Visa Minefield

As we are all travelling further afield these days , making sure that we have the correct documentation for travelling is important as not having correct passports or visas can stop us travelling at the last hurdle.
There would be nothing worse than booking a n paying for your dream holiday to find that when you get to the airport or port you are unable to travel due to not having checked whether visas or inoculations are required. In certain areas not having a Yellow Fever vaccination could stop you being allowed to board or sail .
At the time of booking I always advise clients to check passports and make sure that you have 6 months validity on your return journey and even have blank pages as some destinations will issue a visa stamp on arrival and this cant be added to your passport if you have no blank pages.
We recommend a company called CIBT visas who will give you all the information you need to apply and gain the correct documentation , they will charge you a processing fee but this is a small charge for peace of mind to know that you have everything covered.
Areas to be aware of are :
China
India
Russia
USA & Canada
Australia.
Travelling to USA or Canada you need to apply for an ESTA which is the authority to travel under the visa waiver programme. You then complete your immigration on your first entry point into the countries.
You will not be allowed to board a flight or embark on board a cruise without the ESTA in place.
China needs a a full visa which can be applied for online or direct with the embassy in London Manchester or Scotland, applying direct can keep your costs down as these visas can be expensive .
India offer two visas, an E Visa which can be applied for online but you cannot enter via a Port on this type of visa as the ports don’t have the technology needed so a full Indian Visa is required if you are on a cruise .
Russian visas can be both costly and time consuming so most passengers on a cruise book a cruise excursion with the cruise line so you are covered on there group visa , if you wish to travel independently you will need to apply for your own .
Australian visas are valid for 12 months and limit the time spent in the country and these are applied for direct on the government website for a nominal fee.
This is just a few areas to be aware off and again I would highly recommend CIBT visas and let the professionals steer you in the right direction.