User:AudryBlake2
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks. You can stay in the UK for 6 months on a Family Visitor visa. You can also apply for a long-term visit visa if you can prove you need to make repeat visits over a longer period. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit and your visa can last for 1, 2, 5 or 10 years.tripadvisor.com You must provide proof that you are financially dependant on your family member in the UK if you are applying as their dependent extended family member. You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK.letsgofaraway.com You can only stay in the UK for a maximum of 6 months, or 12 months if you're travelling with an academic visitor, e.g. a teacher or researcher. Contact the nearest Embassy / Consulate for UK for the most up-to-date information on what documentation you specifically may require to enter UK.
True Story: I was once not allowed to check-in for a flight from Australia to New Zealand because I didn’t have a valid flight out of NZ. I had to buy a full-fare ticket from NZ to Fiji on the spot (that was the cheapest one available) just to get on the plane. And once I was in New Zealand, I wasn’t even allowed to cancel the onward ticket without providing proof of a different onward ticket! In other cases, you can talk your way out of it. For example, depending on the geography of the country, you can say you’re leaving overland by train/bus/ferry and you’re waiting to book your ticket locally. Whether or not you’ll be allowed in ultimately depends on the immigration agent in front of you and how lenient they choose to be. Sometimes you can show them some proof of commitment to being somewhere else.
When I had to do some tricky visa paperwork in Thailand, they asked for an onward travel ticket. Because I was going to leave Thailand by train and had no tickets yet, I showed them my flight out of Singapore. That was enough to prove to them I had somewhere else to be and would leave Thailand. Showing them confirmed accommodation reservations in another country might get you though as well…again depending on the leniency of the immigration agent and the country you’re trying to enter. And sometimes, they just don’t ask. I’ve dazedly left more than a few immigration counters having been ready to show my onward travel ticket but never having been asked for it.
Island nations are usually the strictest for requiring onward travel tickets, but again - you just never know when you’re going to need to show it. In places like the Caribbean, it’s common for people to fly to one island then hop on a boat from there; be it a sailboat, ferry, or yacht. If you know a boat-owner/captain in the general area where you’re headed, they can write a letter to immigration saying that you’ll be joining them on the boat and stating approximately when the boat will be leaving that country’s waters. Note: I would never want you to lie to an immigration officer about your onward travel plans (lying is bad), but sometimes our best-laid plans change….maybe you intend to join a boat but end up leaving the country another way.
They won’t hold you to your onward travel plans; they just want to see that you have some. Since I hit the road a long time ago, a few services have cropped up that allow you to "rent" onward travel tickets. This strategy has become my go-to. Best Onward Ticket provides you with a perfectly legitimate flight ticket that lasts for the duration of your journey (generally long enough to get you through airport check-in and immigration on arrival). This saves you the hassle of buying and cancelling a ticket yourself (which I’ve also had trouble with in the past). 12 for a 48-hour ticket.
5 you can select the destination for your onward ticket (since normally they just choose a random destination). I have used Best Onward Ticket a few times, flawlessly. Ticket Onward is a new addition to the onward flights scene. 26 for a 72-hour ticket (especially handy for trips with long layovers). Interestingly, this service requires you to upload a photo of your passport to book your ticket; something I’m personally a bit leery of. One Way Fly differs from the above two sites in that for 19 Euros, they give you an onward ticket that is good for 14 days (including your choice of onward destination).
You can also add another passenger to the same booking, which is great if you are traveling as a couple or family. Lastly, as a travel agency, One Way Fly gives you the option to buy the actual ticket afterwards, as well as to book other services. If you need to provide a ticket but really don’t know where you want to go next (or when), then you’re best off buying a fully-refundable ticket. This will cost you a pretty penny, but you’ll get (most of) your money back when you do decide where you’re going and no longer need the ticket.
Make sure you choose a relatively inexpensive onward destination to begin with, and read the fine print about refunds carefully before you buy. Even if you end up going to the same destination anyway, you can save money by exchanging your full-fare ticket for a cheaper non-refundable ticket. Also, choose an airline with whom you have the greatest chances of leaving the country with; the fees for changing reservations (including a switch to a non-refundable ticket) are usually cheaper than the fees for getting a refund. Ultimately the entry requirements for your destination will depend on the country, and its relation to your citizenship.
The best place to start is your home country’s immigration site, which should allow you to search for your destination’s country information, advisories, and entry & exit requirements. Here’s the one for Canadians. And here’s the one for U.S. NOTE: If you read the accompanying travel advisories too carefully, you’ll never leave home. They are incredibly conservative with cautions and advisories, so if you are a remotely experienced traveler, take it all with a grain of salt. In the realm of organizing your official documents for your travels, you might want to consider getting an International Driving Permit. It has come in handy for me in some unexpected ways, as well as the usual in being able to rent/drive a scooter or car abroad.
In this chapter, I go over the basics of what an IDP actually is and how to get one. What is an International Driving Permit (IDP)? It is a photo-ID supplement to your driving license, translated into many languages so you can drive and rent cars abroad.tripadvisor.com As an extra piece of photo ID (which is generally recognized worldwide), it can be handy. You can apply for and renew your annual IDP from abroad (although it will probably be sent to your "home" address, so you might need it forwarded). Is an IDP Worth It? I initially thought it was a cash grab, but I must say it has come in handy a few times - even in English-speaking countries like Australia (where I bought a car).
Without one, I would have had to apply for a pricey and labour-intensive local license since I was there for more than four months. Years later in Japan I didn’t have one, and I missed out on an opportunity to drive a Mario Kart around Tokyo. Seriously, I’m gutted about it. If you are an American, you can apply for an IDP with AAA and AATA. In Canada you can get one through CAA. In the UK, go to Post Office or RAC. Smart Traveller has instructions for Australians, and AA is the place for New Zealanders to get theirs.
If I’ve left out your country, check with your local license issuing authority, or do an online search. Be warned; there are a lot of unofficial IDP issuers out there; legal issuers are usually recognized Auto Associations or tied to the government in some way.tripadvisor.com It’s important to have your official documents in order before you start traveling. This is especially important if you are traveling long-term or full-time. There are a number of things you can do to prepare, and safeguards you can set in place, in order to ensure that everything goes smoothly while you travel - even if everything isn’t going smoothly! In this chapter, you’ll find a checklist of which documents to travel with, what to carry with you on the road, and other important things to prep before you embark on your travel adventures.
When abroad, your passport is the most important piece of paper in your possession. It will be your main form of identification while you’re traveling, but it does help to have at least one other form of ID with you. There may be times you’re required to provide two forms of photo ID. Also, if your passport is lost or stolen (like mine was…oh boy that was fun), you’ll need original identification to replace it. It’s super important to travel with copies of your passport (and carry them separately from the original). That way, if your actual passport is lost or stolen, you can expedite the process of getting a new one by having a copy.
Once you’re at your destination, only carry the copy out and about with you. Store the original in your hotel safe or at reception. For more about keeping your passport safe, check out Chapter 8 of my guide to Travel Security: How To Keep Your Finances, Data, & Identity Safe On The Road. As long as you’re making copies of your passport, I recommend you make a copy of everything. All your ID, important documents; anything that would be a hassle to lose or replace. I not only make physical photocopies of my ID, but I also take pictures of everything and store it in an encrypted file on my computer and a special USB stick. And, I also leave copies of everything with my designated representative at home. Overkill is not a bad thing when it comes to official documents and travel.
One time, a traveler friend of mine was in Africa and got into a verbal argument with a local "authority" about handing over his passport. The "authority" claimed he was breaking an unwritten law. My friend pulled out his cell phone and dialled his consulate’s number, which he had stored in his phone. That’s when the "authority" decided to move on. Not only was he able to confirm with the consulate whether the "authority" figure was legitimate, but it also was handy in encouraging the attacker to move on. Your consulate is there as a resource to you. Don’t be afraid to use it. It may seem small, but carrying some extra passport photos has come in handy several times. Depending on where you travel, you’ll need passport pictures to accompany certain visa applications.
But you’ll pay a premium for these pictures if you get them at the airport or otherwise go with a "traditional" passport picture photographer. I always have a fresh batch of passport pictures I can dole out for visa applications, and have even made use of them on other random occasions like when I got my scuba license. These pictures cost me pennies on the dollar, and have been - and continue to be - invaluable. I highly recommend getting a comprehensive travel insurance policy. I’ve had a few kicks at the can of bad medical luck on the road, and I wouldn’t want to be without insurance.
It’s also worthwhile to check and see what travel insurance is offered on your credit cards already (for example you can skip the comprehensive car rental coverage if you charge the rental to a credit card that automatically covers you). Make sure you always carry your travel insurance information (eg: insurance company name, phone number, and policy number) with you, because some insurers won’t cover your expenses if you don’t contact them before seeking medical treatment. Also make sure that your designated representative at home and your travel partner (if you have one) have the travel insurance company, policy number, and claims phone number too.
It is also a good idea to have a copy of the full policy available just in case you need to reference it on the fly. Not once—but twice—have I had to use travel insurance, and having the full policy handy for reference has been invaluable. Before you quit your day job (and take a hit on your income), make sure your financial house is in order by applying for whatever credit cards you’ll want to travel with. Unless you’re cutting all residency ties with your home country (not generally recommended), you need an official mailing address. If your designated representative (or anybody else) isn’t able to act as your mailing address, then consider a virtual mailing service.
There are a variety of steps to take under this category, from ensuring you have an ATM card with a 4-digit pin, to eliminating what bills you can and automating the rest, to setting up online banking, and more. Get rid of your cell phone plan at home (the roaming charges will likely eat you alive). In some cases if you are traveling for a limited amount of time, you can put your home plan on hold for a small fee.emirates.com Then make sure your phone is unlocked before you skip town.quora.com That way you have the freedom to use cheap local SIM cards wherever you go, or an International SIM Card. When I’m not using a local SIM card in a country with cheap data/phone plans, I adore my Flexiroam SIM sticker, which is a micro-sticker that you attach to your home SIM card.
When you are abroad, you use your phone’s settings to turn off your home plan (no roaming!), and activate the Flexiroam card. You buy data from Flexiroam through the app as you need it. And most of the time, with WhatsApp and other popular ways of staying in touch with locals and foreigners alike, you don’t even need a local phone number anyway. Data is sufficient for all your needs. 15/month around the world.onwardtravel.co The final way to protect your documents and data while you travel is to set up a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service. One subscription will cover all your devices, and will encrypt everything you do online so that hackers can’t get in and access your information.flipflopglobetrotters.com Added bonus: you can watch Netflix and Hulu while abroad, and access social media in countries where it’s banned.
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