Ah, that leathery husk of a smile. The frown once upside down and quivering with anticipation, how I haven’t missed you. That face of the defeated tourist plagues borders and airports everywhere. Why? Because you didn’t research your visa, that’s why. You bought your plane ticket to sunny Saudi Arabia with your feet swathed in new-Chaco smell and your two dollar (yet life saving?) paracord bracelet you got from a survivalist on Ebay, only to find yourself facing the accusing finger of a perky immigration officer before she escorts you back to the plane at your own expense. You never even got to see the Abraj Al Bait clock tower.
Avoid Defeated Tourist Syndrome (DTS), take the time to learn about your visas. Here are five things you need to do before you start calligraphying your day planner into oblivion.
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Check Online
There are currently 160 nations that a U.S. Citizen can enter without having an official visa, as many online sites will tell you. This information is deceptive, because an open border policy with your nation does not mean you can simply saunter in. You still have to pass through borders, and leaders around the world decide to change their policies on a whim. In the past few years here in Panama, U.S. Citizens have been allowed to enter with no requirements for three months, then one day it was six months, then back to three. At one point it was twenty-one days. There was no tax, now there is a $1 entry tax. Not long ago you could cross the border and come back within the hour with a brand new six month visa, now you have to stay outside the country for three days. These laws changed without warning other than the Panamanian consulate website.
Regardless of whether or not your destination has an open border policy or no, check the consulate web site for that nation for any changes in requirements. Also, make sure you know what kind of visa you need. Tourist, journalist, work, political, which? All of that information can be found on the website.
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Call the Embassy
Checked the web site and everything looks great? I’m afraid that still isn’t good enough for some nations. If you are going to a developed nation you can probably trust what you read, but if you find yourself planning a trip to North Sentinel Island (which you can’t go to, and they have no electricity), there is a good chance even the government run HostGator site is going to be out of date. Often times laws are changed and not updated online. Because of refugee issues in Central America, Costa Rica recently implemented a new law requiring travelers to show $1,000 in cold hard cash while surrounded by hundreds of Cuban and African refugees. How did they announce this law? Written in marker on a piece of computer paper and taped to the immigration window. Talking to someone in person will save you a lot of frustration at the border.
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Check for Hidden Fees
There is nothing quite like waiting patiently in the immigration line, having paid for your visa already, only to find out that there is a new $50 entry tax for your destination. Nations regularly have these, and implement them or remove them as the need suits them, or by whoever is president/emperor at the time. This one is tricky because you often don’t find out about these changes until you are already on your mode of transportation. For example, for a decade you could enter and exit Costa Rica without paying, but a few months ago they randomly started charging a $9 exit tax which you have to pay at a separate window before you get on your bus. If you don’t the hassle at the border is insane. How do they inform travelers of this change? Again, markers and tape. To avoid this, ask your travel agent, bus driver, or whoever you can if there are any fees on the other side. If you can’t, bring extra cash before you travel. You can never count on an ATM being available or the border’s ability to accept credit cards (hint: they almost never do).
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Ask a Recent Visitor or Foreign Resident, Not a Local
Do you know the process for obtaining a green card? How about obtaining a tourist visa for entry to the United States? If you are a traveler, maybe. If you are the average U.S. Citizen you have no idea. It is the same with your average Chinese citizen, or Norwegian citizen. Unless they are lawyers or travelers like yourself, locals are the worst people to ask about visa information.
If you don’t have personal access to someone who was recently at your destination, there are plenty on expat forums online where retirees love giving tips and answering questions about the nation they live/summer in. A mere Google search can often give you the info you need. Another route is asking a travel agent. But that can end up costing you, and expats in the area usually have the most up-to-date information because it pertains to them as much as it does to you.
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Check the Details
Once you have gone through the previous steps you will be pretty well prepared for your trip, but make sure you check as many details as possible. Such as:
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Do you need a return ticket to enter the country (many people only buy one way).
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What kind of fines are there if you get stuck and your visa expires?
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Where is the local embassy for your home nation?
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Are there any travel warnings for your destination? Places you shouldn’t go? Weather conditions?
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Does your passport have to be valid for six months from your arrival date (usually yes)?
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Do you need a certain number of blank pages in your passport to enter?
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Do you need to register with the local police or another entity when you arrive (in China you do, or you face fines)?
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Do you have to apply for your visa in person, online or through mail?
While not an exhaustive list of things to check before your big trip, these five can get you started on your journey to researching visas and getting on your merry way!
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Alana says
Really great (and important) tips!
It really is important to carry USD with you as you never know when you’ll be hit with an entry tax. Be sure to carry smaller denominations as well. The entry tax may be $9 but if you only have a $20 the border agent may “not have change available.”
Dana says
Thank you for giving the information. It’ll help me bunch.
Brooke of Passport Couture says
Awesome post. It’s great to have an extensive checklist so you know exactly what to look for and what’s required. Every country is different and you can’t just waltz in with a passport and assume that’s all you need. There’s a lot more involved than most assume.