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Travelling to multiple countries means navigating the often murky waters of visa applications. I finally got around to undertaking my own visa voyages this morning as I organise the last outstanding details of my upcoming trip to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
Planning your own visa voyages
Every country has its own set of rules and agreements with other nations, and so there is no one stop shop to sorting your visas.
There are some tips I can offer however to make your own visa voyages easier.
Check your Government Site First
Whilst it is tempting to go ahead and just google “visa” with your destination, this should not be your first port of call.
Even the most savvy searcher can be fooled by official looking websites. Don’t believe me? Try searching “America visa” and see what happens. For a British Citizen the results you need are actually fifth and sixth on the list as of my last search. The top results are all from agents who have paid to rank high in search engine results.
Any visa purchased through an agent will probably still be valid and legitimate, but they may charge you unnecessary admin fees. You may also fall prey to upselling to a visa that doesn’t fit your needs. Or in a worst case scenario, be victim of a scam.
It can be tricky to confidently pick the official government site of unfamiliar territories, so your best option is to go via your own countries Government website.
My visa voyages always start with checking the foreign travel advise pages of the UK Government site for entry requirements. For many countries there are links to the official sites of visa issuing nations. This process gives peace of mind I am applying for the right visa from the best source.
Be sure to check the latest travel advice regarding health and safety for your destination as well!
Here are a few links to help you out:
Many countries have visa waiver agreements with friendly nations, so you may not need to do anything before you travel.
But it is essential to check before booking any travel arrangements!
You may not be able to get a full refund on anything you prepay for, and if you are denied entry for any reason this could seriously hurt your wallet.
Picking the right visa
Don’t be fooled into thinking you won’t need a visa for a short trip, or because you are travelling as a tourist.
Visas don’t just apply to business trips or study abroad. Plenty of countries now require an Electronic Visa Waiver to be completed prior to travel.
Remember those cards you used to fill in on the plan before landing? Many of those have now gone digital and need to be completed online before you depart.
Every country has different rules for different nationalities, which is why I call the application processes visa voyages. No process is ever the same and each country I travel to involves this administration adventure.
For example, I have had to apply for both Australia and New Zealand e-visas as a British Citizen even though my reason for travel is tourism. Due to my visit being under the waiver maximum I don’t need to apply for an extended visa, but I do still need to fill in an online application prior to travel.
I do not need to do anything for Singapore however.
Additionally, I had to visit London to apply for my visa for China with dates and addresses of all my accomodation. I also had to pay around £100 for this visa even though it was a basic tourist visa.
Some countries will require detailed information of your travel plans and proof of onward travel. Some will limit how many times you can enter on a visa waiver, and by what mode of transport.
Visa voyages are complex and can be annoyances, but take each country one at a time and you’ll be fine.
And I reiterate, check all the visa requirements before booking any travel!
Costs
Visa charges vary greatly, even when just applying for an electronic visa waiver.
There is no fee for the Australian e-visa, but the new New Zealand e-visa (which is required for entries post 1st October 2019) costs NZD$9 or NZD$12 depending on application method. There is also a conservation charge of NZD$35 which must be paid before travelling.
(With today’s conversion rate the New Zealand e-visa came to £22.91).
Again, every country is different.
Be sure to look into visa charges when budgeting for your trip
Keep Calm and Travel On
The visa application process can be daunting and at times overwhelming.
Just remember that you can always save your progress and pick up your visa voyages from where you left off another day.
Applying for visas isn’t meant to be stress inducing, and once you get used to the process and are confident in what you need to do, your visa voyage can actually be pretty exciting.
It is the first legitimate step on your travel adventure.
So what are you waiting for?
Get started on your own visa voyage now!
Very useful information. Have found visa sites very confusing. .