Travel Visa Requirements
A true story: when I was 20 years old, I purchased a Round The World Ticket originating in Sydney. The first flight was to Saigon, with a layover in Singapore. The travel agent who sold me the ticket failed to mention that American citizens must have a visa to enter Vietnam.
I flew to Vietnam and learned this firsthand; after about five minutes the official sent me back to Singapore on the very same plane that I had flown over on. Luckily, my next flight was had another layover in Singapore, so I was able to continue on my journey, albeit without a Vietnamese stamp in my passport.
Here is a list of important considerations when it comes to travel visa requirements:
- Purchase travel visas outside the country. This was the most obvious lesson learned from my adventure in Vietnam. I made sure to obtain a Nepalese visa before flying to Kathmandu on the next segment. The funny thing is, some countries allow you to purchase travel visas at the border, while some do not. Take my advice: don’t chance it.
- Note the differences between tourist and business visas. A client of mine could not fly to Brazil because he was flying for business purposes. We went back and forth the visa department, who said it would take weeks to process. Finally, we applied for (and received) a tourist visa in a few days, and was able to make the meeting.
- Be prepared for bureaucracy . When applying for a visa, remember , you are dealing with governments. God help you. There will be fees, delays, “special” conditions… be prepared, and plan ahead to prevent these unavoidable events from delaying your trip.
- To determine whether or not you need a travel visa, check your nationalities embassy site, which provides a full listing of travel visa requirements, as well as any time limitations on your visit.
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