The Travisa Connection
 
December 2015
Conde Nast Traveler
The 10 Hottest Places to Spend the Holidays
Ditch your dreams of a White Christmas this year. After all, winter and its frightful snowstorms will last for another three months. Instead, head to one of these 10 destinations where the weather averages in the high 70s in December, with a few temperatures easily climbing past 80 degrees F.

Guanacaste, Costa Rica: 81 degrees

Boasting an average tropical temperature of 81 degrees (and plenty of humidity) with picture perfect beaches and largely untouched rainforests, Costa Rica will quickly banish the winter blues. The country's emphasis on "Pura Vida" is also exactly what you'll need after a long month of in-your-face seasonal marketing.

Click to read more!  
Consulate and Embassy Closings
Travisa Office Closings

Travisa US Offices
: December 25th, January 1st

Atlanta
Canada : December 28th
Germany : December 24th, December 31st
India : December 25th
Japan : December 23rd, December 24th, December 25th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Switzerland : December 24th, December 25th, December 31st
Boston
Canada : December 28th
Germany : December 24th, December 25th, December 31st
Japan : December 23rd, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st

Chicago
Australia : December 28th, December 29th
Bulgaria : December 24th, December 31st
Canada : December 28th
Denmark : December 24th, December 31st
Germany : December 24th, December 31st
India : December 25th
Ireland : December 28th
Japan: December 23rd, December 24th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
South Africa : December 24th, December 28th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Spain : December 8th, December 24th, December 25th, December 31st
Venezuela : December 24th, December 31st

Houston
France : December 25th
Indonesia : December 24th
Japan : December 23rd, December 24th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
United Kingdom : December 24th, December 28th

London
Angola : December 17th, December 18th, December 21st, December 22nd, December 23rd, December 24th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st, January 4th
Argentina : December 8th
Australia : December 24th, December 31st
Bangladesh : December 16th, December 23rd
Congo Republic : December 23rd, December 24th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Cyprus : December 24th
Denmark : December 24th, December 25th, December 28th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Finland : December 24th
Germany : December 24th, December 31st
India : December 24th, December 25th
Japan : December 25th, December 28th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Latvia : December 24th, December 31st
Mongolia : December 29th
Sweden : December 24th, December 25th, December 28th, December 31st
Switzerland : December 24th, December 31st
Thailand : December 10th, December 31st

Los Angeles
Australia: December 25th, December 28th, December 29th
Bolivia : December 25th
Bulgaria: December 24th, December 31st
Canada : December 28th
Finland : December 24th
Germany : December 24th, December 25th, December 31st
Japan : December 23rd, December 25th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Kazakhstan : December 17th, December 22nd
New Zealand : December 28th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Peru : December 24th, December 31st
Philippines : December 24th, December 30th, December 31st
Poland : December 25th
Thailand : December 31st
Miami
Brazil : December 24th
Canada : December 28th
Germany : December 24th, December 31st
Japan : December 23rd, December 24th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st

New York
Argentina : December 8th, December 24th, December 31st
Australia : December 28th, December 29th, December 31st
Bangladesh : December 16th, December 23rd
Bulgaria : December 24th, December 31st
Canada : December 28th
Czech Republic : December 24th
Denmark : December 24th, December 31st
Estonia : December 24th
Finland : December 24th
Germany : December 24th, December 25th, December 31st
Japan : December 25th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Lithuania : December 24th
Luxembourg : December 25th
Poland : December 25th
Serbia : December 25th
Spain : December 25th
Sweden : December 24th, December 31st
Switzerland : December 24th, December 25th, December 31st
Thailand : December 25th, December 31st

Ottawa
Australia: December 28th
Czech Republic : December 24th
Denmark : December 24th, December 31st
Estonia : December 24th
Germany : December 24th, December 31st
Indonesia : December 28th
Japan : December 23rd, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Philippines : December 30th, December 31st
Switzerland : December 24th, December 31st, January 1st
Thailand : December 28th, December 31st
United Kingdom : December 24th, December 28th
San Francisco
Canada : December 28th
India : December 24th
Japan : December 29th, December 30th

Toronto
Brazil : December 28th
China : December 28th
Germany : December 24th, December 31st
Indonesia : December 24th, December 28th
Italy : December 25th
Japan : December 23rd, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Thailand : December 24th, December 28th, December 31st

Washington
Argentina : December 8,December 25th
Australia : December 28th, December 29th
Austria : December 8th, December 24th, December 31st
Bangladesh : December 16th, December 23rd
Belgium : December 24th
Bulgaria : December 24th, December 31st
Canada : December 28th
Czech Republic : December 24th
Denmark : December 24th, December 31st
Estonia : December 24th
Ethiopia : December 22nd,December 24th
Finland : December 24th
Germany: December 24th, December 25th, 2015, December 31st
India : December 25th
Indonesia : December 24th
Ireland : December 28th
Jamaica : December 25th
Japan : December 23rd, December 24th, December 25th, December 29th, December 30th, December 31st
Latvia : December 24th, December 31st
Lithuania : December 24th
Namibia : December 10th
Norway : December 25th
Peru : December 24th, December 31st
Russia : January 4th, January 5th
Slovak Republic: December 24th
Sweden : December 24th, December 25th, December 31st
Thailand : Thursday December 31st
Venezuela : December 24th

Travisa Updates, Announcements and Reminders...

Possible Holidays Delays

During the holiday season, please expect embassy closures and passport office delays.  Please plan ahead and don't wait until the last minute to submit your requests.
 
World Wide Travel Warning

As many of us have read, the US State department has issues a worldwide travel alert. This does not mean we shouldn't travel, it just means we need to use due diligence when planning planning our upcoming adventures! One way we can take precaution when traveling is by registering our trips with the US Embassy. This makes it possible for the US Embassy or Consulate to contact a traveler if necessary; this could be a family emergency in the United States or because of a crisis in the country where you, the traveler is visiting. Click here to learn more and register your next international trip!
 

Remember: The US Department of State will no longer add visa pages to US Passports

Effective January 1, 2016, U.S. passport holders will need to renew passports once there is no further space for entry or exit stamps or visas. The decision to discontinue this service was made to enhance the security of the passport and to abide by international passport standards.

We encourage frequent travelers to apply for additional pages now if you are running low.  Otherwise, when you renew your passport you may select to apply for a 52-page book.
 
Letters to the Editor

Here is our latest letter, thank you for the positive feedback! We love hearing from all of our clients, keep the letters coming, the iPad is still up for grabs! Email your comments to editor@travisa.com. 

"I get a LOT of email every day.  Maybe 1/3 of what I get doesn't quite fit into the junk mail category, so I don't opt out of receiving it.  Nevertheless, I usually don't open most of this email before deleting it.  The Travisa emails are an exception.  I have learned, starting with the very first Travisa newsletter that I received, that you guys include a great combination of useful information and fun facts in your newsletters.  It seems there's always something even a seasoned traveler like myself can learn.
                                                                                                  
Regarding your visa and document services, all I can say is that you guys rock.  My employer switched from Travisa to one of your competitors a few years ago in an attempt to save money, and that turned out to be a fiasco.  The up-front costs appeared to be less than Travisa, but after hidden fees, late visas, and unresponsive customer service, the costs of doing business with this competitor were higher.  Not to mention the frustration and anxiety that I experienced...  Now we're back doing business with Travisa and I have to say, me and my co-workers were all really pleased with that decision.
Keep up the great work!
Nick Sweeney"
Featured Article: Global Entry vs TSA Precheck Updated! 
British citizens will soon be able to apply for permission to skip customs lines at U.S. airports as part of the Global Entry program.

On Dec. 3, the U.K. became the seventh country (joining Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Panama, Germany and the Netherlands) to join the Global Entry program, which allows for expedited clearance of pre-approved travelers!

In honor of the newly acquired status we have decided to re run one of our most popular, and most requested article!

Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck

We all want to speed through the long, unpleasant lines at airport security and customs, but what can you do about it?

You might not realize it, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has more than one program designed to expedite your trip though the airport. Trusted Traveler options include: FAST, FLUX, NEXUS, SENTRI, SES, Smart Gate and STEP. The TSA also offers TSA Pre-Check.

That's a lot of acronyms! Let's break which ones matter for you and which ones don't. FLUX, SES and Smart Gate all apply to frequent travelers to/from the Netherlands, Korea, and Australia. New Zealand has a similar program that's missing the catchy name. These programs expedite and secure international travel with an automated border passage program. For North America, the State Department also has the NEXUS and SENTRI programs, which apply to border crossings between the U.S. and Canada and Mexico, both by land and sea.

The good news is members of those programs can also participate in Global Entry. Global Entry helps you clear U.S. customs and Border patrol faster regardless of where you are traveling from. The program is designed for low-risk travelers to receive expedited clearance upon arriving arrival into the United States. To receive Global Entry, you must submit an application that includes an in-person interview, background check, and fingerprinting. Once you pass, Global Entry members can then skip the lines at Customs and Border Protection and instead use touch-screen kiosks in the arrivals area of airports.

Side Note: It can take months to get an appointment for an interview - but don't get discouraged!
It seems that the Global Entry program has gotten so popular that appointments are now being filled up months in advance at many locations. As of May 6, there were 88,000 appointments scheduled for the 35 enrollment centers, so the math is not on your side. However, as one frequent traveler blogged:
 
"After I completed my application earlier this year, I contacted a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) office to see if there was any way to get an earlier appointment, and I was told to keep checking their web sites for cancellations. To my surprise, an appointment opened up the following week and I was in. It appears as if the typical GOES applicant travels frequently on business but often needs to cancel their appointments with little notice. So don't get discouraged - there are plenty of ways to get around the appointment backlog including just walking into an appointment office. After all, someone might miss their flight and their appointment and you can slip in. Another tip, don't confine your search to your home airport, browse the airports at the destinations that you are already scheduled to visit."
 
Skipping the lines can help at customs, but what about the lines at security when you get to the airport? Here's where TSA's PreCheck program enters the game. Qualified fliers go through an expedited TSA security line, where they don't have to remove their shoes, belts, coats, and laptops. Initially you had to have frequent-flier status or be a member of a Trusted Traveler program (so if you have Global Entry you have PreCheck) to qualify for the program. However, starting last September, you can apply online to be eligible for the PreCheck program.

So, should travelers invest in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and how do these programs compare? Let's break it down:

What the Programs Offer

Global Entry members skip the lines at Customs and Border Protection and instead use touch-screen kiosks in the arrivals area of airports.  Global Entry members are automatically eligible to the TSA PreCheck program at no additional fee.

With TSA PreCheck, qualified fliers go through an expedited TSA security line, where they don't have to remove their shoes, belts, coats, and laptops.

Fees  
Global Entry has a $100 fee that must be paid when you send in your application.

TSA Pre-Check has an $85 fee that must be paid online.

Application Process 
Global Entry starts with an online application, which if approved results in an in person interview where a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer asks questions, take a photo and scans fingerprints.

TSA Pre-Check requires an online application. Then you are required to verify identity and provide fingerprints at a TSA Pre-Check and enrollment center.

How Long Is Membership Active?
Both TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry memberships are valid for 5 years.

There are currently 45 airports in the Global Entry program, including outposts in Canada, Guam, and Shannon, Ireland.

TSA Pre-Check is currently available in 115 airports across the US for passengers traveling on Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, United, US Airways and Virgin America.

It is important to note Kids must have Global Entry to bypass customs with their parents. Just as all children, regardless of age, must have a passport to travel internationally, all passport holders must have GE in order to skip the standard line when entering the country. For maximum inconvenience, each child needs to have a separate appointment, so it is important to be very calm through this process! And yes, your 10 month old baby will need their own appointment! However, children do not have to have Global Entry to go through TSA PreCheck with their parents.

It will also be necessary to re-visit an airport Customs and Border Patrol office when you get a new passport. So if your passport is expiring in the next few months it is recommended you renew your passport before applying for Global Entry or PreCheck!

The final result of the application process is credit card sized picture ID. This card also happens to be a Federal ID that can be valid at the TSA, DMV, and the federal courts. So keep your card separate from your driver's license and passport, and don't forget this fact if you need an extra form of identification in a pinch!




Corporate Accounts and Travel Industry

 

Find out the benefit of opening a Corporate Account with Travisa, and find out how your organization can increase its profits by offering passport & visa services.