How to Get a Tourist Visa

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While many popular tourist destinations require nothing more than a valid passport and a plane ticket for entry, there are a number of countries around the world, including Australia, India, China, Vietnam, Kenya, Brazil, Chile and Russia, that require a tourist visa for entry. The visa is an essential document that both declares the reason for the tourist's stay and provides confirmation of identity. It describes the terms under which the visit may occur--length of time, allowable activities during the duration of the visit and other regulations. Securing a tourist visa is more difficult than just handing a customs agent your passport. But it doesn't have to be a big hassle, and in no way ought to deter the savvy tourist from visiting a more exotic destination.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

2 forms of identification (including passport) $20 to $100 money order Copies of passport photo Self-addressed envelope with postage
2 forms of identification (including passport)
$20 to $100 money order
Copies of passport photo
Self-addressed envelope with postage

Step 1

Visit the nearest embassy of the country you're going to visit to pick up a visa application. While some countries will send you an application through the mail, many require that you pick up the application in person--some require that the application be submitted in person.

Step 2

Present your identification to the embassy officials and request an application form. At this point you'll also need to tell the officials what sort of visa you'll need. If you're entering and exiting the country only once, you'll need a single-entry visa. If you're going to stop in and out of the country a couple of times, on a tour for instance, you'll need a multi-entry visa.

Step 3

Fill out the visa application completely, and submit it in person if necessary. Otherwise, submit it along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope or prepaid envelope from a registered shipping company so that you can be sure to get your visa once it's approved. Be sure to include the full cost of the visa in a money order along with your application so that you have a receipt of your payment. Most consulates will not accept a personal check, and only some will accept cash. You must always comply completely with all directions from the consulate, since they can and will reject you if you give them any reason to.

Article Written By Dmitri Sandbeck

Dmitri Sandbeck is a graduate student working on medieval English literature at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. He previously worked as an editorial assistant at the University of Chicago Press, and has written articles on gardening, home maintenance and agriculture for eHow while working at Demand Studios.

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