Getting visas adds to the expense

Hi maxine, It seems that visas and extra taxes are what makes traveling difficult lately. I need a visa to get to the US. I don´t know yet how difficult it will be to get one. I had one that lasted for many years and they gave it to me in no time. But that was before american started to worry about everyone being a terrorist. I will apply for that visa ( and I´m sure I will get it as it´s important that we have economic roots in our countries to give it) when I want to go there. But now it´s imposible. Besides the visa expense, there is a tax to enter the country. Then there are the airport taxes and some airlines even charge for suitcases. I´d rether travel to countries that are more friendly to visitors. I Don´t mean to say the people are not wonderful: they are. But I won´t pay a king´s ransom to go where I´ve been many times before. Probably other countries, like Rusia and China, will want a visa. I don´t know because they are too far away from where I live to make me want to travel there. It would be much too expensive. They used to ask for a visa to go to Venezuela, but I don´t know if they do it now. I have been in Venezuela several times when one of my best friends was living there but she´s not there anymore so I won´t return either. Hug!

maximax8, Although, most of the countries around the world could accept my country's visitors without visa on touristic or basic business purposes. There are still some that will require us to apply for a visa to gain entry into these countries like Eastern European countries like Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria and etc., South American countries like Brazil, Argentina and etc.. On the hindsight, although these countries may have security reasons to implement such a protocol but I feel that these visas are a bane to their tourism promotion. It is not only cumbersome for any applicants but be at the receiving end of bureaucracy callousness.

I live in a third world country where even to travel for leisure requires a visa. A lot of times, we get denied when we apply for visas and the consulates don't really tell us why. Its quite frustrating and demoralizing, but we have accepted this fact that in order to get out of our country, we need a visa. That's why so many of my countrymen risk their lives with fake work visas. They become illegal immigrants and undocumented workers who if beaten, raped or killed by their employers, don't get any benefits from our Overseas Welfare Administration.

yes..we do get visa whenever we visit other countries..

I am able to travel around in Europe without getting a visa, but if I want to visit other parts of the world for instanse Asia I usually have to get a visa. I know that I am able to visit Thailand without a visa as long as I don't spend more the 30 days in the country, but I think I need to get a visa if I want to visit one of the other countries in a Asia. As far as I know I also need to get a visa if I want to visit Africa or the US. Some years ago I wanted to spend half a year in Estonia. I talked to the embassy about getting a visa, the rules were pretty strict, and it was very expensive as well. I decided to spend 3 months in Estonia instead of half a year, because I was able to do that without getting a visa.

I had to get a work Visa when I went to work in the USA for 5 months and I also had to get a Visa for my trip to China. I did not have to get a Visa for my visit to the UK though. My wife is going to Thailand next week and she does not need a Visa for travel there as she is only going for ten days. If you plan to stay in Thailand more that 30 days, then apparently you need to get a Visa.

Hi max, I know getting visas is a pain in the neck. If yoe are only visiting, many countries don't require a visa, however, there are many other different classifications of visa, depending your reason for visiting that country, and compared to the standard tourist visa, these can be very expensive. I visited Europe pre EU days, so had to get visas for most countries. I imaging nowadays it would be much more tourist friendly, and less expensive.