A Brief Introduction to Travel Visas

A visa is an official government document that temporarily authorizes you to be in the country you are visiting, and many countries require a visa to gain entry. The visa is usually a stamp placed inside the passport by the country's Embassy.

Every country has different requirements to obtain a visa. This depends on why you are visiting the country and how long you want to stay. Are you a tourist, on business, a scientist, or a student? How long do you want to visit, and is there a chance you may need to stay longer? These questions are critical to getting an approved visa.

How do you obtain a visa? You can process the visa on your own by sending in the paperwork and materials to your local consulate. Then, you would have to wait for the local consulate process the visa and mail them back to you. This process is tedious and could take weeks. If you need a visa quicker, it is best to use an express service.

Express services have extensive knowledge on obtaining visas for the country you are traveling to, and they have visa agents doing the legwork for you. Using the express service method is cheaper and less hassle than doing it yourself.

Here is the standard procedure that most express services require for obtaining a visa:

1. Fill out an application. The application must be filled out thoroughly. Even if a field is not required, do so anyway. For instance, if the application does not indicate a mandatory fill-in field, such as a middle initial, maiden name, or former name, then do so anyway. It will prevent confusion, and confirm your identifying information.

2. Select travel dates and type of visa required. A copy of your plane ticket or itinerary is imperative. They want proof of your arrival and departure dates. The type of visa requested, and travel dates combined are important. For example, if you want a student visa, then the dates that coincide for the schools program must match your travel dates.

3. Sign the Authorization Letter. This letter gives the express service agent the permission to obtain your visa for you.

4. Send them your materials and paperwork. This includes your original passport, photographs, and any supplemental documents that may be required for the type of visa selected. Make sure your passport is good for at least six months, or the visa may be declined. Supplemental documents are things like a copy of your driver's license, state I.D., or marriage license. These may not have an impact on your visa approval, but The Embassy may request additional information and it will be available immediately.

5. Pay the express service fees. Provide a shipping address, and the type of express service you want. The faster you want it, the higher the fees are.

6. Pay the visa fees. Not all embassies accept the same form of payment. Contact your express service agent and ask about payment options.

Once the express service receives all of the required documents and paperwork, they hand carry the documents to the embassy. Once the Embassy grants you a visa, the express service will ship it back to you the same day, usually by FedEx.