ask the ticket counter. What is need to
enter the country. (Note: This is the ticket counter for the country
you want to go to. They usually will not let you enter a plane unless
you papers are correct.
7. This is a possibility, Could be easy.
Pay a VISA service in YOUR COUNTRY to get you a visa.
Lots of the links on the page of mine, are for this.
8. Send me a plane ticket.... hehehe. But you have
to take me with you.
9. Walk into an embassy Barefoot. Blah Blah Blah etc.
Look nice, and look rich.
(This type of behavior, will make you life real difficult)
---------------------------------------------
*THE BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION
GUIDEBOOK.
Go to the bookstore.
Buy one in your language, written for people of your country.
Go to the library...Borrow one...
Enjoy, and do not worry.
Governments help tourist to enter.
Spend money...
Spend money...
Spend money...
and LEAVE
Have fun! Life is Good!
As always, these are suggestions. Please realize I am
giving guidance, and there are always other opinions.
“One mans paradise, is another mans hell”
This way we do not all go to the same place.
