Archive for the ‘Alerts’ Category

Friendly Reminder From the US State Department: Don’t Try to Enter North Korea Without a Visa!

Monday, August 30th, 2010

As former president Jimmy Carter returned from North Korea with a freed American prisoner, the US Department of State issued a new travel warning for the country, reminding Americans not to attempt to visit it without a North Korean visa. Although North Korea announced earlier this year that they would allow US tourists into the country year-round, that doesn’t mean that it’s easy for US citizens to visit the country.

The travel warning notes that:

“The Government of North Korea imposes heavy fines and long prison sentences with hard labor on persons who enter the country without a valid passport and a North Korean visa…Travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea is not routine, and U.S. citizens crossing into North Korea without proper documentation, even accidentally, have been subject to arrest and long-term detention. “

How hard is it to get a North Korea visa? Well, it’s no walk in the park, especially since the US and North Korea don’t have consular relations with each other. US citizens can apply at the North Korean embassy in Beijing and have a visa within a day, but that’s IF you’re approved for one. There’s no way to know whether or not you’ll be approved without trying, but you can contact the Permanent Representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations beforehand to see if your application is likely to be accepted. Here’s his contact information:

The Permanent Representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations
820 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Tel: (212) 972-3105
Fax: (212) 972-3154

Americans are allowed to visit only as part of organized, supervised tour groups, and the State Department’s travel warning further notes that “Security personnel may also view any unauthorized attempt you make to talk to a North Korean citizen as espionage. North Korean authorities may fine or arrest you for unauthorized currency transactions or for shopping at stores not designated for foreigners.”

Sounds like a lot of fun. Bear in mind that if you’re entering North Korea from China, you’ll also need a multiple entry Chinese tourist visa. See Chinese Visa Requirements for Tourists for details, and consider planning an alternate Chinese itinerary in case your North Korea visa application is rejected.

Since North Korea doesn’t have diplomatic relations with the US, visa services like RushMyTravelVisa can’t help you get a North Korea visa. However, we can help you get a Chinese visa, as well as visas for any other stops you plan to make on your journey.

For travel visa help, contact us today!

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Is It Safe to Get a Nigerian Visa?

Sunday, July 4th, 2010

As wonderful as it would be to be able to travel the world worry-free, that simply isn’t possible. Conflicts, unfriendly governments and general lawlessness can all make a destination unsafe. To help guide travelers, the US Department of State issues official travel warnings whenever it feels that the situation in a particular country has become a cause for concern.

Last month, the Department of State issued a travel warning for Nigeria. Is is safe to get a Nigerian visa? To answer this question as fully as possible, let’s look at the travel warning in a little bit more detail.

The warning sites crime as the chief danger in Nigeria, citing the kidnappings of foreign nationals, fraud perpetrated by people dressed as government officials, shakedowns and demands from bribery by actual police and government officials, home invasions and other incidents of violent crime against US citizens, and local police who are less than helpful in investigating these crimes.

The travel warning also recommends that you avoid the following areas altogether: “the Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers; the Southeastern states of Abia, Edo, and Imo; and the city of Jos in Plateau State.”

However, according to the Lonely Planet, many parts of the country are still relatively safe and if you know where to go, the country can be an attractive destination:

“While a few parts of the country remain problematic, the vast majority is as warm and welcoming to visitors as anywhere in Africa.”

The best advice is to research your intended destination thoroughly before you decide whether or not to go. Learn as much as you can about crime rates and security procedures for the particular part of Nigeria you want to visit, consider your own personal tolerance for risk, and make your decision accordingly.

If you do decide to visit, having all of your documents in order before you go is extremely important. Nigerian visas must be obtained in advance, as they are not available on arrival. If you enter without a visa, you will find it quite difficult to leave, as you have to prove you entered legally before you will be allowed to depart.

To learn more about getting a Nigerian visa, see Nigeria Visa Requirements for Tourists.

RushMyTravelVisa can make the process of getting a Nigerian visa much faster and more convenient. We provide you with clear, easy to understand instructions that make filling out the paperwork a snap, and then we  personally deliver your application to the Nigerian Embassy for the fastest possible processing.

Let us help you apply for your Nigerian visa today!

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Thailand Waives Thai Visa Requirements As Country Recovers From Civil Unrest

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Lately, Thailand has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Riots and protests that pitted different political parties against each other claimed 88 lives and a lot of property in certain areas of Bangkok. The protests also prompted the US Department of State to issue  a travel advisory warning Americans against travel to Thailand.

The streets of Thailand are calm again, and the travel warning has been lifted. However, Thailand’s tourist industry has suffered a major disruption. Of course, the silver lining to all of this is that now that it’s once again safe and pleasant to travel to Thailand, you can find some amazing travel deals there. As Gadling observes:

Hesitant tourists are the unfortunate result of any political instability, no matter how short-lived. The resulting drop in foreign visitors to Thailand has instigated a price war among hotels and resorts across the country–if you thought Thailand used to be cheap, it just got a whole lot cheaper. A number of awesome deals are up for the taking, like Thai Airways’ Discover Thailand pass (fly to any 3 cities within Thailand for $278).

The government is also doing its part to help tempt visitors. Gadling notes that for the time being, the Thai Tourist Authority is waiving Thai visa requirements and fees for tourists who would like to stay longer than the normal 30 days.  Ordinarily, if you wanted to stay longer than 30 days you would need to apply for a Thai tourist visa valid for up to 60 days. But not right now-so feel free to take an extended vacation in Thailand! You can check and see if the requirements are back in force by visiting the Thai Tourist Authority’s website.

Even if you don’t need a Thai visa, you may need a visa if your journey requires you to travel through or stop in another country. RushMyTravelVisa can help you by researching your itinerary and then expediting the application process for any visas you might need.

Apply for your travel visa today!

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Get an Indian Visa To Take Advantage of This Great Travel Deal

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Looking for a way to decompress after the holidays are over?  Travelzoo is offering a package that can help you get away for a spring break in India for just $999 for an eight day trip.

The $999 covers airfare, hotels, breakfast, and tours of the major attractions of three Indian cities: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. You’ll see the Taj Mahal, ancient temples and more. And yes, the deal even includes an elephant ride!

For more details about the trip and for b0oking instructions, check out Jaunted.

Ready to get away this spring? To take advantage of this awesome deal, you will need both a valid passport and an Indian tourist visa.  Here’s what you need to get the visa:

  • A current US passport
  • 2 matching, recent passport photos
  • An Indian visa application form. When you complete the form, you must be very careful. Your handwriting must be neat and there must be no typos.  Since you’ll be traveling as a tourist, make sure you write “tourism” on the form where it asks about the purpose of your visit.
  • A copy of your itinerary or round trip plane tickets.
  • India has a jurisdictional visa system. Indian visa applications must be submitted to the right consulate, depending on where you live. To prove you are submitting your application to the correct consulate, you must submit proof of address, like a clear copy of your driver’s license or a utility bill.

You can’t get an Indian visa at the border, so make sure you apply well before your flight is scheduled to depart.  RushMyTravelVisa.com can help you get the visa you need, providing a checklist to help you with the paperwork and submitting your application to the proper consulate for expedited service.

Apply for your Indian visa today!

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Is Your Travel Visa Horror Story Good Enough to Win a Prize?

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Most travel horror stories are small potatoes…missing a plane, getting stuck next to a drunk guy who reeks of vomit on the subway…not fun, but not epic, either.

However, when it comes to travel visa horror stories, the potential for a truly awful trip increases exponentially. With the appropriate visa, you might not be allowed on your plane. If by some chance you are allowed on your plane, when you arrive at your destination, countries that don’t allow you to apply for a visa on arrival will more than likely put you on the next plane back, at your own expense.

You could also end up stranded in a third country, like the couple that tried to go on honeymoon in St. Petersburg but didn’t have Russian visas.  One thing is certain: without the appropriate travel visa, the outlook for a successful trip is not good at all.

If you have a truly awful travel-related story, now is your chance to cash in. Starting December 1st, the travel insurance company Travel Guard is having a contest to find the “World’s Unluckiest Traveler.” To enter, all you have to do is submit your travel horror story. According to the Denver Post, the company is giving away 2 Flip MinoHDTM camcorders each month for a year, starting December 1st.

There are two ways to win a camcorder-either submit the worst travel story for the month, or vote for your favorite travel story.  If you vote for the winning entry, you could also win.

At the end of the year, one lucky monthly winner will be selected to receive an additional grand prize: $10,000 for their dream vacation!

Contest details aren’t up yet, but check Travel Guard’s site after December 1st.

Of course, the likelihood that your travel visa horror story will win you a prize is slim. Wouldn’t you prefer to avoid visa-related mishaps?

RushMyTravelVisa can help research your itinerary to determine what visas you need for your trip. Then, we’ll help you with the paperwork and submit it to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.  We can’t do anything about that annoying person sitting next to you on the plane or that awful stomach virus you picked up overseas, but we can make sure you have your visas on time for your trip.

Need a travel visa? Apply with us today!

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How To Get a Brazilian Visa In LA

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Right now, getting a Brazilian visa in LA is not an easy task.  Wait times have gone through the roof (at least 10 working days) as the consulate switches over to a new online application system.

With a backlog of applications to process, the Consulate is currently only allowing visa expediting services to submit one application per day. Even visa agencies are having difficulty getting Brazilian visa applications processed in a timely manner!

Even if you don’t live anywhere near LA, you could be affected. The Brazilian visa system is what’s called a jurisdictional system. That means that you can’t simply apply for a Brazilian visa at any Brazilian consulate.  You have to apply at the Brazilian consulate that services people in your area. The LA Consulate serves people who live in the following states:

  • California
  • Arizona
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Nevada
  • Utah
  • Wyoming

So, if you live in one of those states, how do you go about getting a visa? Well, basically you have two options: apply yourself, or go through a visa agency like RushMyTravelVisa.com.

If don’t live in or near LA, an expediting company is without a doubt your best choice. You see, the Brazilian consulate doesn’t take visa applications by mail. So, unless you use an expediter, either you or your family must travel to LA in person to submit the application.

Even if you live in LA, you’ll still find it difficult to get a Brazilian visa on your own. Visa applications are processed by appointment only, and they only set up appointments between 9am and 12pm.

Here’s yet another reason to go with a visa expediting company: the Brazilian application process is not at all straightforward, and if you make a mistake, you have to resubmit your paperwork all over again.  Expediting companies like RushMyTravelVisa  can review your application to catch mistakes before they hold up your visa.The current backlog means that the waiting period is long enough without having to go through it twice!

Since visa services are only able to process one visa per day, some companies have simply stopped offering Brazilian visas to people who live in the LA consulate’s jurisdiction.  Not RushMyTravelVisa.com!

We are still here to help travelers who need Brazilian visas in this jurisdiction. We’ll research your situation, help you with the application materials, and make sure that every “i” is dotted and every “t” is crossed before we take it to the consulate. Then, we’ll get your visa on its way to you as soon as we have it.

Trust us to make the visa application process as easy and fast as possible…apply for your Brazilian visa today!

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