Department of State and most Embassies Closed Today, November 11, 2009

November 11th, 2009

Department of State and most Embassies Closed Today, November 11, 2009 (Veterans Day). 

Thanks to all the troops and veterans for what you do.

Our phones are open today and passport and visa processing will resume tomorrow

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Want to Study Abroad? Get your Passport and See the World!

November 6th, 2009

Studying abroad is becoming increasingly popular with US students as it’s the perfect way to enjoy new experiences and see the world. If you decide to undertake some of your studies abroad, make sure you are fully prepared by arranging your passport, visa, and travel insurance in advance.

 

Why Study Abroad?

Studying abroad allows you to work in a completely new environment, meet people you would never meet back home, and learn about a new country in a way that you simply could not achieve through a standard vacation.

Of course, for those with one eye on a career then studying abroad can really help to give the resume a boost. Whereas including ‘traveling’ on your resume may not give you the edge over other applicants, studying abroad will show prospective employers that you can look after yourself and use your initiative in a new and challenging environment.

Studying abroad doesn’t just have to be for college credits. Many people choose to study in different countries to pick up language skills that can be used back home. Some people also choose to combine foreign study with an internship to make the most of the opportunity of being abroad.

 

Planning your Studies Abroad

The first step in arranging your trip abroad is to decide where you want to go. Your college advisor should have lots of useful information about which courses you can apply for as well as which countries and institutions you can study in. Once you’ve got your heart set on a particular location, you’ll need to do some planning to ensure everything is in place before you leave.

 

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is essential. Although a standard travel insurance policy should be fine, there are some specialist student travel insurance policies that provide cover for equipment and fees in the event of your having to return home, so it’s worth looking into this first.

 

Arranging your Passport and Visa

One of the most important things to remember is your passport and visa. You may not need a visa for your chosen country, but many countries require one for entry. You might need a special study visa which could involve a letter of confirmation from your chosen institution, but your college should be able to help with the exact details. Not sure whether you need a visa? You can use us to  find out about visa requirements for all countries.

And of course you won’t be going anywhere without a passport. Our advice is to get your passport as early as possible to avoid any problems. But even if you do leave it to the last minute then we offer a passport expediting service.

Once you’ve got your passport, make two photocopies of it before leaving home. Leave one copy with your parents or friends, and take one with you, keeping it separate from your passport. Then if you lose your passport you’ll be in a better position to sort out a replacement.

 

Start Planning Now

Interested in studying abroad? Let us take care of all your visa and passport details so you can concentrate on having a great time without worrying about forgetting anything.

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Apply for a US Passport and China Visa and Head to China’s Forbidden City

November 5th, 2009

Boasting a vast array of natural and manmade treasures, it’s easy to see why China is fast becoming the destination of choice for many US travelers. One of China’s main attractions is the Forbidden City, and incredible complex of ancient palaces, towers, and squares that’s right up there on the ‘must see’ list.

 

China Passport and Visa Information

If you want to head to China to see the Forbidden City, you’ll need to prepare for your trip. China requires a visa for all US travelers, and you’ll need to get this before you leave the country. Use our china visa service to arrange your visa before you leave the United States and we’ll make sure you won’t have any problems.  We can get your visa in 24 hours if need be!

You’ll also need to ensure you have a valid passport for yourchina-forbidden-city journey. Let us take care of the application process for you and we’ll make sure it all goes smoothly. Left it to the last minute? Don’t worry, we also have a passport expediting service meaning we can get your passport to you within a day.

The Forbidden City: Biggest Palace in the World

There are 980 surviving buildings in the Forbidden City, including 70 palaces and halls and over 8,700 rooms spanning 720,000 square meters. However, it is all essentially one palace, making it the biggest in the world.

Construction on the Forbidden City began in 1406 during the Ming Dynasty. Work finished in 1420, and it was then used to house 24 emperors over five centuries up until the Qing Dynasty. Now it is primarily a tourist attraction for the 8 million tourists who pass through its gates each year.

The exquisite Chinese palatial architecture is immaculately preserved. Due to its size, beauty, and historical importance, the Forbidden City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. What’s more, seeing as it’s located right in the center of Beijing there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to explore this ancient architectural delight on your trip.

Planning your Trip

November is a great time to head to the Forbidden City. The holiday season is coming to an end so there will be fewer tourists around, and the weather is pleasant and mild. So get your passport and china visa now using our quick and convenient service, and head to China for an experience you won’t forget.

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Do I Need a US Passport to go to the Caribbean?

October 26th, 2009

Do I Need a US Passport to go to the Caribbean?

A vacation to the Caribbean is on the travel wish list for many of us in the United States. Whether heading there on a family break, your honeymoon, or simply for some time to relax, there can’t be many better holiday destinations around.

 

Best Places to Go

You are spoiled for choice when you head to the Caribbean. There are simply too many different things to see and ways to spend your time. Here’s just a few ideas for your vacation:

 

• Go island hopping in the Bahamas
• Scuba dive for shipwrecks in Bermuda
• Enjoy some of the best rum in the world in Barbados
• Check out a game of cricket in Antigua
• Chill out with some Calypso music in Trinidad & Tobago

 

And that’s not even mentioning the long days spent lying on golden sands and swimming in the crystal-clear waters—the most important ingredient of any tropical vacation.

 

Preparations

Before you go to the Caribbean on your vacation, there are a number of things you need to remember. You’ll be spending plenty of time on the beach so beachwear is essential, as is sunscreen, a camera, and some spending money. More importantly, make sure you have travel insurance that includes medical cover in case you need to make a trip to the hospital. Although it’s a worse-case scenario, medical fees abroad can be enormous, so don’t get caught out.

 

The Most Important Item : Your US Passport

Apart from all of these, the most important item of all is your passport. Without this you won’t be going anywhere and you can kiss that picture-perfect beach goodbye.

The Caribbean forms part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), like Canada and Mexico, so you do not require a visa to visit any of the countries. However, your passport or passport card is certainly required, no matter what you may have heard, so make sure you apply for yours as soon as possible.

 

Applying for your Passport

Applying for your passport is easy with our service. We tell you exactly what you need to provide, then check that everything is in order before sending off your application. It really is the most convenient way of getting your passport or passport card, and it only takes a matter of weeks.

 

Expedited Service

Need your passport in a hurry? Expedite your passport through us and it can take as little as a single day. This is great for those last-minute hiccups when you suddenly realize you completely forgot about your passport, and is the best way to avoid disappointment.

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Christmas Holidays in Europe..Don’t forget your Passport!

October 26th, 2009

Europe is one of the most popular locations to head on vacation at Christmas. The beauty of the ‘Old World’ is that there are so many amazing places to see all in one relatively small area. Flights between countries are quick and cheap, so you could hop about and see three or four countries in a matter of weeks.

 

Christmas Highlights

With so much on offer, it’s difficult to pick the highlights of things to do on your vacation in Europe this Christmas. Many tourists end up visiting a few of the major cities, spending some quality time in each. Here are a few ideas if you are looking for some inspiration:

 

London: Carols around the Christmas Tree

You don’t get much more Christmassy than singing carols around the tree in Trafalgar Square. This tradition goes back over half a century and will really get you in the Christmas spirit during your vacation in Europe. The actual tree is an annual gift from Oslo, and it is always decorated in white lights. A celebrity usually helps to turn on the lights, which this year will take place on December 3. Most evenings people gather together to sing carols, so feel free to join in.

 

Paris: Open Air Ice Skating

From mid-December onwards the city of Paris puts on free outdoor ice skating outside City Hall. It’s a fantastic setting, and there is nothing quite like it. The best thing is it’s completely free, so you can take your own skates and stay as long as you want for nothing! Although if you need to hire skates then these will cost €5 a pair.

 

Madrid: Procession of the Three Kings

If you head to Spain after celebrating Christmas somewhere else then you can arrive in time for the Procession of the Three Kings in Madrid. This usually takes place on January 5, and although it occurs in all towns and cities across Spain, Madrid’s celebration is the biggest. Thousands of sweets are thrown out from no less than 30 carriages parading through the street, making it a night to remember.

 

Don’t Forget your Passport

If you decide to visit any of the countries above during your vacation in Europe, or indeed any other countries, then don’t forget your passport. There is no way you can travel to Europe without a passport, so don’t spoil your Christmas by forgetting it. Try to get it as early as possible; it’s always best to have your passport in your hand long before you plan to leave America as then you won’t have to worry about it.

 

However, if you realize that you need it quickly there’s always our expedited service. You can expedite your passport with us using our emergency service and could have it back in as little as a day.

 

Visas

As for visas, for the countries above you can simply get a visa on arrival and there is no need to plan ahead. However, always check the latest visa requirements and details of any individual country you are visiting to avoid encountering any problems on arrival.

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Changing the Name in your Passport after Getting Married

October 26th, 2009

Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe—wherever you head on your honeymoon, planning this special trip is one of the highlights of the wedding preparations. But with all the excitement of the trip, and all the other considerations when planning the wedding, it’s very easy to forget about the essentials.

 

One thing that many people forget to consider until the last moment is whether changing their name after they get married will affect their honeymoon travel arrangements. This can result in a huge panic that no one needs on their wedding day, so what exactly are the correct procedures?

 

Wait Until After the Honeymoon

The general advice is not to worry about anything to do with your new name until after you get home from your honeymoon. In order to change your name, you need to show your marriage license. This is only given to you just before the wedding, which means you would have to change your name and get a new passport before traveling on your honeymoon, which for many people simply isn’t feasible.

 

On top of that, you would have to change your name in your plane tickets as well, for which an extra charge would be required.

 

Your names on your travel ticket must match the name in your passport in order to be valid. So unless you want to delay your honeymoon until after you have changed your name then it is much better to just wait and do it all together at a later date.

 

Applying for a Passport Name Change

If you apply for a name change on your passport through the US State Department, there are different rules regarding this process. If your passport is less than a year old, you can change the name in your passport for free after it has been legally changed. You will need to send in your current passport, the marriage certificate or a certified copy, and Form DS-5504.

 

If you applied for your passport over a year ago, you will need to send the same documentation as above, but rather than Form DS-5504 you will need to send Form DS-82 instead. In this case a fee will apply.

 

Use a Professional Passport Service

At Passports and Visas.com we provide first-rate passport services, including name changes on your passport. Want your name changed in a hurry? We also offer an expedited service to get your passport changed in as little as one day.

 

Relax and Enjoy your Honeymoon

Whatever your honeymoon plans, changing your name is one thing that you don’t need to worry about until after you get home. So enjoy your honeymoon, and then on your return change your name legally and follow this up by getting a name change in your passport.

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How Long Does It Take to Get a US Passport?

October 17th, 2009

Whatever exotic part of the world you’re heading to, and whatever the reason for your trip, your passport is the most important thing to take with you. Forget your passport and you won’t be going anywhere.

 

Going away is exciting. Who doesn’t like a vacation after all? But amidst all the trip arrangements, shopping for new clothes, and deciding which highlights to visit while you’re away, applying for a passport can sometimes be forgotten—and that can spell disaster.

 

So how long does it take to get a passport?

 

A Range of Factors

 

The time it takes to get your passport depends on a number of factors. If you apply directly through the US Passport Agency, a normal passport application should take about six weeks. However, this is highly reliant upon the time of year you are traveling. Take a trip during major holidays like Christmas and you could find yourself having to wait a lot longer due to the extra applications being processed at these times of year.

 

Get Your Passport Quick

 

The general rule when applying for your passport is to do so as soon as possible and not to wait until the last minute. Give yourself a few months to get your passport if possible, and then you won’t be fretting by the time your vacation approaches. If you book a vacation and you don’t have a passport then it’s even more important to start arranging your passport application as soon as possible.

 

Last-Minute Expedited Service

 

Although the standard passport application can take about six weeks, there are quicker methods to get your passport. The US Passport Agency has an expedited service that takes about three weeks to process the passport application. Of course, this comes at an extra cost to you. The advice from the US Passport Agency is that if you are heading on a summer vacation within the next 10 weeks then you should expedite your passport application to avoid disappointment.

 

Super-Fast Service

 

Need to get your US passport even quicker? You can use a private passport expediting service, like here at Passports and Visas.com. There are several advantages to using a private passport expediting service to get your passport quick:
•    Fastest Service. We offer different services ranging from a budget price for 10 day turnaround to a same-day processing service for those last minute emergencies.
•    Personal attention to your application. We hand carry and pickup your application to the US Passport Agency and a passport specialist is making sure everything is moving along smoothly. If there is a problem, we’ll contact you and resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

 

So, even if you only remember about your passport right at the last moment you can still enjoy your vacation.

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Do I Need a Passport to go to Canada?

October 15th, 2009

Canada is a favorite destination for many American tourists, but making the journey used to be a lot simpler. As the rules regarding passports and travel requirements have recently changed, here’s a guide to what you do and don’t need now when heading across the border.

 

The Old Rules

Before June 2009, the only time that you needed to carry a passport with you when visiting Canada was if you were traveling by plane. If traveling by boat or car then you only needed to take proof of citizenship and picture ID.

 

The New Rules

Nothing has changed if you are flying to Canada from the United States as you will still need your passport. However, if you are crossing the border by land or sea then you will now require either a passport or a passport card. This may be annoying for all those people who have crossed many times in the past without needing a passport, but there is not much that can be done about it.

 

 

This is all part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), an agreement existing between the United States and a number of other countries including Canada and Mexico. The measure was due to come into force in 2008, but in the end it was put back to 2009. Increased security issues are partly to blame, and as a result if you don’t take your passport or passport card with you then you won’t be leaving the country.

 

The Passport Card

The passport card is a new piece of documentation that was introduced in 2008. It is a small, wallet-sized card that carries all the necessary information on it to cross the border into other countries in the WHTI. It is more convenient and cheaper than a passport, so if you only want to travel to Canada then you could just get one of these.

 

Exception to the Rule

There is currently one exception to the rule of taking a passport with you on a trip to Canada. Children under the age of 16 traveling by boat or vehicle do not need their passports to cross the border, and all they need is to present an original or certified copy of his or her birth certificate. If they are traveling by plane then the same rules apply, but otherwise they will be free from the restrictions in place for everyone else.

 

Why Canada?

Canada is a fantastic place to spend a vacation, and is hugely popular with American tourists. Possible things to see and do include:

 

• A trip to the CN Tower in Toronto, which at 1,815.4 feet tall has stunning views over the city and Lake Ontario

• The Canadian side of Niagara Falls, known as Horseshoe Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world

• A trip to Old Québec, walking the cobbled streets and admiring the 17th century architecture

 

Get your Passport Now

 

Need to get a passport or passport card to visit Canada? Don’t get caught out by the new rules. You can expedite your passport application with us at Passports and Visas.com and receive it within as little as one day. We also offer a number of other services including renewals, replacements, and children’s passports, which you can also expedite, so whatever you need let us arrange it for you.

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How much does a US passport cost?

October 7th, 2009

How much does a passport cost? That is one of the most common questions that we receive at our help desk. To answer the question of passport costs, you’ll have to look at your circumstances.

 

Here is a breakdown of the passport fees involved:

 

* If you are over the age of 16 and apply for a new passport book, you’ll pay $75 to the State Department and then a $25 execution fee. The total cost would be $100.
* If you are over the age of 16 and apply to renew an expired passport, you’ll pay $75 in total fees.
* If you are a minor and currently under the age of 16, then you apply for a new children’s passport and that cost is $60 to the State Department and then a $25 execution fee. Total cost for your passport would be $85.

 

The aforementioned passport costs will get your passport back to you within 6-8 weeks. You can request expedited service from the US Passport Agency for an additional $60 plus overnight fees on top of each of these fees to get the passport in a few weeks.

 

If you need to get your US passport faster, then it is a good idea to hire a passport expediter. Passport expediting services, like ours, can obtain a passport as quick as in 24 hours or to save on the costs, a week-long service would save money.

 

You’ll find our private passport expediting fees will help you take the stress out of the process.

     

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China Embassy closed on Thursday Oct 1 and Friday Oct 2

September 28th, 2009

China Embassy closed on Thursday Oct 1 and Friday Oct 2 due to a national holiday and will not be accepting applications during this time period.

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