How I Arrange My Visas When I Travel

Well, the cleverest thing to do, according to me, is to first travel to countries that have visa on arrival. There are 58 countries that offer Indian passport holders visa on arrival or e-Visa. You can obtain an e-Visa for a country on this list using the internet, provided you can scan and upload the relevant documents on the visa site of the respective counties. These visa on arrival countries are in five blocks. Out of the 20 countries that I have travelled so far, these were their visa requirements.

1. Nepal: No visa required but you only need your passport.
2. Sri Lanka: e-Visa is available. You get an invitation letter for a fee of 20 dollars that is paid on the airport.
3. Maldives: Visa on arrival.
4. Mauritius: Visa on arrival.
5. Singapore: e-Visa is available.
6. Vietnam: e-Visa is available. You get an invitation letter and should pay 50 dollars at the airport.
7. Bali Indonesia: Visa on arrival.
8. Madagascar: Visa on arrival.
9. Kenya: Visa on arrival and should pay 50 dollars.
10. Zambia: e-Visa is available. You get an invitation letter and should pay 30 dollars at the airport.
11. Uganda: Visa on arrival. You should pay 50 dollars at the airport.
12. Zimbabwe: e-Visa is available. You get an invitation letter and should pay 50 dollars at the airport.
13. Cambodia: Visa on arrival. You should pay 50 dollars.
14. Philippines: Visa on arrival.
15. Tanzania: Visa on arrival.
16. Rwanda: e-Visa is available. You get an invitation letter and should pay 50 dollars at the airport.
17. Zanzibar: Visa is not required.
18. South Korea: Visa is required and charges Rs. 15,000.
19. Andaman and Nicobar: No visa is required.
20. Mozambique: Visa on arrival.

All the islands of West Indies have visa on arrival but all the flights go through America for which you need a transit visa. Countries like Jordan, Georgia, Bhutan, Seychelles and Singapore also require the same. For Dubai, one can get an e-Visa. Countries in South America like El Salvador, Ecuador, Haiti, Guyana and Bolivia all offer visa on arrival but transit visa is required as one will have to go through the US or Brazil to get to these countries. In Africa, you have Togo, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Senegal, Sudan and Somalia that offer visa on arrival for Indians. Benin, Ivory Coast, Mauritania and Burkina Faso are the West African countries that offer visa on arrival for Indians.

My suggestion is to first travel to these countries. If one wishes to travel to Europe, one can try to get a Schengen visa which gives one access to 24 countries in Europe. One should try to get the UK or American visa as that adds a lot of value to one’s passport. My advice is not to be afraid of getting visas on the move. In my recent travels, I covered 10 countries in Africa on the trot without a break. It was possible only because I believed I could get my visas on the go. If one goes forth, there will be a way. Sites like VisaHQ can also facilitate in getting you visas through the internet for a service charge. Of course, always keep scanned copies of your passport, tickets and Yellow fever card especially when you are travelling in Africa. Take hard copies of your hotel booking forms and Visa Invitation letters as digital copies are not accepted.

Once you get the hang of the e-Visa process, life is easier and entry to these countries is smooth. Do your research well and don’t hesitate to ask and get guidance at the airport. Make sure you are carrying enough dollars to justify your stay in the country.