Applying For A Visa
Sadly, as we live in a country where corruption is rife it means that our passports are easy to ‘obtain’ for illegal immigrants. People manage to flood across our borders and obtain these passports and then they are free to travel wherever a South African passport will allow them to. So, to stop the flood of more illegal immigrants into Europe, we have to get Visas when we travel. The amount of paperwork needed when applying for a visa is immense and I have submitted enough forms to have used up an entire forest. Here are my helpful tips for when and if you ever need to apply for a Visa.
- Read the form and all attached documents very carefully. Even if you complete a Visa form on a regular basis they change the requirements from time to time
- Complete the form in full with your signature and date where required
- Make sure you do not staple anything to the form – use paper clips
- Your photograph needs to be current and do not use the same photograph for more than one application
- In this case, less is not more! Provide as many supporting documents as possible
- bank statements must be current i.e. up to the date of your appointment and must go back for 3 months
- proof of financial means to support yourself whilst overseas should equal €100 per day of travel
- remember you will need travel insurance which you can organize through your credit card provider as long as you paid for the ticket with your credit card
- you will need proof of address which must be current
- a letter from your employer giving you leave, with the dates specified. If you are self employed your accountant will have to give you a letter
- proof of accommodation booked for every night you are away – use booking.com if you want to be able to cancel any bookings without penalty.
- copy of your airline ticket and any other transport tickets getting you in and out of the country
- Your passport must have 2 blank pages on the Visas section (the back page does not count). It must also be valid for at least 6 months from the date of return
- Make sure you put your documents in the order requested
- Tick the check list provided as you go along to make sure you have everything with you that you need
Hope you find these tips helpful, and enjoy your travels!
What I blogged April 8:
- two years ago – Mussamam Curry Pork Chops
- three years ago – Roasted Red Pepper And Roasted Tomato Soup
I am filling in forms every other week just about for Pete for all of his travel and for the most part, the forms are shocking. It is a nightmare process and he has to have 2 passports as one is always in for a visa application.
Yours is all worth the effort for your wonderful holidays you enjoy.
Have a super day Tandy.
🙂 Mandy xo
Having 2 passports is a great idea if you travel a lot!
So sad today’s world now is but great tips for anyone planning travel your way. Heck I would love just to come and visit you my dear Tandy!
I think it is easier to visit us, than for us to visit you, as this is what we need to fill in to get out of the country 🙂
Wow that is complicated Tandy! Do you have to do that for every country you visit? That should definitely be online given the amount of paper needed.
It is for everywhere we visit. And it would be easier of they kept the information!
Reading this it’s almost enough to make you stay at home – a letter allowing you to go on holiday – that’s a first for me.
This is the information required by the country we are visiting!
This was helpful. Thank you xx
my pleasure 🙂