Visas, Do You Need One?

When Americans travel, we often take many things for granted, including ease of going places without a bunch of bothersome restric­tions. We come by this attitude naturally. Being able to move freely through all fifty states of the United States, we get used to the idea that this is our “right.” And yes, we know that when we travel abroad we need a passport. But this is something we’re a little less used to having to do all the time, because, until very recently, some countries, such as Canada and Mexico, did not require us to have a passport. Now they do.

Visa Passport, Public Domain, Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

But things have changed even more radically over the last ten years than that. Where once we didn’t need passports to travel to some places, now we have to have them for everywhere. This isn’t just so we can get into those countries. It is also so we can get back into our own! Try to reenter the United States without a passport, and good luck! But again, most of us know that passports are now “a must” whenever we travel anywhere outside of America.

But what about visas? Do we need those, as well? What are they? Many first-time travelers, and even some seasoned travelers, aren’t very aware of visas, as to when they are or are not required, and under what circumstances. Many don’t even know what they are.

Well, simply put, visas are special documents that allow you entry into a specific country. For certain countries, visas are required, as well as a passport, in order to enter that country. You may be surprised which countries do and don’t demand them. Also, normally, you get them before you leave home, by contacting any embassies of destination countries that require them. And for the unwitting traveler who doesn’t know about this, it can be a real problem when they take that “dream of a lifetime” trip. Because to get it wrong, can really wreak havoc with your travel plans, and at the worst possible moment, that is, when you are actually arriving at your destination.

What’s that you say? You don’t have to worry about this, because your travel agent will let you know if you need one? Think again. First, the majority of us now are making at least part of our own travel arrangements. Who reading this article, for example, hasn’t booked their flight to somewhere, at least once? Making our own travel arrangements is fast becoming the “new norm,” and with that goes the responsibility of you making sure about whether or not you need a visa to go somewhere. And also, and I hate to say this, but since it happened to me, I’m going to—some travel agents don’t always know about these things.

Case in point: In the late 1980’s I was planning a month-long tour of Europe. At the time, in those “no-Internet” days, I relied strictly upon a travel agent. I was assured by her I didn’t need any visas in Europe. Now, this was in the days just before the European Union really came into being and each country really was very much separate with border guards, and still with the whole passport drill at each crossing. I remember Spain had intimidating armed guards at its border. Still, even there, visas were not required. But just one week before I was due to leave on my trip, I heard France, because of some internal problems, was suddenly demanding that even American visitors have a visa.

Not being sure about this, not knowing what else to do, I called my travel agent, of course, she being the supposed expert on all this. She assured me I did not need a visa to enter France (so much for her keeping up with the latest travel events of the time.) When I became persistent about having heard it on the news, her response to me was “It’s not really my problem to handle these things.”  Of course, I knew it was my responsibility to have a passport and any visas I needed, but I assumed my own travel agent could give me the latest news, at least, as to whether I actually would need them or not! She not only didn’t know, but I also had the distinct impression she couldn’t have cared less, having already received my money.

But not trusting her vague answer (and one which I felt was very ill-informed—I mean, doesn’t she ever watch the national news?), I called the French Embassy in Washington. They “assured” me that, yes, I did have to have a visa.  So in a panic, I drove to the embassy in Washington (took two days to do this at the last minute, too, because I didn’t live there), and obtained such a visa. So, I was fine on my trip abroad.

However, a large number of Australian citizens who were also taking the same tour as I was didn’t know about this problem. Result? They spent the two days we had earmarked for exploring London, instead scrambling to get in long lines at the French Embassy there, trying to obtain their visas at the last minute. Part of their trip was wiped out, lost forever, because their travel agents hadn’t known about the French visa problem. And they had left on their trip two weeks after I’d left on mine, so that was plenty of time for their travel agents to have learned of the French visa problem well before they left Australia. By the way, just so you know, France no longer requires visas. It was a temporary emergency measure at the time, but now no longer.

My point here with all this is these things do change. Countries that didn’t require visas may suddenly start requiring them. And a lot of this has happened since September 11, 2001. America started demanding certain other countries’ citizens have visas to come here, and they retaliated by demanding the same from our people. So visa requirements have been in a state of flux for a while now. Lately, they have settled down some, but remember this: It is up to you, as the traveler, to have the appropriate documentation to enter any country you wish to visit. Failure to have such upon arrival there, and again, good luck! You could, and probably will in some instances, be ordered to return immediately from whence you came.

So, which countries require visas? Well, right now, and I stress that, because these things change, most Western European countries do not require a visa. By Western European, I mean countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany,  Belgium, Lichtenstein, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands—all those we are used to thinking of as “Europe” for the last half a century or so.

However, go just a little farther east and it gets trickier. Latvia requires a visa, but Lithuania and Estonia do not. Greece does not require a visa, but Turkey does. Croatia does not require a visa, but Moldova, does. See what I mean? It gets to be a bit of a checkerboard in Eastern Europe, as to whether or not visas are required for certain countries.

In Africa, it is even worse. South Africa and Morocco don’t require us to have a visa, but many other African nations do, including Kenya, Liberia, Egypt, Nigeria, and a host of others. In fact, in Africa, more nations do require visas than don’t. So keep this very much in mind if you are planning a tour of Africa.

The Caribbean region is much the same way. Countries such as Jamaica and Trinidad want you to have a visa, but Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, and others, do not.  And when it comes to Cuba, you have to get special authorization from the U.S. Department of State if you want to travel there as an American citizen. But there’s more.

Countries That Can Use Australia’s ETA Program, Public Domain, Courtesy, Wikimedia Commons

South America is a bit of a checker­board, as well. Peru and Paraguay want visas, but Chile and Argentina don’t. In Central America, El Salvador wants them, but Nicaragua and Costa Rica don’t require them. So again, one has to be careful.

Paraguay Visa, Author Alex Steffler, Courtesy, Wikimedia Commons

Asia is a veritable patch­work of countries that do need visas, and some few that don’t. Australia even demands an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority), which will allow you to spend up to 180 days in their country. This is a surprise, because most of us don’t think of Australia as demanding a visa of any sort.

So you see, you can’t just rely on entire regions being “okay” with regard to not needing visas when it comes to traveling abroad. And even those areas that don’t require them now, may institute them if they suddenly feel the need. And this can change, right up to the last minute before you travel, as it did with me, so you must be aware of this. It is you that will be denied entry, and not your travel agent, when it comes to traveling. So it is entirely up to you to be responsible for knowing which countries demand you have visas, and which do not. If you do know and go prepared, you will have a great trip. Otherwise, well, your holiday might turn out to be a nightmare.

Eurozone Map 2009. Author, Kolja21, Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Another con­sidera­tion when traveling abroad is money exchange rates, and which countries have what currencies. Even some countries that are now members of the European Union do not yet use the Euro. England doesn’t, for example, but Ireland does. So, you had better have knowledge of which country has what currency when traveling abroad, and what the current exchange rates are for them.

My advice; please do use Currate.com! I’ve said it before, but only because it is so true, Currate.com really is your one-stop website for learning all you need to know about foreign currencies, what they actually look like, what the current exchange rates for them are, and how to calculate different amounts from one currency to another. So for example, if you have to exchange Euros for Egyptian Pounds, at Currate.com you will find the answers you need with regard to those currency conversion rates, what each currency looks like, and how much of the new money you should end up with after the conversion. Currate.com, the travelers’ friend when it comes to currency conversions!

World's First Google World Currencies With Currency Converter, Including Currency Images

And for more information on which countries require visas, what types, etc., please follow the links below this article. And again, for your currency needs, check out Currate.com. With a marvelous online currency calculator, an Earth map of destination countries where you can just point and click, as well as images of the world’s currencies, regularly updated exchange rates, and even applications that allow access with Internet Browser mobile phones, you can’t go wrong. Try http://currate.com/m.php for this. If your mobile phone has enhanced features, then use http://currate.com/e.php. The best part; it’s all free! And it’s user friendly.

For the savvy traveler, knowing about passports, visas, and currencies is a must. Knowledge of all these things will make for a smoother trip, a more fun one, and a cheaper one! So have fun traveling, and remember that visa, if you need it! And don’t forget to have some of your destination’s local currency. You will need that, too.

Rob Shelsky, Currate.com Contributing Editor
Robert Rademacher, Currate.com Editor-in-Chief

References:

Australian Electronic Travel Authority
http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/

Peninsula Visa & Passport Services
http://www.peninsulavisa.com/visa-forms.htm

U.S. Department of State
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Delta, Visa and Passport Information
http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/plan_flight/international_travel_information/visa_passport_information/

Visa Exempt Countries
http://www.southafrica-newyork.net/homeaffairs/visaexempt.htm

What Is A Russian Visa?
http://www.waytorussia.net/RussianVisa/Info.html

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