Visa Travel Requirements – It’s Not About Your Credit Card

Visa

Acquiring a Visa or eVisa can be a very confusing task, but the process itself is, in theory, very simple. Before you take any international trip, research each country you plan to visit to determine what documents are required for entry, including any Visas.

A Visa, in the very most basic of terms, is a fee you pay to get a stamp in your passport that allows you to legally enter, exit and move around a foreign country. 

This very helpful and interesting Wikipedia Article lists every country and their requirements for United States passport holders to visit. I’d recommend you check it out.

Happy News! 

If you own a United States passport you’re in a great position. As of early 2022, the United States has the 6th strongest passport in the world (down from #5, boo!).

• US citizens can visit 143 countries without a Visa

• 72 countries require a simple online eVisa

• 39 countries require a full Visa with varying prices and application requirements 

The two countries you’re most likely to visit that require a full Visa are Russia and China. Both Visas are pricey and the application process is overly-fussy, especially to visit Russia.

Chinese Visa

The Chinese Visa is valid for a full ten years.

When I visited China I hired Visa Express to secure my Visa for me. It cost about $250 (which included the price of the $140 Visa) and was very painless, except for the section that forced me to remember my past travel history without leaving any country off. 

My Friends All Agreed My Visa Process Was Best

Three of my friends also got their Chinese Visas at the same time. We all live in SLC and the closest Chinese Embassy is in Los Angeles.

My three friends opted to get their Visas in person and flew to Los Angeles (they are all flight crew and fly for free).

Once at LAX, they took the train to the Chinese Embassy. There they completed the proper paperwork, paid the fees and handed over their passports, which had to be collected in person the next week. Because the process took a good part of the day, they had lunch, took the train back to the airport and flew home.

The next week they flew back to LAX to pick up their passports.

This process took two full days away from work. When you add in the train ticket and lunch (I guess they could have skipped lunch or brought their own) my friend Patricia told me that my $250 Visa ended up being much cheaper, less time-consuming and easier to acquire. 

If you live near Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles or Houston, you can get your Chinese Visa at the local Chinese Embassy. 

Russian Visa

The Russian Visa is expensive ($160) and the application process is complicated.

When you submit your Russia Visa application you’re required to attach a letter from a “Sponsor” (basically the hotel or person you’re staying with). The paperwork also requires a full ten years of travel history, including travel dates.

• If you’ve never been anywhere, creating this travel history isn’t a big deal

• If you’ve been everywhere, creating this detailed list can be overwhelming

• As flight crew or someone who travels often for work, this task can feel nearly impossible

Baltic Seas Cruise

I’ve been to Russia twice on cruise stops. Both times we were in port for less than 72 hours which made my group eligible to leave the ship without a Visa. As a trade-off, we had to join an organized tour, promising never to leave our tour guide’s side.

This situation works well if you’re on a cruise, but if you’re planning a longer visit you’ll need to go through the painful Visa process.

As I write this, the world is pretty mad at Russia. It’ll be interesting to see if Russian tourism picks up.

A Russian Visa is a Pain to Get

I considered going to the Sochi Olympics in 2014. As a US citizen, getting to Sochi was very difficult (even for flight crew) and finding somewhere to stay near Sochi was impossible. Because of the lack of hotels near the Olympic sites, I had no “Sponsor”  and I was unable to complete the Visa application.

I went to Thailand instead and had a lovely time. 

What do I take from this Russia Visa fussiness?

Russia would prefer United States tourists spend their travel money elsewhere.  

Brazil

Until 2019 Brazil rivaled China and Russia as the most expensive Visa at a very pricy $160. 

A Note About Visa Prices

$160 is what the United States charges Brazilian residents to visit the US.

Until 2019, the Brazilian government charged US citizens $160 to visit Brazil.

Coincidence?

I think not. 

Hoping to drum up some tourism, in 2019 Brazil changed its requirements so no Visa is necessary for United States passport holders to visit their country.

This ended up being terrible timing as the Covid epidemic hit shortly after waiving the Visa fee.

Fingers crossed that this no-Visa change is permanent. If Brazil is at the top of your list maybe go sooner rather than later unless you enjoy spending money on needless fees.

eVisa 

72 countries require United States passport holders to secure an eVisa to visit.

An eVisa is usually simple to get and relatively inexpensive. My most recent eVisa was for Cambodia. All I had to do was:

• Fill out an online application
• Attach a digital passport picture into their secure website
• Pay a $35 fee

At first I worried this application might be Voodoo and my $35 would disappear into a black hole. To my surprise, when I arrived on the border of Thailand and Cambodia in the sweltering heat and handed my passport to the dude sitting in a shack behind an ancient computer, I was waved right through. 

If you know you’re visiting a country that requires an eVisa, secure it at home where you have fast, secure internet.

You might be able to get the eVisa at the border you’re crossing, or the airport you’re flying into. However, waiting to secure your eVisa will likely require:

• Longer lines
• Longer interrogation
• Payment in cash in the local currency

You Visited an Enemy of My Country, Go Away

Be aware, if you’ve got a stamp in your passport that’s from an “Enemy of My Country”, you won’t be allowed into “Non-Enemy Territory.” 

We’re talking mostly about Israel. 

If you visit Israel (and you should) be aware that the following countries won’t let you visit their country if you have an Israel stamp in your passport.

• Syria
• Lebanon
• Libya
• Kuwait
• Iran
• Iraq
• Pakistan
• Sudan
• Yemen
• Algeria

This shouldn’t be a big deal because there are DO NOT TRAVEL State Warnings for most of these Israel-hating countries. However, if you do find yourself wanting to visit Kuwait, Pakistan, Lebanon or Algeria it’s still good information for you to be aware of. 

Friends of Israel

Because there’s a lot of misinformation out there, these are the countries that will let you in if you have an Israel stamp in your passport.

• United Arab Emirates
• Egypt
• Jordan
• Oman
• Morocco
• Saudi Arabia (if they let you in)

USA Passport? Good Luck Getting a Visa

Here’s a list of places you will have to jump through a lot of hoops to visit simply because of your United States passport:

• North Korea
• Iran
• Cuba
• Libya
• Saudi Arabia
• Bhutan
• Pakistan
• Nigeria
• Turkmenistan
• Sudan
• Nauru
• Somalia
• Angola
• Iraq
• China
• Russia

Don’t let this small list bother you. There are still 238 other places that would love for us to spend our money in their country.

Visa and Cruise Ship Travel

Cruise ship travel is great because you can visit a lot of different places and only unpack once.

It’s important to know that Visa and cruising rules can be kind of confusing. When stopping at exotic locals sometimes:

• Being a passenger on the cruise ship is your “Visa”
• You might need to pre-secure a Visa to exit the ship
• Some countries allow you to join an organized tour instead of getting a Visa

When you receive your cruise documents, the cruise line will remind you to check through your list of cruise ports and verify any specific country you’re visiting.

Having the correct Visa and/or documentation for each cruise stop is ultimately your responsibility.

It’s Up To You To Know Your Visa Requirements

You’ll meet cruisers from all over the world on any given cruise ship.

Each country you visit will have different Visa requirements for citizens from different countries.

It would be unrealistic for us, as cruisers, to expect the cruise staff to know the specific Visa rules for every country and every nationality. Do your research at home about Visa requirements for the ports you’re stopping at.

If you can’t find an answer you understand, reach out to those on CruiseCritic.com to pin down your specific Visa questions. The CruiseCritic folks are very knowledgeable and happy to share what they’ve learned. 

Surprise! We Almost Gotcha!

Visa Surprise #1 – Australia

Although we are BFFs with Australia, their government requires an eVisa for United States passport holders to enter. If you’re a run-of-the-mill tourist you’ll get an online Electronic Travel Authority Australia (ETA) which it costs about $20 (these fees can always change). The ETA is relatively quick and painless to acquire and is electronically linked to your passport. 

Visa Surprise #2 – Don’t Over Stay Your Welcome

Most countries that United States passport holders can visit Visa-free have a stay limit of 90-180 days. If you plan to stay in a country or region for more than three months make sure you know the requirements for extended visits. NEVER take a chance extending your visit without filling out the appropriate paperwork.

Visa Surprise #3 – Cash Please

Some countries with no Visa requirement charge an “Exit Tax” that must be paid in cash in the local currency before you’re allowed to leave. Do your research and be prepared for this unexpected “goodbye” expense.

Knowledge Really is Power

Do Your Visa Homework

Obtaining a Visa doesn’t have to be a scary process if you go into it with a clear head and determined purpose.

Next time you’re in CVS or Walgreens get a passport photo taken so you have both physical and digital photos ready. Not having passport-ready photos becomes the most irritating part of applying for an eVisa.

As travel and technology merge I won’t be surprised when the days of a physically pasted Visa in your passport completely disappears. Sooner rather than later travelers will be automatically pre-cleared to fly into a specific country and then pay customs officials a “Visa fee” upon arrival.

Until that great day, knowledge is power and luck favors the prepared.

In other words, protect yourself and do your Visa homework. 

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The Art of Travel (TAOT) ~ Written by Kylie, these awesome photos came from Unsplash.