VISA - WHAT IS THIS?
A visa is temporary permission from a foreign country to enter that country. In most cases, visas can be sought for reasons of business, leisure, schooling or religious grounds, depending on the requirements of the particular country of travel. Each of these four reasons for travel has vastly different visa application requirements by country of travel.
All travellers entering the USA and travelling on the Visa Waiver programme are required to log on to https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov at least 72 hours prior to commencement of journey to complete the Travel Authorisation Application form on line. You are not required to download any forms, current charge is USD14.00. Please note that you will not be permitted to board your flight unless this has been completed and authorisation has been received from the USA government. This weblink will ensure that you are taken directly to the correct official US Government website.
Please be aware that alternate websites will be offered if using a search engine, however despite appearances, they are not official US Government sites and additional fees may be charged to process the visa. In addtion, many of these sites are phony and have been built to capture personal information, credit card details and money.
Should you wish to arrange your own visa for your business or leisure trip, please click here. Please ensure that you answer all questions accurately and in full, or you may have your application declined, or be denied entry on arrival in the country. Travel and Cruise Fundamentals accepts no responsibility for visas applied via this link, all responsibility rests with the applicant/s.
Visalink is a travel visa facilitation service that assists the Australian travel industry, corporations and government, and individuals by facilitating the entire visa advice and visa issuance process. Visalink minimises the complexity and time delays associated with applying for and obtaining travel visas.
Visalink specialises in Australian, United Kingdom, India, South Africa, Pakistan, China and New Zealand passports for visa advice and issuance. Holders of other passports can submit detailed visa requirement requests and Visalink will respond within 48 hours per country request.
Why do I need a visa for some countries and not others? How do I find out if I need a visa for a specific country?
Most visa requirements are based on treaties of trade and commerce, diplomatic or historical relations between nations. If you hold a passport from a country other than Australia, United Kingdom or New Zealand, India, South Africa, Pakistan and China, simply click on the 'Other Passport' selection once you are in the 'passport option on home page' and fill out your query in detail. Visalink will reply to your query within 48 hours for each country query.
What is the difference between 'single-entry' and 'multiple-entry' visas?
Depending on the reciprocal treaties governing visa issuance for each nationality, a visa may allow one entry before its expiration, or it may permit the traveller to enter at various times. A single-entry visa may only be used for one entry for the specific purpose for which it was granted. In general, the number of times that a multiple-entry visa may be used depends upon the expiration date of the visa, the nationality of the traveller, or restrictions placed on the total number of days permitted in a particular country during any year. You must be very clear in your application as to whether you require a single or multiple entry visa.
The number of photographs required varies by consulate/embassy, but is usually between 1 and 4.
The number of forms required varies by consulate/embassy, but is usually between 1 and 4.
In all cases an international flight itinerary is required.
No. Governments require an original signature on the completed visa form along with your passport before they can issue the visa.
Many countries have different requirements in regard to support documentation. Some countries, such as Saudi Arabia require official support documentation. It must be prepared by the business you are visiting. This process is extremely strict and failure to comply could result in visa refusal and loss of very expensive fees.
Each consulate takes a different amount of time to process visas. Some can take as little as three days, whilst others can take four weeks or more.
Yes. Consulates and embassies require your actual passport to issue visas in all instances.
In limited instances yes, but we do not endorse this course of action. You run the risk of being refused boarding by the carrier. In the case of land border crossings it is generally not available as the officials there are not set up and trained to handle such situations.
Each visa is applied for one at a time because your passport is required at each embassy/consulate for visa issuance.
Visalink makes every effort to ensure prompt completion of every visa. However, the actual granting of a visa is entirely up to the discretion of the appropriate embassy/consulate in all instances.
How long does my passport need to be valid?
Most countries require at least six months validity on your passport after you leave their country.
Embassies and consulates are extremely particular about the accuracy and integrity of the information you provide. An unintentional error or omission could permanently bar you from entering that country. Lengthy delays or even permanent refusal of the visa application is possible. If you are unsure of the requirements in answering a particular question, please contact Visalink.
The actual cost of a visa varies by embassy/consulate.
There are a number of countries that Visalink can assist you with applications for working visas. These have varying requirements, so simply click on the 'destination option' on the homepage for specific instructions by country, or contact Visalink.
This depends on the individual country. In many cases a visa is valid for 90 or 180 days from the date of issue. This gives you a flexible window of opportunity to enter that country. Some countries however have specific assigned dates for the visa, so it is important to give yourself enough time to change the visa if you have to. Expired visas cannot be updated or changed; new Visas will have to be applied for starting from the very beginning of the process.