How has the Electronic Visa Changed the Way we are Planning a Trip?

Surely you have heard about the electronic visa.

17:15 20 November 2019

It is a document for which a person can apply online. It has the same legal standing as a visa issued directly by an embassy. After all, they are both released by the same authority. But how has the electronic visa changed the way we are planning trips? That is easy. Instead of taking a possibly long journey to the embassy of the country you wish to travel to, you can submit an application using your PC, laptop, or even your smartphone and tablet. You get to enjoy a visa application process from the comfort of your own home. And that pretty much says it all.

How do I know if I can get an electronic visa?

That is pretty easy to find out. A simple Google search will let you know. Wikipedia is incredibly helpful too. However, there are two things you should know. First, not all countries issue electronic visas. While more and more governments adopt the electronic visa system each year, there is still a long way to go until all of them do. And two, although a particular country issued electronic visas, not all nationalities are able to get one. Treaties and accords between states decide which nationalities qualify for an eVisa. That is why, before you start planning your trip, you need to do a little bit of research about the visa policy of the country you want to visit. If you find your country of origin on the list of eligible nationalities, it means that you have the green light to submit an online application.

The online application process

If your eligibility is established, all that is left for you to do is to find a visa service. Fortunately, there are numerous such services online. Some are better than others. Or, you could use a government website. The choice is yours.

The first thing on your to-do list when you want to apply for a visa online is to make sure that you meet the requirements. Now, the list of requirements differs from country to country. However, there is one thing they all have in common. All applicants need to hold a valid passport. After all, the electronic visa is electronically linked to your passport. You cannot have the former without the latter.

Depending on the eVisa, you may have to meet other requirements as well. They can include proof of accommodation, a return flight ticket, invitation letter, travel insurance, and so on. Rest assured that whatever list you may have in front of you, we are talking about a simplified visa application process, so none of the necessary documents are challenging to acquire.

After you get everything you need, there is one more thing left for you to do, and that is to fill in an online application form. Generally, the forms for an electronic visa are short and easy to go through. You should be done with one in only a few minutes. After that, you just submit it, and the eVisa arrives via e-mail in a few days. Depending on the eVisa you apply for, you can obtain it in as little as 24 hours.

Needless to say, it is pretty obvious how the electronic visa changed the planning process of a trip to a foreign country. You invest less time in getting the proper documentation, which is a significant plus. Let’s just hope that more governments will adopt the initiative. It makes things easier for everybody. After all, you are more likely to choose a vacation destination in a country that issues electronic visas instead of a country that requires a lengthy and tedious visa application process, aren’t you?