The Travisa Connection
August 2015
Visa Exemptions Announced this Summer
Indonesia

Effective June 10th, 2015 citizens of 45 countries including US, Canada and UK are exempt from tourist visa for Indonesia for a stay of up to 30 days if entering at eligible airports and harbors.
 
Kazakhstan

Citizens of the US, Australia, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE and UK, may enter Kazakhstan for a period of up to 15 calendar days without a visa, effective through December 31st, 2017. This is an extension of the visa waiver that was in place from July 2014 to July 2015.
 
Vietnam

Citizens of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Italy may enter the country for a period of up to 15 calendar days without a visa, effective through June 30th, 2016.
 
European Union Visa Waiver Agreement

On Thursday, May 28th, 2015, the European Union signed a short-stay visa waiver agreement with 7 countries from the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP) including St Lucia, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Republic of Vanuatu, the independent State of Samoa and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.  The UAE was earlier granted a Schengen visa waiver.

"Simply THE BEST!!! You guys got it right! I've traveled much and dealt with several different agencies, Travisa is beyond the best, with online tools and a team of very and I repeat VERY courteous folks. I never leave feedbacks, but in this case, I had to. Job Well Done!"

 

Ruslan B.

Conde Nast Traveler
The 20 Best Resorts in Europe: Readers' Choice Awards 2015

From an estate on Lake Como to a "palace" in St. Moritz, here are the top resorts on the continent, as chosen by Condé Nast Traveler readers.

20. Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, Hampshire, England

Readers' Rating: 82.738

  

Built within an 18th-century Georgian estate, this grandiose country hotel packs in traditional manor pursuits: riding, clay pigeon shooting, fishing, croquet, and more. Rooms in the contemporary wings feature sleek, dark furnishings, plush carpeting, and heavy silk drapes. Its excellent Seasons restaurant boasts floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Dogmersfield Park, and an ever-changing, market-driven menu.

 

Click to Continue Reading 

Consulate and Embassy Closings
Travisa Office Closings

Travisa US Offices : Monday September 7th

Atlanta

India : Monday September 7th
Japan : Monday September 7th
Switzerland : Monday September 7th

Boston

Germany
: Monday September 7th
Chicago
Australia : Tuesday September 1st
China : Friday September 4th
India : Monday September 7th
Indonesia : Monday August 17th
Spain : Monday September 7th

Houston

France
: Monday September 7th
Indonesia : Monday August 17th
Pakistan : Friday August 14th

London

Argentina
: Monday August 17th
Brazil : Monday September 7th
Denmark : Monday August 31st
Japan : Monday August 31st
Sweden : Monday August 31st
Vietnam: Wednesday September 2nd

Los Angeles

Australia
: Monday September 7th
Bolivia : Monday September 7th
Germany : Monday September 7th
Japan : Monday September 7th
Pakistan : Friday August 14th
Philippines : Friday August 21st, Monday August 31st
Poland : Monday September 7th

Miami

Colombia
: Tuesday September 1st
Trinidad and Tobago : Monday August 31st

New York

Argentina
: Monday August 17th
Estonia : Thursday August 20th
Germany : Monday September 7th
Japan : Monday September 7th
Poland : Monday September 7th
Serbia : Monday September 7th
Spain : Monday September 7th
Switzerland : Monday September 7th
Thailand : Monday September 7th
Trinidad and Tobago : Monday August 31st

Ottawa

Estonia
: Thursday August 20th
Indonesia : Monday August 17th
Philippines : Friday August 21st, Monday August 31st
San Francisco
Vietnam : Wednesday September 2nd

Toronto

China
: Thursday September 3rd
Indonesia : Monday August 17th
Italy : Monday September 7th

Washington

Estonia
: Thursday August 20th
Germany : Monday September 7th
India : Monday September 7th
Indonesia : Monday August 17th
Japan : Monday September 7th
Namibia : Wednesday August 26th
Norway : Monday September 7th
Pakistan : Friday August 14th
Sweden : Monday September 7th
Switzerland : Monday September 7th
Vietnam : Wednesday September 2nd




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. 

Welcome To The New Travisa Connection Newsletter!

We are both proud and excited to introduce the new Travisa Connection newsletter! Please take a look at the latest articles and enhanced features. As always , we value the opinions of our clients, so do not hesitate to let us know your thoughts.

Thank you,

Travisa Visa Service

Did You Know?

Travisa's enhanced My Account has been Live for several months and has a proven track record of helping travelers with:

  • Managing all of your travelers, including uploading passport and visa scans for a beautiful one glance view of a traveler's passport.
  • Placing international orders fast and easily - including support for Canadian and United Kingdom residents.
  • Upgraded account preferences for a more streamlined ordering experience.
  • Comprehensive reports for corporate travel managers.

 

Make sure you check it out today!

 

Featured Article
What's Pocket-Sized, Blue and is a Key to The World? Your Passport. 

You may not have a global adventure in your near, or even distant future, but don't let that stop you from starting the planning process. Yes, we are all busy with work, school, family and the landslide of unforeseen events. And yes, travel outside of the United States can get pricy, but haven't you always wanted to see the David or the Greek Isles, Istanbul, and Stonehenge? It may not be the right time today, but I fully believe we should all aim high when it comes to Global Travel! And the best place to start your hopeful adventure, your Passport!

 

What is a Passport?

 

A passport is an official travel document issued by the government of a country, which identifies someone as a citizen of that country. A passport is usually required for international travel.

 

A Brief History

 

The Department of State has issued passports to American citizens traveling abroad since 1789, but did not have sole authority to do so until August 23, 1856, when Congress passed an act (11 Stat. 60) prohibiting other governmental entities, such as state and judicial authorities, from issuing passports.

Foreign travel in the nineteenth century was much more frequent than one might expect. Overseas travelers included businessmen, the middle class, and naturalized U.S. citizens who returned to their homelands to visit relatives. For example, statistics show that the State Department issued 130,360 passports between 1810 and 1873, more than 369,844 between 1877 and 1909, and more than 1,184,085 between 1912 and 1925. It is unknown how many American citizens traveled abroad with passports issued by state or judicial authorities prior to 1856 or without any passport prior to 1918 (http://www.archives.gov/research/passport/).

 

Why get a passport if you aren't planning a trip?

 

It's all about Newton's First Law of Motion: If you're an object at rest - sitting at home without a passport - you're not going anywhere. If you're an object in motion - say, a traveler with a passport - you're going to stay in motion until something stops you. Not to mention a US Passport is the single most effective form of personal ID. I recently lost my wallet, Driver's License included, on a leisurely Sunday hike. I was pleased to learn how simple it was to cancel and replace all of my credit cards and get a new Driver's License by being able to provide this second, very valid, form of identification!

 

Passport requirements

 

If you have never had a US passport, if you lost your passport, or if your most recent passport was issued more than fifteen years ago or before your sixteenth birthday, you should follow the 'new' or 'first time' passport application process. If you have a passport that is nearing expiration, or recently expired, (and you still know where it is!), then you can simply renew it. Visit Travisa to see the list of required documents and the application form, but trust me it is not a hard as you think!

 

Already have a passport?

 

If you already have a passport but aren't sure if you should renew or not, here are a few interesting facts that might help you in your decision making process.

 

A passport by any other name...

 

The name on your tickets and the name on your passport must match! If you've changed your name since your passport was issued, you don't need to wait until it is expiring to renew. You can apply for a passport name change easily - visit Travisa to learn how.

 

If you've gained or lost weight, you may need a new passport.

 

If your appearance has changed significantly, you'll need to apply for a new passport. That means if you've lost (or gained) a lot of weight, so much so that you look different than you do in your passport photo, you'll need a new one. The same is true if you've undergone "significant facial surgery or trauma," or if you've added or removed large facial tattoos or piercings.

 

Damage can render your passport invalid.

 

Normal wear and tear is one thing, but if your passport has been damaged then it needs to be replaced. Water damage, a torn cover or torn pages (especially the page with your photo and information), unofficial markings (keep kids with crayons away) and torn out visa pages are common forms of damage that require a new passport application (rather than a renewal) to obtain a replacement. Even if you had no trouble using your passport - freshly washed in the pocket of your jeans - for your last vacation, use a critical eye when judging if you need to apply for a new one. Each border agent has discretion over this and opinions may vary over whether a passport is 'slightly bruised' or 'mutilated'.

 

Don't take your passport's expiration date at face value.

 

Most countries have a six-month passport validity rule that requires your passport to be valid for a certain amount of time after your date of entry. Even if some countries do not require or enforce that travelers have six full months remaining validity, most airlines do - and may not allow a passenger to board if the passport is expiring too soon.

 

No missed opportunities!

 

You can apply to renew a US passport any time within one year of the expiration date. Therefore, you never need to wait until you are in that six-month danger zone or until your plans are finalized in order to renew your passport. But if it does happen that a travel opportunity comes up suddenly, and you discover that your passport is expired - don't miss out! Emergency processing is available, contact Travisa

 

Cheers!
Great Features From Travisa
Visa Widget

Give visitors to your website instant access to visa requirement information.  Travisa's complimentary Visa Widget allows travelers to choose their destination country, citizenship, and purpose of travel to see if a visa is required, with the added convenience of never leaving your site.  You can customize your Widget with a company logo or simply leave it the way it is.  Your account code can also be embedded within, ensuring that travelers will have access to correct pricing and account details.  We can even save a default destination and citizenship if your travelers have a common preference.  Adding the widget is easy.  Just visit the widget set-up page.  If you have any questions about how this can be of benefit to your travelers, you may also contact Travisa's Account Management Team for more assistance.


Smart Phone Apps

Have you ever been in a time crunch and not at your desk to check visa requirements for your upcoming international trip?  No problem!  Use Travisa's FREE App for Android or App for iPhone for easy access to visa and passport requirements on the go.  You can also e-mail the information directly from the App for easy retrieval at your convenience.

App for Android

Download Travisa's FREE App for Android. You can also find us on the Android market (just look for Travisa Visa).  Passport and visa requirements and instructions are now available anywhere you are.  You can look for information and send travel document requirements via e-mail for easy, convenient retrieval later on.


App for iPhone and iPad

With the Travisa Visa App, you can download FREE App for iPhone, iPad or iPod touch!  You can also access detailed information on travel visa requirements for over 200 countries and passport services directly on your iPad, even when you do not have internet access.  The Travisa Visa App is great for frequent international travel managers, as well as individual travelers, who need to know country visa requirements fast. Send your travel document requirements via email for easy, convenient retrieval later on, even in areas with no receptivity.


Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod touch, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.  iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc.  App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.