FAQs
Travel Visa FAQs Passport FAQs Travelling with Children FAQs
Travel Visa FAQs
What is a travel visa?
A travel visa is a document issued by a foreign country that provides permission for you to gain entry into that country. It is your responsibility to determine whether or not a travel visa is required for your upcoming trip. Please go to the Visas section of our website to see the travel visa requirements for your specific destination.
What is required to apply for a travel visa?
While the specific requirements vary, most countries require that you submit recent photographs, complete an application form, and submit your actual passport. Your passport is required as the visa, if issued, is affixed it a blank visa page in your passport. Other documents can also be required such as a detailed travel itinerary, health information, and invitation letters. Frequent changes to visa requirements and regulations cause research for international travel itineraries to be a confusing and time-consuming process. VisasDirect alleviates the confusion for customers and clients by maintaining a proprietary database that has the most up to date travel visa requirements for over 200 counties. To find out if a travel visa is required for your specific destination, go to the Visas section of our website.
How does VisasDirect obtain a travel visa for me?
VisasDirect obtains travel visas by submitting a completed travel visa application, and other required documents, to embassies or consulates of on your behalf. This eliminates the need for you to visit, communicate, and correspond directly with the embassy or consulate of your destination country. Please go to the Visas section of our website to see the travel visa requirements for your specific destination.
Is my passport required to obtain a travel visa?
For the majority of countries, a travel visa is stamped on, or affixed to, a travel visa page inside a passport. However, there are a few exceptions. Please go to the Visas section of our website to see the travel visa requirements for your specific destination.
Do nationals of countries other than Australia need a travel visa?
VisasDirect provides the travel visa requirements for travellers of many nationalities. No matter what type of passport you hold, VisasDirect can provide detailed travel visa information for most destinations. Please go to the Visas section of our website to see the travel visa requirements for your specific destination.
How long will it take VisasDirect to process my travel visa?
The speed to process a visa varies for each destination country. VisasDirect can process travel visas for many destinations in as little as a day. Please view the Visas section and select your country of travel to determine the travel visa processing time.
Can VisasDirect obtain additional documents required to apply for my travel visa, such as an invitation or confirmation?
Travel visa invitations and confirmations are documents approved by the Foreign Ministry of the country of destination. These documents authorise you to visit their country. VisasDirect is able to acquire travel visa invitations and confirmations on your behalf. Go to the Visas section of our website to see the travel visa requirements for your specific destination.
Can I fax passport copies and completed applications to VisasDirect for issuance of a travel visa?
For the majority of countries, an original passport and application with your signature must be submitted in order to apply for a travel visa. However, there are a few exceptions. Please go to the Visas section of our website to see the travel visa requirements for your specific destination.
Does the photo in my passport count as one passport photo? Can I submit digitally produced passport photographs?
The photographs submitted with a travel visa application must adhere to specific requirements regarding the size, background colour, and type of paper on which the photo is printed. The standard size is a 35mm high x 40mm wide photo taken of yourself within the last 6 months. Please be aware that any attempts to use digital photos must adhere to standard passport photo requirements (colour, plain background) and be printed on correct photo quality paper.
Has VisasDirect received my documentation yet?
To track the status of your order, please visit Status Check where you can get up-to-date information on your order. You can track your order by using either the VisasDirect order number and traveller’s last name or the travellers date of birth and last name. If you are a VisasDirect account manager you can log in to your account and see all of the orders you are managing.
What is included in the fees I pay to VisasDirect for my travel visa?
The fees to process a travel visa include a consular fee and a VisasDirect fee. The consular fee is a fee charged by the country that is issuing the travel visa. These charges must be paid to the consulate issuing the travel visa whether the visa is issued by VisasDirect or not. Please note that the consular fees are subject to change without advance notice at any time by various governments. The cost of using VisasDirect varies based on the services you have requested and how quickly you need the documentation to be processed. The fees established by VisasDirect are in place to facilitate and maintain the highest quality of travel visa and passport processing possible. VisasDirect service fees and consular fees charged by the country issuing the travel visa will be clearly listed in VisasDirect Application Packs. Please go to the Visas section of our website to see the travel visa requirements for your specific destination.
What forms of payment does VisasDirect accept?
VisasDirect accepts payment by most major debit and credit cards including:
American Express, Diners Club, Master Card, Visa
Am I required to receive vaccinations for international travel?
Some countries require you to show proof of vaccination for certain diseases in order to apply for a visa. Any vaccinations required to apply for a visa will be clearly outlined in the VisasDirect Information Pack. However, additional vaccinations may be recommended for you. To determine if vaccinations are recommended for your travel itinerary, please contact your local physician or consult www.traveldoctor.com.au
Where can I find the latest Travel Warnings?
For the latest information on Travel Warnings, Public Announcements, and Consular Information Sheets for all countries of the world, please visit: www.smartraveller.gov.au
Can I get my visa upon arrival?
In limited instances yes, but CIBT does not endorse this course of action. Travellers run the risk of being refused boarding by the airline and any visa on arrival is at the discretion of the immigration officer on arrival. In the case of land border crossings it is generally not available as the officials there are not normally trained to handle such situations.
What does Personal Appearance mean?
Some consulates require the traveller to appear in person at the consulate to apply for a visa. This may be done just to verify the travellers identity or conduct a formal interview. In these cases, travellers must submit their visa application directly to the consulate. CIBT cannot provide qualified information detailing requirements for personal application visas as this information is specific to the travellers nationality and travel circumstances. If a personal appearance is required CIBT can provide the contact details of the relevant consulate or embassy.
What is a passport?
A passport is a travel document that serves as the ultimate form of proof for your citizenship. Every country issues passports to citizens of that country. Australian passports are issued by the Australian Passport Office. Australian passports come in two sizes, Standard: 35 pages and to accommodate Frequent Travellers: 67 pages.
Do I need a passport?
Australian citizens require passports to exit and enter the Australian and all other countries in the world. It is your responsibility to carry the correct identification while traveling abroad.
How long must my passport be valid for international travel?
Most countries require that a passport be valid for at least six months beyond the completion of a trip. If your passport expires sooner than that, you must apply to renew your passport. Please view the Visas section to determine how long a passport must be valid for each specific country of travel.
How many blank passport pages do I need to meet entrance requirements and what is considered a 'blank' passport page?
Passports must have enough blank pages to accommodate entry and exit immigration stamps for each country of travel. At least one visa page in your passport is required for each visa. Most travel visas that are stamped into your passport require an entire blank visa page. A 'blank' visa page must be clean, clear, and not show ink or stains from any other pages in the passport.
What mailing method does VisasDirect recommend for submitting my completed VisasDirect Passport Application Pack?
VisasDirect recommends using a traceable method of delivery when submitting your completed VisasDirect Application Pack.
Travelling with Children FAQs
Are children and infants required to carry their own Australian passport?
Each individual Australian citizen must possess his or her own passport. You are not allowed to represent other members of your family inside your passport. Infants must now possess their own passport.
Do my children need travel visas?
Travel visa requirements are the same for all travellers, regardless of age. Please visit our Visa section for current, specific travel visa requirements for your children.
