Russia Begins Visa Outsourcing

by Summer Jenkins, Director of Brand Development

Russia’s new visa outsourcing system is now in effect, and the transition to outsourcing has been relatively smooth.  The outsourcing offices in Washington and Houston have been in operation since mid-April, and the offices in New York and San Francisco will open tomorrow, May 2, after the International Labor Day holiday.

In Washington and Houston, we have seen a slight slowdown in the processing times as the new outsourcing offices get up to speed.  We are continuously updating the processing speeds listed on our website and our visa instruction PDFs, so our clients can be assured that the visa processing speeds we publish are as accurate as possible.  Our instructions also include the most up-to-date consular fees, which include the outsourcing surcharge.

The only other change to the visa processing due to outsourcing will affect only those travelers who choose to fill out the online visa application on their own.  Toward the end of the application, the applicant must select the location where the application will be lodged, and must now select the option that says “ILS” (for example, “ILS Washington” instead of just “Washington.”)  However, travelers who take advantage of G3’s Concierge Level Service won’t have to worry about this – a G3 expert will fill out the Russian visa application online, and will make sure that this and all other details are correct.

If you have any questions, or would like to request Concierge Level Service for Russia, please contact our Russia team at CLS@g3visas.com or Russia@g3visas.com.

Country in Focus: Hong Kong
Although Hong Kong was returned to the sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China in 1997, it  has retained a limited autonomy over the administration of the territory.  It has a different system of customs and immigration, including visas, [Read more →]

by Summer Jenkins, Director of Brand Development

Russia Begins Visa Outsourcing
The Russian Embassy in Washington, DC announced on April 2nd that they will begin visa outsourcing on Tuesday, April 10.  The visa outsourcing, similar to the outsourcing programs already used by India and Algeria, will impact only the DC embassy for now.  All other consulates will begin outsourcing later this spring.

The Embassy has provided very few details, but we anticipate that the only change that will be noticed by travelers is an increase in the consular fee to cover the outsourcing fees.  G3 will continue to provide all visa services as normal, including Concierge Level Service and official business and tourist invitations.  As more information becomes available, we will post it on our Facebook page and on the Breaking News section of our home page.

Country in Focus: Switzerland
by Timothy Bennett, Director of Corporate Relationships and Concierge Level Services

Lately, we have been getting lots of questions on the requirements for US citizens entering Switzerland.  Switzerland does not require a visa for US citizens for a stay of less than 90 days.  However,  it is important to note that the traveler can only stay in Switzerland for a total of 90 days within a 180 day period without a visa.   US citizens who intend to stay in Switzerland for more than three consecutive months will need authorization from the cantonal authorities and a visa from the responsible Swiss visa desk.

Citizens of many other nations, including China, India and Russia, must have a visa in order to enter Switzerland.  Switzerland joined the [Read more →]

It’s that time of year again, this Sunday March 11th at 2:00 am it’s time to spring forward! And when it comes to traveling, most of us are aware that there will be some time change to deal with—which is how jet lag got its name. But at certain times of year—specifically spring and fall—the time change can be a bit more confusing than usual.

Most places in the world “spring ahead” and “fall back,” time wise that is. But not always on the same day. For example, virtually all of Europe will begin Daylight Savings Time (DST) on March 25th, 2012, which is 2 weeks later than March 11th, when we do it here in North America.

For example, in Mexico (except for the 10 municipalities that boarder the US and observe DST, their time change is March 11th), Cuba,  New Zealand and Australia the time change will occur April 1st, and in Israel the “spring forward” date is March 30th, 2012. And Chile (Santiago) is even later, DST doesn’t go into effect until April 29th! And even when you’re traveling within the USA it can be a problem because Hawaii and Arizona don’t change their clocks at all (after DST this Sunday Arizona will be 3 hours behind New York’s EST).

To avoid unnecessary confusion, you can check online before you go at worldtimezone.com, call your concierge, or the local embassy of the country you’ll be visiting. Especially if you’re traveling on business, you don’t want to run the risk of missing a flight or arriving at your first appointment an hour early—or even worse, an hour late!

NEW ONLINE APPLICATION FOR INDIA

by Mirissa R. Spears, Country Information Coordinator for India

The Government of India’s new online visa application is now in use at the Indian Consulates in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco and Houston. We anticipate that the consulate in Chicago, the last one still using the older version of the application, will soon switch over to the new application as well.  The transition to the new visa application has proved to be relatively seamless, with only minor hiccups with the Indian Consulates throughout each jurisdiction.

Although the information requested on the new application remains largely the same, the printed application looks quite different from the old one. One critical change on the new application is that it now requires the applicant to provide two original signatures, one on the top of the first page and one at the bottom of the second page. The Indian Government has also introduced several new questions on the visa application, including questions on the applicant’s religion and educational background.  Applicants must also provide details of any previously issued Indian visas.  G3′s “Guide to the Online Indian Application,” included in all of our visa instruction PDFs, has been revised to provide clarification on the new questions.

G3′s Concierge Level Service Associates are here to answer any questions regarding the new India visa application and would be more than happy in assisting with the completion of the visa application. For more information, please contact CLS@g3visas.com.

United Kingdom Passport Processing Update
As of March 7, the U.K. Embassy in Washington, DC will no longer accept any passport applications that are delivered in person by the applicant or by a professional service like G3.  All applications must be submitted by mail.  As the Embassy in Washington processes all U.K. passport applications for residents of the United States and Bermuda, G3 will no longer be able to assist with U.K. passport requests. [Read more →]

New Year Brings New Changes for India

by Mirissa R. Spears, Country Information Coordinator for India

The Indian Government will be introducing a new visa application in the United States over the next several weeks. It has been confirmed that the old application will continue to be accepted for up to two weeks after the new visa application has been introduced in each location. One major change will include a revised online application that is currently being utilized worldwide in over 30 countries. We anticipate major delays in processing speeds across the board once all locations have been introduced to the new visa application.

The Government of India has opened a new Honorary Consulate to serve the Southeast.  The new Consulate is located in Atlanta, Georgia; Georgia is the 10^th largest exporter to India among US states.  In addition to Georgia, the office will serve states of Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as the US Virgin Islands and the US commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The Consulate has a temporary location and is currently awaiting approval from its home government in New Delhi and the US State Department on a pending contract for its permanent space. It is expected that this Honorary Consulate will be upgraded to Consulate General status later this year, at which point it begin issuing visas.  We will continue to provide detailed information as it becomes available.

China Enforcing New Regulations

As of February 1, the Chinese government is enforcing strict new visa regulations.  Same-day visa service has been discontinued, though applicants may still appear in person in extremely urgent cases to request same-day processing.  G3 is still able to process visas in 24 hours.

The Chinese Embassy will also be enforcing consular jurisdiction, meaning that applicants must apply at the consulate that has jurisdiction over their state of residence.  With our nationwide network of offices, G3 is able to assist residents of every state to get their Chinese visas quickly and easily.  If you have any questions, or would like to request the appropriate visa instructions, please email China@g3visas.com.

Passport Cards Available Online
The U.S. State Department is currently running a test and allowing holders of valid passport books to apply online for passport cards.  Travelers can apply at U.S.Passport Cards, and the cards will be issued without having to submit the passport book.  The test period will run through mid-April.

Passport cards are valid for land or sea travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean only.  All international air travel requires a passport book.

[Read more →]

When it comes to passport advice, I turn to G3 Visas and Passports. Communications Director Summer Jenkins advises what how to  avoid complications before you travel.

Your tickets are purchased, your bags are packed, you’ve checked to see if your destination requires a visa… but have you checked to make sure your passport is valid for travel?

Check Your Expiry Date
All too often, we receive frantic calls from the airport from travelers who have been denied boarding because their passport is too close to its expiration date.  Almost every country in the world follows the “six month rule,” meaning that your passport must be valid for six months after your planned departure from the country.  Even if you don’t have any travel planned, we recommend that you keep an eye on your expiry date and renew your passport when it nears that six-month mark.

Check Your Pages
Before you travel, flip through your passport and check to see if you still have any blank pages marked “Visas.”  You will need to have at least one completely blank page for entry to any country, and the pages near the back of the passport that say “Amendments” or “Endorsements” do not count. Some countries, such as South Africa, require you to have two blank pages next to each other.

Check Your Passport’s Condition
If your passport has endured hard wear or has taken a trip through the washing machine, it might be considered mutilated.  Common examples of mutilated passports include loose or missing covers, water-damaged pages, or peeling plastic coating on the photo page.  Mutilated passports aren’t just invalid for travel; they no longer count as valid proof of US citizenship.

If you need to renew your passport, have passport pages added, or replace a mutilated passport, G3 can help with expedited passport services.  We even offer same-day passport service through our Concierge Level Emergency Passport Service – just call G3 or email CLS@g3visas.com to begin your customized emergency service.

Editors’ Note: Carolyn Paddock writes about products and services that are beneficial for travelers. The products and services mentioned are neither commissioned by nor written in cooperation with the product company or manufacturers.

2011 in Review, and Looking Forward to 2012

By Summer Jenkins, Communications Director, G3 Visas & Passports

The world of visa processing is a world of constant change.  Embassies change their visa applications, their processing times, requirements and fees; not a week goes by without updates to our website and PDF visa instructions.  However, 2011 brought major changes to our top two countries, China and Russia, and even saw the creation of a brand-new diplomatic mission in Washington, Southern Sudan.

In February, China’s embassy in Washington released a new visa application, replacing the two-page application they’d used for years with a far more detailed application consisting of four pages with a two page supplement for select applicants.  Over the next few months, the other Chinese consulates in the US phased in the new application, and the New York consulate released its own version of the application.  Further requirement changes followed: first the consulates insisted that the application must be completed typed with no handwritten answers (G3 provides fillable PDF applications for the convenience of our clients), and then they instituted a rule that all questions must be answered, even if the answer is “n/a” or “none.”

Russia’s changes were even more extreme.  On July 1, the Russian government abruptly instituted a new online application, which must be [Read more →]

Gathering as much information as you can before you leave home is a smart way to cut down on the stress of holiday travel. Here are a few tips and apps that will help you to know before you go.

1. Download My TSA is an app that gives you great travel info. Just select the airport you’re departing from and you’ll get information about real time delays and the wait times at various security check points along with everything you need to know about what you can carry on and how to dress to speed up your check-in time.

2. Ship your gifts whenever possible. Not only will you avoid having to drag cumbersome packages through crowded airports, but also, you’ll probably be saving money because of increasing charges for both checked and carry-on luggage. And if you must carry gifts with you, don’t wrap them. They will be opened and your expensive gift wrap (not to mention the time you spent wrapping) will be tossed in the trash. [Read more →]

Russia Holiday Update

By Summer Jenkins, Communications Director, G3 Visas

With Christmas and New Year’s fast approaching, please be aware that Russia will close its consulates and the Foreign Ministry in Moscow for an extended period. We can expect the Russian Foreign Ministry to be closed as early as the 30th of December and possibly staying closed to the 16th of January, which is the first Monday after the celebration of Old New Year’s on the Julian calendar.  This means that there will no business invitations issued during this period. The embassy will most likely be closed for 7-10 business days as well, with a short week schedule in the second week of  January.

We recommend that any travelers planning a business trip to Russia in January or early February should contact G3 now to initiate visa processing, as business invitation processing will come to a virtual halt for about three weeks during the holiday.  For more information, please contact G3′s Country Information Coordinator for Russia, Jonathan Phillips, at Russia@g3visas.com.

Visa Updates
India: The updated visa application which was scheduled for release in early November is currently on hold. Our sources do not know when the new application will be released. As the new application is expected to be more difficult than the current one, we recommend that travelers planning trips to India get their applications in now, before the application changes. As all India visas are valid for at least six months after the date of issue, visas can be applied for well ahead of the departure date. [Read more →]

Trip Viewer (right) is a great new iPad app to use in conjunction with the Trip Journal 6.1 app for iPhone. Trip Journal allows you to track, document, and record your travel experiences, personalize them with notes, photos, and videos, and share them with your friends.  Now, with Trip Viewer, you can export those experiences to an iPad, view your stopping-off points overlaid on a map, and enrich the whole experience with real-time locations and photos for the richest, most complete record of your travels you could possibly imagine.

iTranslate makes you instantly fluent in more than 50 languages. Just speak an English word into your phone and iTranslate will show it to you in the language of your choice. Spoken voice translations are also available in 18 languages so that you can have an actual conversation anywhere in the world. Trying to give a cab driver directions? Looking for a restroom? Lost your way to the hotel, restaurant, shop, or museum you were looking for? Can’t find anyone to ask who speaks English. No worry! iTranslate will do the translating for you. [Read more →]