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5 Ways to Get a Hotel Reservation for Visa Application (3 Free and 2 Paid)
Updated: September 8, 2023
A hotel reservation is an essential document for tourist visas. It serves as proof of accommodation for the visa application. A hotel reservation for visa can be obtained from any booking website, with or without paying the full price.
Embassies and consulates often refer to a hotel reservation as:
- Proof of accommodation
- Hotel booking
- Hotel itinerary
- Hotel voucher
All these terms basically mean the same thing, hotel reservation.
In this article, you will learn everything about hotel reservation for visa and how to obtain one for your visa application.
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What is a hotel reservation for visa?
A hotel reservation for visa is a booking made at a hotel in your name that can be submitted as proof of accommodation for visa application. This reservation can be paid or unpaid and must be verifiable if necessary.
Your hotel booking must be active during the entire period of the visa process. In the event of verification by the embassy, the hotel must be able to confirm that there is an active booking in their system. The embassy may refuse your visa if they cannot validate your hotel reservation.
Why do embassies ask for a hotel itinerary?
Embassies and consulates ask for hotel reservations primarily to understand your itinerary. Embassies can also assess your intentions for the trip from your hotel reservations.
Hotel bookings enable the consulates to understand your itinerary, places you plan to visit and the number of days you plan to stay in the country. Using this information, they can assess the purpose and intention of your trip.
Affordability
Embassies can also assess the affordability of the trip based on your proof of accommodation. If your hotel accommodation does not correlate with your financial capacity, it raises questions.
Authenticity
Hotel reservations can give away any abnormalities in your visa application. A genuine traveler would do the research and book their hotels. The booking would look natural and convincing.
Hotel bookings in unpopular areas can alert visa officers to take a closer look at the purpose and intention of your trip.
How to get hotel reservation for visa?
You can get hotel accommodation for visa from any hotel booking website. Some websites allow you to get free hotel bookings and some fully refundable ones. Below, I will walk you through 5 ways to get a hotel reservation.
01. Pay-At-The-Hotel Booking [Free option]
Some booking sites allow you to book a hotel without requiring any prepayment. Such bookings are referred to as pay-at-the-hotel or pay-when-you-stay bookings. These bookings do not require any payment or credit card information.
You can get a completely free hotel reservation for visa using this option.
Recommended websites:
- Booking.com | Free cancellation: No prepayment needed
- Expedia | Fully refundable: Reserve now, pay later
- Agoda | Free cancellation: Pay at the hotel
- Orbitz | Fully refundable: Reserve now, pay later
- Trip.com | Free cancellation: Pay at hotel
- This option is completely free of charge and does not require a credit or debit card.
- Even though these bookings are free, you must still make sure to cancel them.
NOTE Not all bookings without prepayment are cancellable. Read the description carefully when making a hotel booking for visa application. The booking description must say “free cancellation” along with “no prepayment”, “pay at the hotel” or “pay when you stay”.
02. Partial Deposit Hotel Booking [Free and Paid option]
Some booking sites let you book a hotel or hostel by paying a small deposit upfront. You pay about 15-20% of the booking as a deposit. The deposit can be refundable to non-refundable.
When you cancel the booking, you will get a full refund of your deposit if it’s refundable.
- HostelWorld | Payable at booking: 15% refundable deposit with free cancellation (*Free option)
- Agoda | Freeze price: 12-15% non-refundable deposit to hold for 7 days (*Paid option)
- Even if you forget to cancel in time, the resulting loss from the booking would be small.
- You must remember to cancel the hostel reservation within the cancellation period. Otherwise, your deposit will not be refunded.
03. Fully Refundable Hotel Booking [Free option]
Pretty much every hotel booking website offers fully refundable booking options these days. You would need a credit or debit card to book such hotels. In the event of cancellation, you will get a full refund of the money spent on the booking.
- Expedia | Fully refundable
- Booking.com | Free cancellation
- Agoda | Free cancellation
- Orbitz | Fully refundable
- Priceline | Flexible cancellation
- Trip.com | Free cancellation
Recommended hotel search engines:
- Kayak | Compares and finds the cheapest refundable hotels
- Skyscanner | Compares and finds the cheapest refundable hotels
- Fully refundable hotel bookings are fully-paid and confirmed hotel bookings. There is no need to worry about the consulate verifying its authenticity.
- If you fail to cancel in time, your booking is deemed noncancellable and you cannot claim a refund.
- You must keep the credit or debit card used for the booking active to receive your refund.
04. Non-Refundable Hotel Booking [Paid option]
If you come across a good hotel deal that you cannot pass up, then you can consider booking a refundable hotel for your visa.
I suggest booking a non-refundable hotel only if you are one hundred percent certain that your visa application will be approved.
- Expedia | Non-refundable
- Booking.com | Non-refundable
- Agoda | Non-refundable
- Orbitz | Non-refundable
- Priceline | Non-refundable
- Trip.com | Non-refundable
Recommended search engines for non-refundable hotels:
- Kayak | Compares and finds best deals on hotels (non-refundable)
- Skyscanner | Compares and finds best deals on hotels (non-refundable)
- Non-refundable hotel bookings are fully-paid and confirmed hotel bookings. There is no need to worry about the consulate verifying its authenticity.
- Booking a non-refundable hotel early on would get you a good deal on the hotel than booking it after your visa approval.
- In the event of visa refusal, you will risk losing the money spent on the non-refundable hotel booking.
- Hotels, booking websites and embassies do not consider visa refusal as a valid reason for hotel booking cancellations and refund claims.
05. Dummy Hotel Booking [Paid option]
There are online travel agents offering proof of accommodation for visa purposes for a nominal fee. Using these agents, you can get a dummy hotel reservation for visa application valid for 2-3 weeks.
These agents can book a hotel on your behalf and cancel after its validity period, which is usually 2-3 weeks. You will have to provide them with the city, travel dates and visa details. They will book the hotel for you and send the hotel confirmation letter by email.
Recommended agent:
- Dummy Ticket | Price $20 USD | Hotel booking valid for 2-3 weeks
- You can conveniently get a dummy hotel booking for visa for a nominal fee.
- This type of dummy hotel reservation works for all visas including Schengen visas.
- There is no need to remember to cancel the booking as the agent cancels the booking after its validity, usually after 2-3 weeks.
- After you receive your hotel booking, there won’t be a record of your booking on the agent’s website. The only way to verify the authenticity of the booking is to contact the hotel.
- Even though the agents promise a 2-3 week validity, there is no guarantee the bookings can stay valid that long.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do embassies check hotel reservation.
Yes, the embassies can check the hotel reservation if they need to. Your hotel booking for visa must be verifiable. You must book the hotels on a reliable booking website or directly from the hotel. This way, if the embassy contacts the hotel, they will be able to confirm your booking.
Do you need hotel reservation for Schengen visa?
Yes, you would need a hotel reservation for Schengen visa. Proof of accommodation is a mandatory document for the Schengen visa application. You can book pay-at-the-hotel or refundable hotels for your Schengen visa from websites such as Booking.com, Expedia or Orbitz.
Can I use Booking.com for Schengen visa?
Yes, you can use Booking.com for Schengen visa. Hotels booked on Booking.com are accepted as proof of accommodation for Schengen visa application. If you prefer not to pay upfront, you can book any hotel with no prepayment or free cancellation option.
Is hotel booking required for US visa?
No, hotel bookings are not required for US visa. US embassies discontinued asking for hotel bookings and flight tickets. You do not need to book any hotel for US visa. In your DS-160, you can simply mention the name and address of the hotel you plan to stay in the US. But you do not need to book that hotel for the visa.
Can I use a fake hotel reservation for visa?
Embassies can verify the authenticity of your hotel reservations. Using fake hotel reservations can land you in trouble. You can get your visa refused or a permanent ban due to falsified documents.
A hotel reservation is an essential document for tourist visa applications. You can obtain a hotel reservation from any hotel booking website. Most hotel booking websites offer hotel bookings without any prepayment. Booking hotels without any prepayment is the most sensible way to get a hotel booking for your visa. In the event of visa refusal, you will not lose money spent on the hotel.
WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI
Thirumal Motati is an expert in tourist visa matters. He has been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. With his expertise, he has obtained several tourist visas, including the most strenuous ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times. He has also set foot inside US consulates on numerous occasions. Mr. Motati has uncovered the secrets to successful visa applications. His guidance has enabled countless individuals to obtain their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. His statements have been mentioned in publications like Yahoo, BBC, The Hindu, and Travel Zoo.
PLAN YOUR TRAVEL WITH VISA TRAVELER
I highly recommend using these websites to plan your trip. I use these websites myself to apply for my visas, book my flights and hotels and purchase my travel insurance.
01. Apply for your visa
Get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from DummyTicket247 . DummyTicket247 is a flight search engine to search and book flight itineraries for visas instantly. These flight itineraries are guaranteed to be valid for 2 weeks and work for all visa applications.
02. Book your fight
Find the cheapest flight tickets using Skyscanner . Skyscanner includes all budget airlines and you are guaranteed to find the cheapest flight to your destination.
03. Book your hotel
Book your hotel from Booking.com . Booking.com has pretty much every hotel, hostel and guesthouse from every destination.
04. Get your onward ticket
If traveling on a one-way ticket, use BestOnwardTicket to get proof of onward ticket for just $12, valid for 48 hours.
05. Purchase your insurance
Purchase travel medical insurance for your trip from SafetyWing . Insurance from SafetyWing covers COVID-19 and also comes with a visa letter which you can use for your visas.
Need more? Check out my travel resources page for the best websites to plan your trip.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please refer to our full disclosure for further information.
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Completing the DS-160
Important Notice: Take care to answer all questions on the DS-160 accurately and completely; otherwise, you may have to correct your application and reschedule your visa interview appointment.
Electronically submitting your DS-160 online application is only the first step in the visa application process. Once you have electronically submitted your DS-160 online application, you must contact the embassy or consulate at which you wish to apply to confirm whether you need to be interviewed by a consular officer, and to schedule an interview. You can find a list of U.S. embassies and consulates here , with links to their websites where you can find information about scheduling a visa interview appointment. If the embassy or consulate at which you apply informs that you must have a visa interview, the visa application process cannot be completed until you appear for an interview with a consular officer.
Accessing the DS-160
Where can i find the ds-160.
Access the DS-160 here, by clicking: Consular Electronic Application Center website .
You may wish to preview a sample DS-160 (10.1MB) before beginning.
I am having problems accessing the DS-160.
Use only Internet Explorer 11 or higher, Firefox, or Google Chrome 58 when completing your appplication. Safari and Microsoft Edge are not supported .
What documents do I need to have with me while I complete the DS-160?
You should have the following documents available while you complete your DS-160:
- Travel itinerary , if you have already made travel arrangements.
- Dates of your last five visits or trips to the United States , if you have previously travelled to the United States. You may also be asked for your international travel history for the past five years.
- Résumé or Curriculum Vitae - You may be required to provide information about your current and previous education and work history.
- Other Information - Some applicants, depending on the intended purpose of travel, will be asked to provide additional information when completing the DS-160.
Some applicants will need to have additional information and documents handy while completing the DS-160:
- Students and Exchange Visitors (F, J, and M) : You will be asked to provide your SEVIS ID, which is printed on your I-20 or DS-2019 , so you should have this form available when completing your DS-160. You also will be asked to provide the address of the school/program at which you intend to study. This information should also be on your I-20 or DS-2019 form.
- Petition-based Temporary Workers (H-1B, H-2, H-3, CW1, L, O, P, R, E2C): You should have a copy of your I-129 available when completing your DS-160.
- Other Temporary Workers: You will be asked for information about your employer, including the employer’s address, while completing your DS-160.
Can my answers be in my native language?
No. All answers must be in English, using English characters only, except when you are asked to provide your full name in your native alphabet. Applications submitted in any language other than English will be denied, and you may be required to submit a new application.
While you must answer all questions in English, translations of questions are available in many languages from the drop-down menu in the right upper corner of the application. These translations should assist you in completing the form in English.
Are all questions on the DS-160 mandatory?
Most questions are mandatory and must be answered in the spaces provided. You may leave spaces blank when the questions are marked “optional.” You may answer a question with “Does Not Apply,” when that question does not apply to you; however, all other questions must be answered. The system will not allow you to submit an application with any mandatory questions left unanswered. If you do not complete a mandatory question, the system will display an error message and require you to answer the question before continuing with the application. If you do not answer questions that apply to your circumstances and/or purpose of travel, the system will not accept your application.
Are additional forms required?
No. The online DS-160 application replaced the DS-156, DS-157, DS-158, and DS-3032, which are no longer necessary. NOTE : In addition to the DS-160, Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor visa applicants also must complete an additional form (see the Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor, E Visa Applicants section below for more information).
What happens to my DS-160 if I select a U.S. Embassy or Consulate where I will be applying for my visa, but end up making an interview appointment instead at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate?
The Embassy or Consulate at which you actually apply should be able to access your form using the barcode on your DS-160 confirmation page, which you must bring to the visa interview. For example, a business traveler intends to apply for his visa at the U.S. Embassy in City X, so he selects City X as the location where he will submit his application when he completes his DS-160. He then has an urgent reason to travel to City Y on business. Because there is a U.S. Consulate in City Y, he schedules an appointment for a visa interview there, using the barcode from his completed DS-160 application for appointment scheduling. The U.S. Consulate in City Y is able to accept his DS-160 even though it lists the U.S. Embassy in City X as the location where he originally intended to submit his application.
Completing Specific DS-160 Questions
How do i sign the ds-160 form.
You electronically sign your DS-160 by clicking the “Sign Application” button at the end of the form. Failure to sign may result in termination of the application. Your electronic signature certifies that you have read and understood the questions in the application and that your answers are true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief. The submission of an application containing any false or misleading statements may result in the permanent refusal of a visa or denial of entry into the United States. All declarations made in the application are unsworn declarations made under penalty of perjury.
Unless you are exempted from appearing in person, your fingerprints will be electronically scanned on the day of your interview. By providing your fingerprints, you will again certify that that you have answered all questions on the DS-160 truthfully and to the best of your knowledge, and that you will tell the truth during your visa interview. You will be directed to read the following statement prior to having your fingerprints scanned:
“By submitting my fingerprint, I am certifying under penalty of perjury that I have read and understood the questions in my visa application and that all statements that appear in my visa application have been made by me and are true and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Furthermore, I certify under penalty of perjury that I will tell the truth during my interview and that all statements made by me during my interview will be complete to the best of my ability.”
Can a third party complete the form on my behalf? Who is exempt from signing the form?
If an applicant is illiterate or unable to complete the application, the applicant must be assisted by a third party. The third party must be identified on the “Sign and Submit” page of the application. While the third party can assist the applicant in completing the application, he or she must instruct the applicant on how to endorse the application on his or her own behalf by clicking the “Sign Application” button.
If the applicant is under the age of 16 or physically incapable of completing an application, the applicant’s parents or guardian may complete and click the “Sign Application” button on his or her behalf. If the applicant has no parent or legal guardian, then the application may be completed by any person having legal custody of, or a legitimate interest in, the applicant.
The DS-160 contains terms that I am not familiar with. Are these terms explained?
Explanations of the following terms contained in the online DS-160 form are available to you as help topics while you complete the DS-160 and are also provided below.
Help: Surnames
Enter all surnames (or family names) exactly as they are written in your passport. If only one name is written in your passport, enter that as your “Surname.”
Help: Given Names
If your passport does not include a first or given name, please enter 'FNU' (meaning “first name unknown”) in the space for “Given Names.”
Help: Other Names
Other names used include your maiden name, religious name, professional name, or any other name by which you are or have been known.
Make sure to enter the other names you have used in full. Thus, if you have only used another surname, enter it along with your usual given name. If you have only used another given name, enter it along with your usual surname.
Help: Telecode
Telecodes are four-digit code numbers that represent characters in some non-Roman alphabet names.
Help: Date of Birth
Enter as shown in your passport.
Help: Place of Birth
Please choose the name currently used for the place where you were born.
Help: Phone
You must provide a primary phone number. The primary phone number should be the phone number at which you are most likely to be reached; this could be a land line or a cellular/mobile number. If you have an additional land line or a cellular/mobile number please list that as your secondary phone number.
Help: Identification Numbers
Your National ID Number is a unique number that your government may have provided. For example, the U.S. Government gives unique numbers to people looking to work or who pay taxes.
Help: Other Nationality
Enter all nationalities you currently hold and all nationalities you have previously held (including United States, if applicable), regardless of whether you have formally and/or legally relinquished the nationality. If the country where you previously held nationality no longer exists, choose the name of the country that is currently used for that location. (For example, if you used to be a citizen of the former East Germany, choose “Germany.”)
Help: Permanent Resident
Permanent resident means any individual who has been legally granted by a country/region permission to live and work without time limitation in that country/region.
Help: Passport/Travel Document Number
Enter the number of the passport or travel document you will use to travel to the United States. This passport/document must still be valid, and must identify you and your nationality.
Help: Passport Book Number
The Passport Book Number is commonly called the inventory control number. You may or may not have a Passport Book Number on your passport. If you do, the location of the Passport Book Number on your passport may vary depending on the country that issued your passport. Please contact your passport issuing authority if you are unable to determine whether or not your passport contains a Passport Book Number.
Help: Expiration Date
In most cases your passport or travel document must be valid for at least six months after your arrival in the United States.
Help: Application Receipt/Petition Number
If you are applying for a petition-based visa, your application receipt/petition number was given to you by the Department of Homeland Security’s U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) after you filed your petition application at a USCIS Service Center. The application receipt/petition number is 13 characters long and the first three characters are letters.
Help: Previous Employer
Please enter information regarding your previous two employers only. Applicants may choose to bring along a separate written list of all previous employers to the visa interview for reference.
Saving Your DS-160 and Returning to a Partially Completed DS-160
How can i save my application can i stop in the middle of the application and return to it later.
You can save your application or return to a partially completed application. When you begin a new DS-160, you will be issued a unique application identification (ID) number after selecting and answering a security question. Once you have your application ID number and have selected and answered a security question, you may exit the DS-160 application and return to it later. You must have your application ID to return to your application . To save your DS-160 to the Consular Electronic Application Center website, click the “Next” button at the bottom of each page you complete. You have 30 days to return to a partially completed application . To access your application after 30 days, you must save it to your computer hard drive or a disk, as explained in the FAQ below.
How do I save my DS-160 application to my computer hard drive or a disk?
Saving to a hard drive or disk will allow you to access your application after 30 days . To permanently save your application to your computer hard drive or a disk, select the “Save Application to File” button. Then, click the “Save” button on the File Download window. Identify a place on your computer to save the application, browse to that location, and click the “Save” button on the “Save As” window. The system will download your application to the specified location. Once the download is complete, you can click “Close” to return to the live application on our website. Note: Applications saved to the hard drive of a public or shared computer or memory device could likely be accessed by anyone else who uses the computer or device after you.
I apply for U.S. visas often. Can I reuse the DS-160?
Yes, you can use information from a previously submitted DS-160 to populate some fields on a new form. There are two ways that you can do this. First, if you plan to apply for a visa in the future, save your DS-160 to your hard drive or a disk using the instructions in the FAQ above. When you go to apply for your new visa you can then select “Option B-Upload a Previously Saved Application” on the Getting Started page. Alternately, if your previous visa application was submitted after November 1, 2010, you can select “Option C-Retrieve Application,” enter your previous visa application ID, and then hit “Create a New Application.” Your personal information will then populate the form. Be careful to check that all previously submitted information is current and accurate.
What if I lose my internet connection, the application “times out,” or I receive an error? Will my application be lost?
Why did the edits i made from the review page "edit" link not save.
In order for data changes made from the review page links to save, you must use the buttons at the bottom of each page to navigate, instead of the browser's back/forward buttons or the buttons along the side of the screen.
Uploading a Photo to Your DS-160
I understand that i can upload a photo with my application. how do i get a digital photo that will successfully upload to my application.
Please refer to the Photograph Requirements for detailed guidance.
The confirmation page has an "X" in the box where the photo should be. What does that mean?
That means that the photo upload failed. Therefore, you should submit one printed photograph meeting our requirements, along with the online DS-160 confirmation page, to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate at which you plan to apply for your visa. Please contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you are applying for specific instructions on how to do this. See the print photo format found in the Photograph Requirements for more information. If the confirmation page includes a photo image, then the photo upload function was successful and no separate print photograph is required.
Correcting Answers on a Submitted DS-160
The u.s. embassy or consulate where i went for my visa interview denied my application because my ds-160 contained errors or was incomplete. what does this mean and what do i need to do next.
DS-160 applications submitted before April 1, 2010 cannot be reopened, and therefore, you must complete and submit a new DS-160.
The Embassy or Consulate should reopen your DS-160 submitted after April 1, 2010 if your application is denied for this reason and ask you to correct it , as explained below:
- DS-160 applications submitted on or after November 1, 2010: Enter your application ID number and answer additional questions as prompted to access and correct your application.
- DS-160 applications submitted on or after April 1, 2010, but before November 1, 2010: Enter your barcode or confirmation number into the Application ID field and answer additional questions as prompted to access and correct your application.
After I have corrected or completed my DS-160 application, do I need to schedule a new appointment or return to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate?
Ds-160 confirmation page, should i bring my entire application or just the confirmation page with me to the interview.
You are not required to bring your entire application. For your interview, you are required to bring your confirmation page with your application ID number on it so we can retrieve your DS-160. You must bring the confirmation page with you during all phases of the application process. Without the confirmation page, we may not be able to process your visa case.
I submitted my online DS-160 application, but lost my confirmation page. Can I print a new one?
Yes, you can reprint the confirmation page of an application that has already been submitted. In order to do so, go into the Consular Electronic Application Center website and select the Embassy or Consulate at which you are applying. Hit “Option C-Retrieve Application” on the Getting Started page and enter your application ID number. From there you will be able to view and print your confirmation page.
Family/Group Applications
I am traveling with my family or as part of a group. can i create a family or group application.
Yes. When you select “Email Confirmation” on your Confirmation Page, you will be directed to a “Thank You” page. On the “Thank You” page you will see an option to create a family or group application. When you select this option, certain information from your application, such as destination, will automatically be imported to and displayed on a new application. Please note that if you use this option you must create an individual application for each family member or for each individual within the group.
If I use the option on the "Thank You" page to create a family or group application, can I modify the data automatically populated by the system?
Yes. If one of the dependents has a different surname or nationality, for example, you can alter that data before submitting the application.
Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor, E Visa Applicants
I am applying for a treaty trader/treaty investor, e visa. do i need to fill out the ds-160 and the ds-156e.
It depends. If you are a Treaty Investor (E-2) applicant, you need only complete the DS-160. If you are a Treaty Trader (E-1) or an Executive/Manager/Essential Employee (E-1 or E-2), you must complete the DS-160, and you or your employer must complete the paper DS-156E form.
More Information
A-Z Index Latest News What is a U.S. Visa? Diversity Visa Program Visa Waiver Program Fraud Warning Find a U.S. Embassy or Consulate Straight Facts on U.S. Visas
Immigrant Visa Interview-Ready Backlog Report
Global Visa Wait Times
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- Visas and immigration
- Visit the UK
Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor
Apply for a standard visitor visa.
If you need a Standard Visitor visa, you must apply online before you travel to the UK and attend an appointment at a visa application centre.
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
You must meet the eligibility requirements and only do permitted activities .
Depending on your nationality, you may not need a visa to visit the UK. You can check if you need a visa before you apply.
You can apply for a Standard Visitor visa, or if you visit the UK regularly you can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa instead.
Apply online
Once you’ve started your application you can save your form and complete it later.
If you’re applying with family members, each person must have their own application and pay the fee. They need to attend their own appointment at a visa application centre.
You can apply on behalf of your partner and child, if they cannot apply for themselves.
Your application will not be accepted and you will not get a refund if you have the right of abode in the UK (for example you’re a British citizen). You need to apply for a certificate of entitlement instead.
Continue your application
You can sign back into your application if you’ve saved it.
Find out how to sign in to your account .
Long-term Standard Visitor visas
You can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa if you visit the UK regularly. This visa lasts 2, 5 or 10 years. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit.
If you’re under 18 years old when you apply , your long-term Standard Visitor visa will only be valid for up to 6 months after you turn 18. You cannot get a refund on the fee.
You may be given a shorter visa than requested if UK Visas and Immigration ( UKVI ) believe you cannot meet the eligibility requirements for the duration of the visa you applied for.
You will not get a refund of the application fee if you get a shorter visa or if your application is refused.
Your visa may be cancelled if your travel history shows you are repeatedly living in the UK for extended periods.
Documents and information you’ll need to apply
You must have a passport or travel document that is valid for the whole of your stay in the UK. There must be a blank page in your passport for your Standard Visitor visa.
You’ll need to provide the following information in your online application:
- the dates you’re planning to travel to the UK
- where you’ll be staying during your visit
- how much you think your trip will cost
- your current home address and how long you’ve lived there
- your parents’ names and dates of birth (if known)
- how much you earn in a year (if you have an income)
- details of any criminal, civil or immigration offences you may have committed
Depending on your circumstances, you might also need to provide:
- details of your travel history for the past 10 years
- your employer’s address and telephone number
- your partner’s name, date of birth and passport number
- the name and address of anyone paying for your trip
- the name, address and passport number of any family members you have in the UK
- a certificate proving that you’ve had a tuberculosis ( TB ) test if you’re visiting for more than 6 months
You need to provide additional documents if you’re visiting the UK:
- as an academic
- for certain paid engagements or events (a ‘permitted paid engagement’
- for medical reasons
You must provide certified translations of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.
Proving your identity and providing your documents
As part of your online application, you need to book an appointment at a visa application centre. Allow time to attend your appointment, as the visa application centre could be in another country.
At your appointment, you’ll need to:
- prove your identity with your passport or travel document
- have your fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken
- provide the required documents that show you’re eligible for a Standard Visitor visa
The visa application centre may keep your passport and documents while processing your application.
How long it takes to get a decision
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
You can check to see if you can get your visa decision faster .
You’ll get an email or a letter containing the decision on your application . This will explain what you need to do next.
If you need to change or cancel your application
If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it, contact UKVI .
You can ask to cancel your application . You’ll only get your fee refunded if the application has not been processed yet.
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- About the UAE
- Visa and Emirates ID
- Visit visas
Tourist visa
A tourist visa is for those who are not eligible for visa on arrival or a visa-free entry to the UAE. You can apply for a tourist visa through airlines, hotels and travel agents. Read about the eligibility criteria and the steps to apply.
Multiple entry 5-year tourist visa
Who is a tourist visa for, who can apply for your tourist visa, related eservices.
The multiple entry 5-year tourist visa enables tourists to enter the UAE multiple times on self-sponsorship and remain in the country for 90 days on each visit, and can be extended for further 90 days. This type of tourist visa can be issued for all nationalities.
To obtain this visa, the applicant must have:
- a bank balance of 4,000 USD or its equivalent in foreign currencies during the last six months
- a valid health insurance policy applicable in the UAE
- a ticket to and from the UAE
Documents required
To apply for the multiple entry tourist visa, the applicant must provide the following:
- a colored photo
- a copy of the passport
- medical Insurance
- bank statement for the last 6 months with a balance 4,000 USD or its equivalent in foreign currencies
- tour programme
- a ticket for onward journey.
Read related news coverage on WAM .
Related online services
- Issue family group multiple entry long-term tourist visa - 5 years - (all nationalities) – ICP
- Issue multiple entries long-term tourist visa - 5 years - (all nationalities) – ICP
Tourist visa is for those who are not eligible for visa on arrival or a visa-free entry to the UAE. Tourist visa can be obtained for eligible individual tourists from around the world. Females below the age of 18 are not eligible to apply for this type of visa unless they are travelling with their parents.
According to a Cabinet resolution passed in July 2018, children under the age of 18 years who are accompanying adults, can get a free visa for their visit from 15 July to 15 September each year.
Tourist visas through airlines
Each airline has some conditions, which must be met in order for your visa to be arranged by them. One of the conditions is flying with them. For more updated and specific information, check the following UAE-based airlines for visa types, facilities, terms and conditions:
- Visa services from Etihad Airways - Etihad Airways
- Visa Services offered by Emirates Airline - Emirates Airline
- Visa services from Fly Dubai - Fly Dubai
- Visa services from Air Arabia - Air Arabia
Tourist visas through agencies and hotels
Licensed travel agents and hotels in the UAE can arrange a tourist visa for you provided you purchase the ticket through them and maintain hotel reservation with the specific hotel.
You can also contact travel agencies in your country for any tourist packages available to the UAE in collaboration with a local tour operator.
It is important to check the authenticity of travel agents you are dealing with and refrain from paying or sending copies of your official documents until after you are 100 per cent sure the tour operator is genuine. You can seek the help of the UAE embassy in your country for verification.
Note: The UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas. In order to get a tourist visa to the UAE, you need to get in touch with one of the UAE-based airlines, a tour agency or a hotel (where you intend to stay) in the UAE who will apply for visa on your behalf to the official visa-issuing authorities in the UAE.
- Tourist visa from Etihad Airways - Etihad Airways
- Tourist visa from Emirates Airline - Emirates Airline
- Tourist visa from Fly Dubai - Fly Dubai
- Tourist visa from Air Arabia - Air Arabia
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Money latest: The age when the average Briton pays off their mortgage revealed
The average Briton is 61 when they pay off their mortgage - a drop of two years. Meanwhile, Spotify is raising prices again. Read about this and the rest of today's consumer and personal finance news in the Money blog, and leave a comment in the form below.
Thursday 11 April 2024 22:26, UK
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- Spotify to hike subscription price by up to £24 a year
- Minimum income for family visa rises by £10,000
- Italy mourns 'end of Italian waiters in London' as visa rule brought in
- Wendy's creating 400 jobs as part of UK expansion
- The age when the average Briton pays off their mortgage
- 'WTF is going on with the price of olive oil?'
- Could I build a home gym for less than my gym membership?
- Basically... Tax codes
- Cheap Eats : Great British Menu legend shares ultimate toastie recipe
Ask a question or make a comment
Fake flights and caravans are the two most common items being sold by fraudsters in relation to travel, Lloyds Bank's research has found.
As Britons head online to book deals for the upcoming bank holidays and summer, they have been urged to "remain vigilant", with the average holiday scam victim being conned out of £765.
Amid rising flight costs post-COVID, people have been flocking to social media and other lesser-known websites to secure cheaper deals.
A food delivery company claims to have created an "unshakeable bag" to avoid spillage in transit.
Bolt, which owns the Bolt Food delivery platform, said its design is based on gyroscope technology and will keep food stable "during the most abrupt movements".
In a post to its website, the firm said it would make the design available to its competitors as it is "too powerful to be owned by any one company".
"We believe everyone should enjoy a perfect meal, regardless of which app they order it from," it said.
Assaulting a shopworker is to be made a separate criminal offence after a government U-turn following pressure from campaigners.
The government previously said "more legislative change" was not needed to tackle the "intolerable violence and abuse" faced by shopworkers, arguing it did not think it was "required or will be most effective".
But Rishi Sunak is now set to announce his government will be amending the Criminal Justice Bill to bring in the new offence.
The drugmaker was on its knees when Sir Pascal Soriot took over in 2012.
But under his leadership it now does just about everything the UK wants from a business - creating high value-added jobs and developing products that improve people's lives.
The FTSE 100's performance has lagged that of many of its peers, both in the United States and Europe, more or less since the Brexit vote in 2016.
That poor performance has reflected the poor valuation of many UK-listed companies - resulting in numerous foreign takeovers of UK businesses in recent months and years.
It has also led to a scarcity in the number of companies floating on the London Stock Exchange, most notably the Cambridge-based chip designer ARM Holdings , which last year opted to list in the US instead.
The situation has alarmed the government, which has announced a number of reforms aimed at raising the UK's attractiveness .
An imminent shareholder vote on Sir Pascal's pay makes a particularly interesting test case because few would dispute that he has been the most outstanding FTSE 100 chief executive of his generation.
This rise could take his potential earnings to £18.5m this year - which critics say is excessive.
Read my full piece here ...
England's average house price has risen by £103,000 over the last decade, while the average annual wage has risen by £7,734.
But some areas have seen homeownership affordability decline more than others...
The London borough of Barking and Dagenham has seen the most significant fall, according to moving platform Getamover.
The platform found the area has seen house prices more than double to £380,000 in the last 10 years - but wages have only risen by £2,182.
Hillingdon in West London took the second spot, with the average property shooting up by £230,000 to £495,000, while the average income increased by just £143.
While London remains the most unaffordable region, the East Midlands has also seen a notable fall.
Oadby and Wigston in Leicestershire ranked fifth in the table, with the average house price increasing by £129,000 and the median annual income growing by £2,644.
Gedling ranks sixth among the areas of England where the affordability of buying a home has declined most.
The Nottinghamshire region has seen house prices soar by 84.8% to £231,000, while the average income has risen by just 13.11% to £33,454.
You can see how other areas fared in the table below...
Rishi Sunak's post-Brexit rules for foreign workers are getting tough press in Italy this week - with claims they could mark the end of Italian waiters in London.
April saw the minimum salary requirement for a skilled worker visa increase from £26,200 to £38,700 - a near 50% rise as the government tries to reduce immigration.
Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica published an article on its site headlined "Italians in London, the long goodbye" after the new rule was brought in this month.
There were an estimated 342,000 Italians living in the UK in 2021, according to the latest Office for National Statistics census data.
La Repubblica said the new rule change would lead to the "end of the story" of Italy's "ancient roots" in the capital, which was founded by the Romans in 43 AD.
Separately, Italian journalist Antonio Polito wrote in the Corriere della Sera newspaper that the new salary for skilled workers was "an amount that no young novice can realistically earn".
"Thus London gives up one of its great assets, the fact of being an offshore and cosmopolitan city," he said.
Mr Sunak's post-Brexit rule change has worried hospitality bosses who are still struggling to get to grips with a post-COVID reality and rising costs.
Conor Sheridan, founder of Nory and Mad Egg restaurant chain, previously told the Money blog that roughly 14% of his 15,000 UK employee base were on working visas that could be affected.
Trade body UKHospitality also said the changes would "further shrink the talent pool that the entire economy will be recruiting from".
As the migration law came in, Home Secretary James Cleverly said it was "time to turn off the taps and end the flow of cheap workers from abroad".
"We are refocusing our immigration system to prioritise the brightest and best who have the skills our economy needs, while reducing overall numbers," he said.
Several of the UK's biggest supermarkets closed their gender pay gap in the last year - while Morrisons saw the biggest rise, figures show.
Ocado and Lidl reduced their gap by the largest amounts in 2023-24 compared to the previous year, while Tesco, Asda, Aldi, Co-op, Iceland and Waitrose owner John Lewis also saw a reduction.
The data comes from the government's gender pay gap service and states the difference in hourly rates of pay.
In contrast to other big-name brands, Morrisons saw its mean pay gap widen to 12.5% from 7.6%. M&S also saw a slight increase from 12.5% to 12.6%.
The mean figure gives the best overall view of the gender pay gap but includes extreme values which could skew the average.
Of the 11 biggest UK supermarkets, Co-op has the largest pay gap with 13.2%, followed by M&S and Morrisons.
An M&S spokesperson said: "We're committed to driving equal opportunities and making M&S a great place to work for women. Encouragingly our median pay gap has decreased, and women now make up more than 50% of our UK store management population, but we know there is more to do.
"We're making progress with the launch of new initiatives, talent programmes, and policies, including our flexible working offer – Worklife, a Job Share Finder, and our industry-leading family leave offer."
A spokesperson for Co-op said: "We are committed to treating our colleague member owners fairly, and this includes driving equitable outcomes for female colleagues. We've seen a significant reduction in our gender pay gap since we started to report data in 2017, and this year's data shows further progress towards closing it.
"It's important to reiterate that we don't pay people differently based on their gender at Co-op. The gender pay gap is caused by us having fewer females in leadership role, where salaries are higher.
"Our focus on improving representation remains, as we know this is one of the key drivers causing the gender pay gap. Today, 40% of our leadership population are female - this is not enough, which is why we’ve launched a series of development programmes and have a coaching and mentoring offer to support women with career progression.
"We know there’s still much to do in this space and will hold ourselves to account and continue to strive for gender equality."
Morrisons has also been contacted for comment.
Every Thursday we look at a different savings option, explain the pros and cons, and reveal the best deals on the market (see table below for that). This week we're talking about the best notice accounts. Savings Champion founder Anna Bowes says this...
As with the rest of the savings market, the top notice account rates have started to fall. However, there are stalwarts like the Investec 90-day notice account that are holding steady and as a result offering savers an opportunity to earn a little more, while not having to tie up their cash for too long.
A relatively unused aspect of the savings market, notice accounts offer a bit of a halfway house, with the best rates available generally paying more than the top easy access rates, but will more flexibility of access than a fixed term bond.
Just as it sounds, these savings accounts require you to give notice in order to access your money without a penalty. The usual notice period ranges from 30 to 120 days, although there are some accounts on the market that require six months or even a year's notice.
By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter
Another record month for Heathrow. Last month was the busiest ever March for the UK's biggest airport, the second record-breaking month in a row.
It was also the busiest Easter weekend as Good Friday became the busiest ever direct departure day, when 118,000 people began their journey at the airport.
It shows, despite cost of living pressures, lots of Britons were going on holiday.
More good news for Heathrow came earlier this week as planned strike action by 600 border force officers was called off to allow for negotiations in its dispute over working patterns.
Oil prices are still high, hanging around $90. A barrel of Brent crude oil, the benchmark for oil prices, costs $90.66. The last time prices were this high was in the wake of the 7 October attacks and fears of conflict spreading throughout the Middle East.
On the currency front, £1 buys $1.2538 and €1.1678.
How old is the average Briton when they buy their first home, or finish paying their mortgage, or retire?
These are some of the questions answered in a "Journeying Through Life" data dump from the Office for National Statistics.
Here are some of the key takeaways...
Home ownership - including the one life event that's happening earlier
People are buying homes later in life, perhaps unsurprisingly given how house prices have risen in the last decade or so.
In 2022, more than half of people owned their own home (either with a mortgage or outright) by the age of 36.
That's a significant increase on 2004's figures - which showed the average age for home ownership was 32.
This graph shows what proportion of people own homes at what age.
It isn't all doom and gloom on the homes front, however, with the age at which people own their home outright (ie mortgage paid off) dropping from 63 (in 2004) to 61 in 2020.
This is pretty much the only life event happening earlier, however.
Retiring later
Again, this probably won't come as a huge surprise, but people are retiring later.
The age where more than half of people were retired increased from 64 in 2011 to 66 in 2021.
There has been a bigger increase in average retirement age for women (from 61 years in 2011, to 66 years in 2021) than for men (from 65 in 2011 to 66 in 2021).
The ONS says this is because the state pension age for women was increased from 60 to 66 during this time to match men.
Gender pay gap shrinking but still present
The latest data shows that men are still, on the whole, being paid more than women - although the gender pay gap is shown to be shrinking.
For all employees, the gender pay gap was 14% in 2023 - compared with 20% in 2013.
Despite the gap shrinking, this graph shows that men's hourly wages are higher than women's at nearly all ages.
The grey shaded area represents the pay gap.
Another part of the data shows that males start work a touch earlier than women - with half of males in full-time employment by the age of 23 (compared with females at 24) in 2021.
That data could be explained by the fact that more women attend university - some 319,000 females compared with 285,000 males in 2022.
Moving out, marrying and having children
The age at which young people move out of their family homes is increasing, too.
In 2011, half of people were not living with their parents at the age of 21 - compared with 24 in 2022.
More men live with their parents than women, with 61% of adults living at home in 2021 were male.
When it comes to having children, the average age at which women have their first baby has risen to 29.
That's up from an average of just 23 in 1970.
And finally, marriage.
The median age at first marriage has been steadily increasing since the 1960s.
For opposite sex couples married in 2020, the median age was 32 years for men and 30 years for women. For those entering into same-sex marriage, the median age was older, at 36 years for men and 32 years for women.
As well as getting married older, fewer people are getting married. In 2019, marriage rates had fallen to their lowest on record. For men, there were 18.6 marriages per 1,000 never-married men; for women, there were 17.2 marriages per 1,000 never-married women.
Spotify has announced it is hiking its subscription prices by up to £24 a year.
It is the second time in less than a year that the music streaming giant has increased its prices.
Here's how the prices will change...
Individual: £11.99 a month (up from £10.99 a month)
Duo: £16.99 a month (up from £14.99 a month)
Family: £19.99 a month (up from £17.99 a month)
When will the change kick in?
The subscription price will change from May and if you are an existing customer Spotify will email you and give you one-month's notice of the change.
If you are on a free trial you will pay the old price for one month once your trial ends.
A Spotify spokesperson told Sky News: "So that we can keep innovating and delivering value to fans, the music industry, and creators on our platform, we occasionally update our prices.
"We've begun communicating with existing subscribers in the UK to explain what this means for their account."
American burger chain Wendy's will be recruiting for over 400 job roles as part of its expansion across the UK.
The chain returned to the UK in 2021 after a 20-year break and has since opened just over 30 sites, including drive-throughs in Colchester, Peterborough, Derby and Brampton Hut.
But the chain, which was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969, plans to open a further nine sites this year in Liverpool, Middlesbrough, and a second location in Sheffield.
New locations will include Liverpool, Middlesbrough and a second site in Sheffield.
Wendy's franchisee GH Burgers will open a first restaurant in Wood Green, London, this year.
There will also be restaurants in Southend-on-Sea, Colchester, Cambridge and Newcastle.
Michael Clarke, UK managing director for the Wendy's Company, told The Caterer : "We've seen great momentum in building Wendy's fandom in the UK, and the love and excitement for this iconic brand grows stronger with each new restaurant opening."
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Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), for tourism (visa category B-2), or for a combination of both ...
The process to renew a visitor visa is the same as getting one for the first time. Follow the process to apply for a visitor visa from the Department of State. Find the contact information for your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and contact them for visa renewal information. LAST UPDATED: December 6, 2023.
Apply for a U.S. Visa. At this website, you can learn about obtaining a visa, as well as applying for your visa. How to apply for your nonimmigrant visa for travel to the United States. What documents, photos and information you need to apply for your visa. How to access visa application forms and instructions.
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler's passport, a travel document issued by the traveler's country of citizenship. Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the ...
Welcome to the official U.S. visa service for non-citizens traveling to the United States. This service will help you: Obtain general information on how to apply for a United States visa. Pay the required visa application fees. Submit your visa application to a U.S. embassy or consulate.
If you visit the U.S. for tourism or business, you may need a visitor visa, also known as a tourist visa. Learn how to get and renew this type of nonimmigrant visa. How to check the status of your visa application. Find out how to check the status of your visa application online. And to avoid delays, learn how to update your address if you move ...
Nonimmigrant visas allow people to visit the United States for short periods and for specific purposes. If you want to move here permanently, please see the information below on immigrant visas. A foreign national traveling to the United States for tourism needs a visitor visa (B-2) unless qualifying for entry under the Visa Waiver Program.
The DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form, is for temporary travel to the United States, and for K (fiancé (e)) visas. Form DS-160 is submitted electronically to the Department of State website via the Internet. Consular Officers use the information entered on the DS-160 to process the visa application and, combined with a personal ...
You are a citizen or eligible national of a Visa Waiver Program country. You are currently not in possession of a visitor's visa. Your travel is for 90 days or less. You plan to travel to the United States for business or pleasure. You want to apply for a new authorization for one person or a group of applications for two or more persons.
Visitor visa or tourist visa is also known as a B1-B2 or B2 visa. Visitor visa is subject to approval. You have to apply for and get the visitor visa stamped in your passport. Tourist visa is granted for specific purposes only, like tourism, medical treatment, etc. Persons entering the United States on a visitor visa should not be involved in ...
Fill all the necessary details on the deposit/collection slip. Take the deposit slip with you to the bank and make the visa fee payment. You will be given a receipt, save the deposit slip and receipt. You will be able to schedule your appointment on the next business day after the visa fee payment is made.
Below, I will walk you through 5 ways to get a hotel reservation. 01. Pay-At-The-Hotel Booking [Free option] Pay at the hotel booking on Booking.com. Some booking sites allow you to book a hotel without requiring any prepayment. Such bookings are referred to as pay-at-the-hotel or pay-when-you-stay bookings.
If you are applying for a visa for the first time, or are applying to renew a visa, you are required to take the same steps. Step One: Complete the online DS-160 and print the confirmation page for each person applying for a visa, regardless of age. Answer the questions to the best of your ability; we cannot assist you in completing the form.
Welcome, U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants. You are at the official nonimmigrant (temporary) visa information and appointment website for the U.S. Embassy in Canada. Select this option if you have never used this site before and you have completed a DS-160 https://ceac.state.gov/genniv. Select this option to continue or review an existing visa ...
When booking your visa appointment, you must ensure that you, or your representative, submit a properly completed DS-160 form (online visa application). ... (Note: U.S. citizens don't need a U.S. visa for travel, but when planning travel abroad may need a visa issued by the embassy of the country they wish to visit.).
Nonimmigrant Visas. The Consular Sections of the U.S. Embassy and the Consulates are responsible for providing visa services to those seeking to enter the United States for a temporary period and for those wishing to take up indefinite or permanent residence in the United States. Please visit our Global Support Services (GSS) website for ...
First, if you plan to apply for a visa in the future, save your DS-160 to your hard drive or a disk using the instructions in the FAQ above. When you go to apply for your new visa you can then select "Option B-Upload a Previously Saved Application" on the Getting Started page.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business (visitor visa purposes) for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Not all countries participate in the VWP, and not all travelers from VWP countries are eligible to use the program. SEE MORE.
You can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa if you visit the UK regularly. This visa lasts 2, 5 or 10 years. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit. If you're ...
Visas. Millions of foreigners travel to the United States every year. Some are tourists visiting family and friends; others are traveling for professional commitments; attending conferences, conventions, and business meetings. Others are students who attend school or university throughout the U.S.. Foreign professionals stay in the U.S. for ...
Scheduling an Appointment. Most immigrant Visa applicants are scheduled for their interview by the National Visa Center (NVC). Please attend the NVC-scheduled appointment in order to avoid delays in processing your case. If you have previously been scheduled by NVC and could not attend your interview, please click here to reschedule your interview.
The multiple entry 5-year tourist visa enables tourists to enter the UAE multiple times on self-sponsorship and remain in the country for 90 days on each visit, and can be extended for further 90 days. This type of tourist visa can be issued for all nationalities. To obtain this visa, the applicant must have: proof of stay (hotel/residential ...
The path of totality for the 2026 eclipse mostly goes through places Americans can travel visa-free with their passport, so long as they're planning to stay for less than 90 days.
Starting April 9, 2024, Disney Visa Cardmembers can get a FREE dining plan when purchasing a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a room at select Disney Resort hotels and tickets with a Park Hopper option. This offer is available for arrivals on most dates July 1-31, September 1-7, and December 9-21, 2024.
Fake flights and caravans are the two most common items being sold by fraudsters in relation to travel, Lloyds Bank's research has found.. As Britons head online to book deals for the upcoming ...