Visiting Thailand is one of the great joys of travel. Bangkok has a great international airport. English is a common language. The streets are exciting and glittery and always filled with fun things to see and do and especially to eat. The public transport skyway works very well. Prices are low for everything, including luxury hotels. Last year I stayed in a suite in the Peninsula Hotel, one of the best hotels in Asia if not the world, for only $150. Many men go to buy handmade suits, which even with the airplane fare included come out less than a similar items in the west.
And making it even easier is the fact Canadians do not need a visa to visit Thailand. A Canadian passport with at least six months validity, and a confirmed ticket out of the country, is enough to get through Thai immigration and be allowed to stay for up to thirty days as a tourist.
However, if you plan to stay more than thirty days, or are in Thailand for business, a conference, to do research, or for some other purpose, you will need a visa. The good news is the price of a Thai visa is dropping to only $35 on 01 April 2008.
So if you are going to Thailand for a very long holiday, or for business, click here and we at VSC will handle all your visa needs.
26 March 2008
19 March 2008
Visiting Kosovo
The new state of Kosovo unilaterally declared independance from Serbia on 17 February 2008, and was recognized by Canada just yesterday. At the moment Canadian citizens do not require a visa to enter Kosovo for tourism or business purposes.
Kosovo does not yet have any functioning embassies or consulates. The first diplomatic facilities will probably open in Albania, Macedonia, Rome and Washington.
For the moment, entry to Kosovo by air is limited to Prishtina International Airport. Regular flights arrive from London, Zurich, Istanbul, Budapest and Stuttgart. Immigration formalities take place in the airport, and at the moment seem to consist of a passport check.
The large majority of borders are still in dispute by Kosovo against Macedonia, and by Serbia against Kosovo. Land crossings from Serbia through NATO-controlled UNMIK borders are usually possible. Serbian Railways mainline train #60 from Belgrad to Kosovo Polje (Pristina) run on a regular basis. Land crossings from Albania are also theoretically possible. There is an 80 km highway to Prishtina from Skopje, Macedonia. Canadians do not need a visa to visit Serbia or Albania, but do need a visa for neighbouring Macedonia. Expect long border formalities on the Macedonian side. Please contact VSC if you are not a Canadian and require a visa to Kosovo.
Click here for Kosovo visa information.
Kosovo does not yet have any functioning embassies or consulates. The first diplomatic facilities will probably open in Albania, Macedonia, Rome and Washington.
For the moment, entry to Kosovo by air is limited to Prishtina International Airport. Regular flights arrive from London, Zurich, Istanbul, Budapest and Stuttgart. Immigration formalities take place in the airport, and at the moment seem to consist of a passport check.
The large majority of borders are still in dispute by Kosovo against Macedonia, and by Serbia against Kosovo. Land crossings from Serbia through NATO-controlled UNMIK borders are usually possible. Serbian Railways mainline train #60 from Belgrad to Kosovo Polje (Pristina) run on a regular basis. Land crossings from Albania are also theoretically possible. There is an 80 km highway to Prishtina from Skopje, Macedonia. Canadians do not need a visa to visit Serbia or Albania, but do need a visa for neighbouring Macedonia. Expect long border formalities on the Macedonian side. Please contact VSC if you are not a Canadian and require a visa to Kosovo.
Click here for Kosovo visa information.
13 March 2008
It's easy to get to Canada from Hungary
Most of my blog posts are for Canadians seeking foreign travel. But every now and then an item pertaining to foreigners comes up which deserves attention.
Last week Citizenship & Immigration Canada announced it was immediately lifting visa requirements for several new European Union countries. Citizens of Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia no longer require a temporary resident visa to visit Canada. These people can simply buy a plane ticket and show up with their passport at the Canadian border or airport and be consdiered for entry without further paperwork.
A couple of years ago we invited a Hungarian academic to visit for the summer, and were amazed he had to apply for a visa. He was interviewed, and we had to supply a letter of reference and invitation. This is all the stranger as Hungary has not had a visa requirement for Canadian citizens for many years.
Hungary was a bit of a problem due to the Roma (gypsy) situation. Several years back a rumour spread through the Roma communities in Hungary to the effect of Canada recognizing Roma as a persecuted ethnic group who now qualified as refugees. This was totally untrue, but the rumour led to a flood of Roma turning up in Toronto airport claiming refugee status. Thus the Canadian government tightened visa requirements for all of Hungary to prevent a recurrance of the this unfortunate event.
As of today, only Bulgaria and Romania remain on the visa list for Canada; with the other 25 European Union countries now enjoying visa-free travel to Canada. Since Canadians can travel visa-free throughout the EU and Schengen zone, this enlargement is probably only fair. The minister responsible said her office was working with the two countries to eventually allow for them to join the visa-free regime.
Although my company, Visa Services Canada, does not help people get visas to Canda, we are delighted to be able to tell everyone of the new visa-free status of our new European national friends.
So come visit Canada today!
Last week Citizenship & Immigration Canada announced it was immediately lifting visa requirements for several new European Union countries. Citizens of Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia no longer require a temporary resident visa to visit Canada. These people can simply buy a plane ticket and show up with their passport at the Canadian border or airport and be consdiered for entry without further paperwork.
A couple of years ago we invited a Hungarian academic to visit for the summer, and were amazed he had to apply for a visa. He was interviewed, and we had to supply a letter of reference and invitation. This is all the stranger as Hungary has not had a visa requirement for Canadian citizens for many years.
Hungary was a bit of a problem due to the Roma (gypsy) situation. Several years back a rumour spread through the Roma communities in Hungary to the effect of Canada recognizing Roma as a persecuted ethnic group who now qualified as refugees. This was totally untrue, but the rumour led to a flood of Roma turning up in Toronto airport claiming refugee status. Thus the Canadian government tightened visa requirements for all of Hungary to prevent a recurrance of the this unfortunate event.
As of today, only Bulgaria and Romania remain on the visa list for Canada; with the other 25 European Union countries now enjoying visa-free travel to Canada. Since Canadians can travel visa-free throughout the EU and Schengen zone, this enlargement is probably only fair. The minister responsible said her office was working with the two countries to eventually allow for them to join the visa-free regime.
Although my company, Visa Services Canada, does not help people get visas to Canda, we are delighted to be able to tell everyone of the new visa-free status of our new European national friends.
So come visit Canada today!
10 March 2008
Fingerprinting in airports
Fingerprinting of all air travelers is coming, and it is coming fast.
At the end of 2007 the Japanese government began fingerprinting all foreigners arriving in Japan by air.
The British are experimenting with double-checking fingerprints of air travelers with visas at Gatwick airport. Right now only people from Sierra Leone are checked, but all visa travelers to the UK are already fingerprinted in order to acquire a visa. I expect the Brits will soon roll out a system in all their airports to check all visa holders' fingerprints against those taken during the visa application process.
In the USA the border security department requires fingerprints from most foreigners, not including Canadians, Mexicans, and Bermudians. So far this has been limited to one and two fingers, but recently the US rolled out an experimental system to collect all ten fingerprints from foreign travelers at ten large airports.
France is using a fingerprint card to allow some French travelers fast access to airport gates.
For the most part Canadians have been exempt from such police-state measures. However, as borders become harder to cross, and as government paranoia increases, fingerprinting will become more and more common. Privacy is dying. We have sadly come a long way since the days when ordinary people did not need passports to cross frontiers: hundreds of years ago passports were reserved for diplomats.
At the end of 2007 the Japanese government began fingerprinting all foreigners arriving in Japan by air.
The British are experimenting with double-checking fingerprints of air travelers with visas at Gatwick airport. Right now only people from Sierra Leone are checked, but all visa travelers to the UK are already fingerprinted in order to acquire a visa. I expect the Brits will soon roll out a system in all their airports to check all visa holders' fingerprints against those taken during the visa application process.
In the USA the border security department requires fingerprints from most foreigners, not including Canadians, Mexicans, and Bermudians. So far this has been limited to one and two fingers, but recently the US rolled out an experimental system to collect all ten fingerprints from foreign travelers at ten large airports.
France is using a fingerprint card to allow some French travelers fast access to airport gates.
For the most part Canadians have been exempt from such police-state measures. However, as borders become harder to cross, and as government paranoia increases, fingerprinting will become more and more common. Privacy is dying. We have sadly come a long way since the days when ordinary people did not need passports to cross frontiers: hundreds of years ago passports were reserved for diplomats.
07 March 2008
How to get the best price for travel
How do I get the best price for travel? To get the best price you have to break down the costs into component parts, then aggressively go after sales and offers.
AIRLINES
Airlines are constantly posting seat sales. It is worth becoming a member of your usual airline’s loyalty programme. Then sign up for their internet email notices. These usually have the best available prices. I just bought an Air Canada one month pass covering all of eastern North America for the price of a single ticket from Ottawa to Halifax. I will be making four round-trips for a total of $625, or $155 per city, including a trip to Texas!
Another way of cutting airline ticket costs is to search internet travel sites. These prices are based on what airlines offer, so the price is usually the same or a few dollars more than any airline. But the advantage is being able to see all the prices at once.
For long-haul flights one of the best ways to cut prices is to visit your local ethnic travel agency. Say you are going to Asia: visit some Chinatown travel agencies to canvas the bulk prices to various Asian destinations. This works well with agencies which specialize in travel to one specific region. I have found region-specific agencies can often substantially undercut even the airline price. My agent in Chinatown cut nearly 50% off the Cathay Pacific internet price. No website could even come close to this final price.
The other way to lower your airline costs is to fly off-season and to fly on low-volume days of the week. Airlines want to fill the aircraft, so prices are lower on days when the plane will fly partly empty.
HOTELS
A hotel bed which is empty at eight in the evening will be lost revenue to the hotel. They will never make back the lost money. The lesson here is if you can wait until the very last minute, you will be surprised at how low a front desk manager is willing to go to get you into a bed and to thus bring in something rather than nothing for that otherwise empty room.
The big travel websites boast low prices, but are not always great deals. My experience is that hotel websites themselves, run by the company which owns the individual hotel, offer the best prices. So check the hotel’s own website for the best and most current prices. I have used this to get a presidential suite in Paris for a small fraction of the rack rate of $3500 per night, and I have used it to get an acceptable room for $35 when necessary.
The only real upside to the big travel websites is they allow you to see all the hotel prices at once, and to follow the pricing as it moves up and down as your travel date approaches. Use this information to then go directly to the hotel’s own website for bookings.
VISAS
To ensure you are getting the best price for passport visas, use Visa Services Canada Inc., Canada's number one family and price-friendly visa office.
AIRLINES
Airlines are constantly posting seat sales. It is worth becoming a member of your usual airline’s loyalty programme. Then sign up for their internet email notices. These usually have the best available prices. I just bought an Air Canada one month pass covering all of eastern North America for the price of a single ticket from Ottawa to Halifax. I will be making four round-trips for a total of $625, or $155 per city, including a trip to Texas!
Another way of cutting airline ticket costs is to search internet travel sites. These prices are based on what airlines offer, so the price is usually the same or a few dollars more than any airline. But the advantage is being able to see all the prices at once.
For long-haul flights one of the best ways to cut prices is to visit your local ethnic travel agency. Say you are going to Asia: visit some Chinatown travel agencies to canvas the bulk prices to various Asian destinations. This works well with agencies which specialize in travel to one specific region. I have found region-specific agencies can often substantially undercut even the airline price. My agent in Chinatown cut nearly 50% off the Cathay Pacific internet price. No website could even come close to this final price.
The other way to lower your airline costs is to fly off-season and to fly on low-volume days of the week. Airlines want to fill the aircraft, so prices are lower on days when the plane will fly partly empty.
HOTELS
A hotel bed which is empty at eight in the evening will be lost revenue to the hotel. They will never make back the lost money. The lesson here is if you can wait until the very last minute, you will be surprised at how low a front desk manager is willing to go to get you into a bed and to thus bring in something rather than nothing for that otherwise empty room.
The big travel websites boast low prices, but are not always great deals. My experience is that hotel websites themselves, run by the company which owns the individual hotel, offer the best prices. So check the hotel’s own website for the best and most current prices. I have used this to get a presidential suite in Paris for a small fraction of the rack rate of $3500 per night, and I have used it to get an acceptable room for $35 when necessary.
The only real upside to the big travel websites is they allow you to see all the hotel prices at once, and to follow the pricing as it moves up and down as your travel date approaches. Use this information to then go directly to the hotel’s own website for bookings.
VISAS
To ensure you are getting the best price for passport visas, use Visa Services Canada Inc., Canada's number one family and price-friendly visa office.
03 March 2008
Going to Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics
The Oympics are coming! The Olympics are coming! Coming to Beijing, that is. This August China hosts the summer games of the XXIX Olympiad. Everyone needs a visa to travel to China, but this is easier than ever. However, with the Beijing Olympic Games coming quickly, there will soon be a rush for visas.Visas for the Olympics are now on sale. People buying a double entry visa can already apply. Fans wanting a cheaper single entry visa will have to wait until mid-May 2008 to apply. VSC can get you that precious Olympic visa without any hassle or fuss. Just click on the link below for full details and forms.Remember, a single entry visa is good for only three months, so you must depart China prior to the expiry date. The same is true for six month visas. So do not apply earlier than three or six months prior to your final departure from China!
China Olympics visa details: http://www.visaservicescanada.ca/countries/olympics.php
China Olympics visa forms: http://www.visaservicescanada.ca/docs/ChinaOlympics.pdf
China Olympics visa details: http://www.visaservicescanada.ca/countries/olympics.php
China Olympics visa forms: http://www.visaservicescanada.ca/docs/ChinaOlympics.pdf
21 February 2008
My surprise holiday cruise
This past long weekend my husband took me on a surprise holiday cruise to the Bahamas on Cunard's giant ocean liner "Queen Mary 2", sailing from New York. Although I only learned of the cruise a day before departure, the real surprise was still to come. We had one of the six Penthouse suites on the Queen's Grill deck, with a butler, and a lot of floor space, and a spa tub, and champagne and special treats.
Upon bording we were met by our butler Lily who escorted us to our cabin (9067), and settled us in for the four day voyage. Saturday was a sea-day with lots of relaxing and meeting people we knew from previous voyages. Sunday we spent on the beach and snorkeling the reef on Eluethera Island in the Bahamas. Hopefully the underwater camera worked and we have pictures of fish. The beach was part of the so-called private island set up by Princess cruises and infrequently used by Cunard. Sunday night we held a dinner party in our suite for the ship's doctor and his wife who we met on last year's world cruise.
Monday was another relaxing day at sea and superb dining in the Queen's Grill. They even made special scones for me at tea time. The show that night was the fantastic song and dance "Appassionata" which we had not seen for four year, and was very well received.
Tuesday morning we arrived, sadly, on time in New York. But as our flight was not until late in the afternoon, we went to Ellis Island to see the immigration centre and museum. Seeing the Statue of Liberty up close is far more impressive than expected. Of course the flight was delayed: New York is anything but user-friendly!
So I fully recommend getting your husband to buy you a surprise present holiday cruise in a penthouse on the QM2. Four days was not enough, but it will have to do.
Upon bording we were met by our butler Lily who escorted us to our cabin (9067), and settled us in for the four day voyage. Saturday was a sea-day with lots of relaxing and meeting people we knew from previous voyages. Sunday we spent on the beach and snorkeling the reef on Eluethera Island in the Bahamas. Hopefully the underwater camera worked and we have pictures of fish. The beach was part of the so-called private island set up by Princess cruises and infrequently used by Cunard. Sunday night we held a dinner party in our suite for the ship's doctor and his wife who we met on last year's world cruise.
Monday was another relaxing day at sea and superb dining in the Queen's Grill. They even made special scones for me at tea time. The show that night was the fantastic song and dance "Appassionata" which we had not seen for four year, and was very well received.
Tuesday morning we arrived, sadly, on time in New York. But as our flight was not until late in the afternoon, we went to Ellis Island to see the immigration centre and museum. Seeing the Statue of Liberty up close is far more impressive than expected. Of course the flight was delayed: New York is anything but user-friendly!
So I fully recommend getting your husband to buy you a surprise present holiday cruise in a penthouse on the QM2. Four days was not enough, but it will have to do.
11 February 2008
Tough days ahead as US tightens border against Europe
The Bush White House has told the European Union and its 27 member states each will have to agree to allowing armed paramilitary members on all trans-Atlantic US airline flights from Europe to the USA.
Each state will also have to provide Washington with a full range of personal information about air travelers, even if the aircraft is not actually landing in the USA, but only overflying any US territory. This new data will include facts about family member who are not traveling. EU states already provide Washington with 19 bits of personal data about each traveler under a previous agreement. This goes a lot further, and the Europeans are speaking out. The previous Passenger Name Record (pnr) deal allows all sorts of data to be transferred, and airlines were threatened with loss of landing rights if they did not comply.
By this upcoming summer the US Department of Homeland Security will set up an electronic E-visa system for all Europeans traveling to the USA. All EU citizens will have to apply for the electronic permit to enter prior to getting an air ticket. At the moment this process is expected to take severeal days, and the cost remains unknown. A roughly similar system in Australia takes a few minutes. Once this is implemented by Washington against Europeans, it is probably only a matter of time before it is applied to Canadians.
The price for European states to not agree: their citizens will lose their visa-free status and be forced to apply for US visas the long hard slow way. The carrot here is Washington offering a visa-free status to newer EU members whose citizens do not now enjoy visa-free treatment, such as Czech Republic and Greece. In the end it will slow air traffic and lessen the number of travelers from Europe to the USA. Any retaliation, such as requiring visas from US citizens, would cut off an important segment of tourist traffic. No one wins, and the added checks do nothing to protect legitimate travelers from any hypothetical terrorist threat.
Each state will also have to provide Washington with a full range of personal information about air travelers, even if the aircraft is not actually landing in the USA, but only overflying any US territory. This new data will include facts about family member who are not traveling. EU states already provide Washington with 19 bits of personal data about each traveler under a previous agreement. This goes a lot further, and the Europeans are speaking out. The previous Passenger Name Record (pnr) deal allows all sorts of data to be transferred, and airlines were threatened with loss of landing rights if they did not comply.
By this upcoming summer the US Department of Homeland Security will set up an electronic E-visa system for all Europeans traveling to the USA. All EU citizens will have to apply for the electronic permit to enter prior to getting an air ticket. At the moment this process is expected to take severeal days, and the cost remains unknown. A roughly similar system in Australia takes a few minutes. Once this is implemented by Washington against Europeans, it is probably only a matter of time before it is applied to Canadians.
The price for European states to not agree: their citizens will lose their visa-free status and be forced to apply for US visas the long hard slow way. The carrot here is Washington offering a visa-free status to newer EU members whose citizens do not now enjoy visa-free treatment, such as Czech Republic and Greece. In the end it will slow air traffic and lessen the number of travelers from Europe to the USA. Any retaliation, such as requiring visas from US citizens, would cut off an important segment of tourist traffic. No one wins, and the added checks do nothing to protect legitimate travelers from any hypothetical terrorist threat.
05 February 2008
Cheap cruises across the Atlantic
Now is the time to book a cheap cruise away from the over-used Caribbean, and save a lot of money. This is the season when cruise lines prepare to move their ships back from the Caribbean to either the Mediterranean or through the Panama Canal to Vancouver. All winter tens of cruise ships ply the warm still Caribbean waters on dull and over-touristed itineraries. But come spring the ships must 'reposition' for their summer schedules. This is the best opportunity to get an interesting cruise, often to Europe, for as little as $65 per day in an inside cabin. There are repositionings in the sping and autumn, and they go all over the world, so ask you agent for repositionings: you can even get to Asia from Canada.
March and April are the busiest repositioning months, and a review of sale prices reveals two week cruises from the USA to Italy and the UK for as little as $65 per day. Even if you do not like Carnival Cruise Line, you can sail from Miami USA to Rome Italy for $50 per day on a fourteen day repositioning cruise on 26 April. Costa does it for even less per day for the same repsoitioning taking 16 days, and stopping at some interesting ports along the way. You can take the Celebrity Century from the USA to London and Amsterdam in fourteen days for $79 per day.
You cannot buy a fancy dinner for these prices. You can hardly get a hotel room for this money, and not at all in London or New York!
The only problem people encounter with repositioning cruises is the ship does not return to the port of departure. But it allows you to try unconventional itineraries with the same great service and entertainment as on common scheduled services. It also allows you to try more expensive cruise lines which usually deeply discount their repositionings. Oceania Cruise Line regularly repositions their ships to and from Miami, and twelve days on the Regatta costs a mere $88 per day. The beds are perfect and the cuisine far above mass-market cruises.
You could even sail from Florida to Vancouver through the Panama Canal for 19 days on the HAL Volendam for $100 per day. Sail right back to Canada! Can you beat that, or the price?
March and April are the busiest repositioning months, and a review of sale prices reveals two week cruises from the USA to Italy and the UK for as little as $65 per day. Even if you do not like Carnival Cruise Line, you can sail from Miami USA to Rome Italy for $50 per day on a fourteen day repositioning cruise on 26 April. Costa does it for even less per day for the same repsoitioning taking 16 days, and stopping at some interesting ports along the way. You can take the Celebrity Century from the USA to London and Amsterdam in fourteen days for $79 per day.
You cannot buy a fancy dinner for these prices. You can hardly get a hotel room for this money, and not at all in London or New York!
The only problem people encounter with repositioning cruises is the ship does not return to the port of departure. But it allows you to try unconventional itineraries with the same great service and entertainment as on common scheduled services. It also allows you to try more expensive cruise lines which usually deeply discount their repositionings. Oceania Cruise Line regularly repositions their ships to and from Miami, and twelve days on the Regatta costs a mere $88 per day. The beds are perfect and the cuisine far above mass-market cruises.
You could even sail from Florida to Vancouver through the Panama Canal for 19 days on the HAL Volendam for $100 per day. Sail right back to Canada! Can you beat that, or the price?
04 February 2008
Getting a Passport
Get a passport! Get it now! Get it well before you travel. Even if you are not planning a trip now, get a passport so you will be prepared to travel at a moment's notice.
Applying for a passport is easier than ever, and the wait time is tolerable. Use the internet to visit the passport office at http://www.passport.gc.ca where you can fill in on-line forms and locate the nearest office. This is a great time-saver no matter how you end up applying.
Right now the processing time is six weeks for applications sent by mail or courier or dropped at service centres; but only two weeks if you hand in the application at one of the 32 passport offices across Canada. Ontario has 13 such offices, and BC four.
The cost of a passport is $86 for basic service in person or by courier. If you want to speed the processing, you can pay an extra $30 for 2-9 day services. If you are desperate, and can prove an imminent flight out of Canada, you can get a passport in 24 hours by paying an extra $70.
If you have lots of time, but do not want to stand in line in a passport office, you can always visit one of the many federal government 'Service Canada Centres' or to a Canada Post office authorized to accept passports. There are many more of these offices in Canada, and the wait is usually shorter. Just look under Services Locations on the passport website.
To make it all work to your advantage, remember to have all of your forms and ID cards and birth certificate with you when you apply. These will all be reviewed at the counter. Failure to have even one required document will end the application right there.
In short, a Canadian passport is a valuable and useful document, and it costs only $86. You can get it in two weeks if you visit a passport office, or six weeks through a service centre. So act now, and avoid the rush coming in the summer.
Applying for a passport is easier than ever, and the wait time is tolerable. Use the internet to visit the passport office at http://www.passport.gc.ca where you can fill in on-line forms and locate the nearest office. This is a great time-saver no matter how you end up applying.
Right now the processing time is six weeks for applications sent by mail or courier or dropped at service centres; but only two weeks if you hand in the application at one of the 32 passport offices across Canada. Ontario has 13 such offices, and BC four.
The cost of a passport is $86 for basic service in person or by courier. If you want to speed the processing, you can pay an extra $30 for 2-9 day services. If you are desperate, and can prove an imminent flight out of Canada, you can get a passport in 24 hours by paying an extra $70.
If you have lots of time, but do not want to stand in line in a passport office, you can always visit one of the many federal government 'Service Canada Centres' or to a Canada Post office authorized to accept passports. There are many more of these offices in Canada, and the wait is usually shorter. Just look under Services Locations on the passport website.
To make it all work to your advantage, remember to have all of your forms and ID cards and birth certificate with you when you apply. These will all be reviewed at the counter. Failure to have even one required document will end the application right there.
In short, a Canadian passport is a valuable and useful document, and it costs only $86. You can get it in two weeks if you visit a passport office, or six weeks through a service centre. So act now, and avoid the rush coming in the summer.
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