how do I get a visa?

[CTyankee]

I've never needed one in my travels but a trip I am contemplating will require one.

[PoliticAverse]

1. Depends on the country. Would you tell us what country you are going to?

Also see: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/general/americans-traveling-abroad.html

[CTyankee]

2. not sure...it is part of a larger trip going to lots of countries...

and I am on vacation right now and without my travel info...I am considering several different trips into Mediterranean ports...sorry I am so lame here...agh...I will check your link...thanks...

I was asking about general information but of course, it depends on the country...

[PoliticAverse]

3. If your visit is short (< 90 days or so) most places probably won't need a visa. n/t

[CTyankee]

5. the travel company says a visa will be necessary...

I think it's national geographic...will check the link another poster helpfully provided...thanks...

[valerief]

4. Searched on "how to get a visa". See link below.

https://search.yahoo.com/search?p=how+to+get+a+visa&ei=UTF-8&fr=moz35

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. I was sold one on the train going into East Germany.

For China, I had to send my passport to the Chinese embassy in Washington. I think it depends on the country. Good luck!

[CTyankee]

7. I think I can arrange it with the help of the travel company...it could be a road scholar trip and

they are very helpful...

[greatauntoftriplets]

8. In that case, they might even arrange the visa for you.

It certainly doesn't hurt to ask. Even if it's up to you, they likely will be able to tell you what to do.

[CTyankee]

9. Oh, that would be a relief!

I hate having to spend time making arrangements like that...I'm usually too busy planning my activities, which are centered around art and art history, to be bothered with the boring details...

[greatauntoftriplets]

10. What you prefer doing is lots more fun!

Enjoy your planning process. Even if they arrange the visa, you'll have to fill out a form.

[CTyankee]

11. oh, that is no problem!

[greatauntoftriplets]

12. I didn't like the idea of sending my passport to the Chinese embassy...

but they returned it quickly. I still have the visa even though this was 30 years ago.

[CTyankee]

13. having once gone thru the agony of having my passport stolen while I was abroad,

I am super careful about my passport. It's a PITA beyond belief.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. You don't need a visa if it's one of the European countries covered by the Schengen treaty

(and that's basically all of Western Europe and some of Eastern Europe), Japan, South Korea, and a bunch of other places.

If you do need a visa, I think that many tour companies now take care of that for you.

When I went to Cuba with a church group, all I had to do was send a full-sized color photocopy of the front page of my passport to the travel agency that handled the arrangements, and they did the rest.

[CTyankee]

15. This is trip by sea in the Mediterranean and I'm not even sure exactly where it is...

but it is with Road Scholar. It looks interesting, the price is very good, and I've never been to Greece, where it also goes...if I end up deciding I want to take it at some point I will ask RS about the visa arrangements...thanks for the suggestion...

[Lydia Leftcoast]

16. You don't need a visa for Greece, Spain, France, Malta, or Italy; they're all Schengen countries

Your passport is stamped at your first port of entry, and then you're good for 90 days. When I went to Scandinavia on Icelandair, I went through immigration in Iceland while changing planes and received a 90-day stamp. I never even had to show my passport till I was scheduled to fly out of Stockholm and the airline asked if I was going directly back to the States or stopping over in Iceland. I was stopping over in Iceland for five days, so I received my exit stamp at Iceland's Keflavik Airport.

I'm told that Turkey just charges you a fee at the border and then stamps your passport.

If you're going to anywhere in North Africa or the Middle East, you may need visas, but Road Scholar will send you a pre-trip packet that gives you all the details.

BTW, doesn't Road Scholar tell you where you're going? I've looked at some of their trips, and they offer a detailed itinerary and schedule if you expand the right buttons. They have a whole bunch of Mediterranean cruises.

Go to the page for "your" cruise. Clicking on program details gives you the option of selecting "Daily Schedule." That will tell you exactly where you're going. Clicking on "Travel details" gives you the option of "required documents." That tells you whether the countries you're going to require a visa, and if so, how to get one.

[CTyankee]

17. Yep, they do...and I love their website...I just don't recall the itinerary to relate here...

I'll try to find it again...I found it, then forgot all about it and had to call them to refresh my memory only 2 days ago, and I'm forgetting it again...LOL...

Aging sucks.

[petronius]

18. Turkey does it online now (e-Visa)

Thanks for mentioning the Schengen agreement - I went to France by way of Iceland a few years ago, and could never figure out why nobody asked for my passport...