25 August 2011

NIGERIA - no fast service

As of today the Nigerian High Commission is temporarily suspending fast visa processing. For the next two weeeks at least there will be regular service only. This means it will take ten working days to get a Nigerian visa.

Click here for Nigerian visa forms.

MYANMAR changed its name ?

Myanmar has officially changed its name from the "Union of Myanmar" to the new "Republic of the Union of Myanmar".

Now most people would not think this was much of a change, or even care at all. But the military government cares, and this means something to vis applicants.

The Myanmar Embassy is forbidden from accepting any visa application form which does not have the word "Republic" in the letterhead. The forms have stayed exactly the same with the exception of the addition of the word Republic to the name. All applicants using the form without Republic will be rejected.

Click here for the new Republic of the Union of Myanmar visa application forms.

19 August 2011

BRAZIL - not so fast

The promise was there. The Brazilian foreign ministry and the Brazilian consulate in Vancouver said visas would now be issued within days instead of a month. And at first it seemed to work. Now, the evidence is of backsliding. The Brazilian office responsible for BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan is going back to processing in up tp three weeks.

Apply early.

Click here for Brazil visa applications and instructions.

SAUDI ARABIA - now FIVE WEEKS

Well, our government has annoyed another dictatorship, and that regime has retaliated against visa seekers.

The Saudi regime has taken issue with the Canadian policy of taking weeks and sometimes even months to grant visas to Saudi subjects. So as of 01 September 2011 they are changing their processing time from the usual 24 hours to an astonishing four to six (4-6) weeks. Yes, you read it here first: the Saudi Embassy in Canada will hold Canadian passports for an average of one month before issuing a visa.

Now in my opinion a country wracked with religious issues, and religious police who execute two people per week, and high numbers of under-employed indoctrinated young men needs to be watched very carefully. It is the duty and obligation of the Canadian government to scrutinize all Saudi applicants. After all, it is not Belgians committing atrocities against Western nationals in the name of their god.

Despite the inconvenience it will cause to some Canadian businessmen and oil workers, I encourage our often spineless tory government in Ottawa to keep standards in place and to not cave into the house of Saud on this one.

Click here for Saudi visa details.


INDA - sign it twice

Yes, you read that headline correctly. The new Indian visa application form has TWO places for signatures: one on the first page at the upper-right beneath the photograph box where no one would look; and the other at the end of the second page where you would expect to find it.

If the form does not bear two original ink signatures, it will not be processed and a visa will not be issued.

So sign both pages, please.

Click here for India visa application forms and instructions.

CHINA - get it right the first time

Applying for a Chinese visa has not been this difficult for three years.

The new four page extended Chinese visa application form now has to be filled in VERY carefully. No pen amendments are allowed. Blank spaces must be filled in with "N/A'. If you make an error or ommission, start again and type everything. The only pen ink allowed on the paper is your signature.

Click here for Chinese visa application forms and instructions.

11 August 2011

CHINA -- new forms

Fortune Cookie says: "Old Chinese form is no good - use the new longer Chinese visa application form for best results!"

The Embassy of China in Ottawa has introduced a whole new and better visa application form, and a totally new supplemental application form for ALL applicants.

Starting now you must use the new forms (a total of six pages in Chinese and English), and all answers must be typed on the form on-screen, then printed and all pages signed in black ink.

The new form is far better in that the questions are clearer, and the space allotted for answers is larger and easier to use. Most of the longer form is taken up with the questions from the old form, but with better spacing for ease of reading and answering.

The downside is that it has gone from 2 pages to six pages. So start typing now for your visa to China.

Click here for the new Chiense visa application package.

09 August 2011

AUTHENTICATION & LEGALIZATION

Visa Services Canada is proud to provide full "Authentication & Legalization" services to all Canadians at home and abroad, and to legal residents.

If you have documents from Canada which you need to use in a foreign country, we at VSC will get then notarized, stamped by the Canadian Government, then legalized by the foreign embassy and returned to you. This includes items such as birth certificates, diplomas, various educational certificates, police clearances, and fingerprints.

We can even get documents officially translated before being legalized.

Basic A&L services cost $100. for the first document, and $50. for each additional document.

We will even ship them anywhere in the world, such as directly to a prospective employer or immigration office.

Click here for Authentication & Legalization forms and details.

TANZANIA -- DELAYS POSSIBLE

Be prepared to wait for Tanzanian visas for the rest of the summer. Staff changes at the High Commission may means the normal 7 working day processing of visa applciations could stretch to weeks.

Apply early, but remember that you must LEAVE Tanzania within 90 days of the issue date of your visa.

Click here for Tanzanian visa application forms.

BRAZIL -- now FASTER

BRazil is getting better and better.

In the past people in Western Canada were treated very poorly, and often had to wait a month for a visa, while people in Winnipeg and Eastern Canada got visas in a few days.

The Brazilian Government has moved to fix the problems in the Vancouver consulate, and they are now stating visas should be done in 10 days at most. This is great news, and we hope they will continue to meet this service commitment.

Of course people in Western Canada still have to provide a lot of extra documentation not called for in the east, but the service has become faster.

Click here for Brazilian visa application forms.

INDIA -- now ON-LINE

India has gone high-tech. As of 25 July all Indian visa applciations MUST be made first on-line, then in person (or by courier).

The new Indian visa application computer system was apparently rolled out without any field testing and without notice to the visa community. It still does not function properly, and for the first week business visa seekers were locked out.

Visa Services Canada moved quickly to provide all new forms and new instructions regarding the Indian on-line system Please visit our India page for full details and the new forms and links to the Indian computer.

Click here for Indian visa forms.