{"id":97209852,"date":"2020-01-08T18:52:07","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T18:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/?p=97209852"},"modified":"2020-01-08T18:56:27","modified_gmt":"2020-01-08T18:56:27","slug":"trip-prep-like-a-pro-a-beginners-guide-on-how-to-get-a-visa-for-your-international-travels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/trip-prep-like-a-pro-a-beginners-guide-on-how-to-get-a-visa-for-your-international-travels\/","title":{"rendered":"Trip-Prep Like a Pro: A Beginner’s Guide on How to Get a Visa for Your International Travels"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s the night before your big trip and you\u2019re as ready as you\u2019ll ever be. You\u2019ve checked into your flight, you\u2019ve packed all your bags, and you’ve even pre-purchased an international phone plan. You’ve thought of everything. And then, just as you settle into bed and start to doze off, it hits you.<\/p>\n

“Do I need a visa for this trip?”<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a question that\u2019s plagued worrywarts for years. “What if I show up at customs and get turned away because I forgot to get a visa?”\u00a0<\/em>This very fear has led to many sleepless nights for travelers before their trips, and it\u2019s no wonder why. Can you imagine taking off work, packing your bags, and flying overnight to another country only to be turned away at the gate? Well, fear not, because we\u2019ve thought this through time and time again.<\/p>\n

Check out our handy-dandy guide to ensure that you can sleep easy knowing you\u2019ve covered all your bases and know exactly how to get a visa for your travels overseas!<\/p>\n

Do Your Research (1-3 Months in Advance)<\/h2>\n

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Cheap plane tickets\u00a0<\/a>\u2013 not too difficult to come by for the most part … but visas, on the other hand, are complicated; that\u2019s why we prefer not to think about them too much. But the truth is, looking up the visa requirements for your destination is actually quite easy now that Google has so many resources to get you started. The first step is to take to the Internet and see what your destination country requires from visitors from the U.S. Many countries will have free 30-day or 90-day visas on arrival for most major westernized countries (US, Canada, Australia, much of Europe), which truly requires you to do nothing prior to arriving at the airport. Make sure to check the official government website of your destination to get the facts on what countries are exempt from visas and which are not. And do this with\u00a0plenty<\/em>\u00a0of time before your trip, so that you have ample time to get your documents in order and aren\u2019t panicking a week before the flight.<\/p>\n

Some countries will require you to get prepaid visas beforehand. This can be for any number of reasons but is often because of international trade relations between the destination country and yours. Destinations such as Brazil, Vietnam, and Bolivia are just a few of many countries that require you to get a visa before you fly, in order to be granted access upon arrival. Often times, government websites are very helpful and concise in helping you prepare your documents for a pre-approved visa, so stick to these sites and you should be fine.<\/p>\n

Some countries are a bit more closed off. Countries like North Korea, China, and Russia have particularly tricky visas to get for Americans and other westerners, and others will flat-out refuse to accept people from certain countries. If you have an Israeli passport, for example, many Middle-Eastern and Muslim countries may not approve you for a visa and therefore ban you from entering. Be sure to look it up so that you don\u2019t accidentally plan a trip to a country you can\u2019t enter.<\/p>\n

Go to Your Consulate (1-3 Months in Advance)<\/h2>\n

If you’ve checked your destination\u2019s website and qualify for a free visa-on-arrival, then congratulations! You\u2019re done! But if you don\u2019t, then you\u2019ll have a few more steps before you can celebrate. Many countries that require you to apply for a visa (like Vietnam) won\u2019t require you to physically go to a local consulate. You can just fill in your information online and send in the proper documents and get your visa in the mail. But for other more complicated situations, you\u2019ll likely have to go to the consulate.<\/p>\n

If you do go to the consulate, make sure you read the requirements and necessary paperwork\u00a0extensively<\/em>\u00a0before going so that you avoid a headache. A visit to an embassy or consulate is often a slow and old-fashioned experience. No online forms or PDFs. They\u2019ll require you to bring hard copies of your passport, documentation, and wallet-sized photos, and if you don\u2019t have them you\u2019ll have to go get them and wait in line all over again. It\u2019s best to come prepared. Hopefully, after a quick discussion about your intended visit and (usually) a payment, you\u2019ll be given your visa to be presented at immigration when you arrive at your destination. The whole process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, so it\u2019s really not that bad. Just make sure you\u2019re prepared and don\u2019t lose anything.<\/p>\n

Prep Your Documents (1-2 Weeks in Advance)<\/h2>\n

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Now that you have all of your paperwork, you\u2019re pretty much all set. Make sure that when you pack for your trip, you put your visa documents at the top of your list. That extra pair of flip flops won\u2019t do you any good if you can\u2019t even get to the beach. The documents usually include:<\/p>\n