The process to apply for a tourist, business or working visa is simple if you follow the guidelines required by the Consulate of the country of destination. However, there are a number of common mistakes made by many applicants which apply to all destinations. To avoid running into problems when applying for your travel visa, bear in mind the following:

• Make sure your travel document is valid. Check that you have blank pages left, and if your passport is set to expire or if it should be renewed during the trip, find out about the process for renewing it.
• In some cases, you may need to include other documents such as an invitation letter. Take into account the time the application process takes before including the documents to your visa application.
• To apply for a visa, you must submit an application form. Before filling it out you must read it thoroughly, because any errors could impede your approval for a visa.
• In addition to credit card details, you may need to submit bank statements to show your financial capacity to visit the country of destination.
• If you don’t have an invitation letter, you may be required to present a hotel reservation and your travel itinerary.
• Make sure you have travel insurance to cover any medical expenses during your trip.
• Visas have an expiry date, so a return ticket to the country of origin must be presented.
• Find out whether you need a transit visa to enter the countries you are stopping in before reaching your final destination. Sometimes even if you will only be there for a few hours you will require a transit visa.
• While some countries allow visa applications to be processed when arriving at the airport, it is advisable to apply for your visa(s) before traveling to avoid any difficulties.
• If you wish to stay longer in the country, find out about the requirements to renew the visa.
• Be prepared for the interview. It is useful to know about the destination country and speak to other travelers about the questions asked during the interview.
• If you do not speak the language of the country you are visiting, you may wish to ask for an interpreter to help you at the Consulate.
• Keep in mind that you must submit each document in its original format and a true copy.
• Make sure to pay the required fees for every document and to include the payment slip in the application.
• It is important not to buy the plane ticket before the visa is granted.
• Showing up at the Consulate to submit the documentation without a previous appointment is a waste of time.
• If you are applying for a business visa, you must take into account that all the information provided about any service or product must be complete and accurate. You will also likely require an invitation letter from the company you are intending to work with when you reach your destination.
• If on a business trip, applying for a tourist visa is considered an illegal stay. In fact, if you were to have an accident, you would even lose your insurance benefits, not to mention creating major expenses for your employer.
• Finally, be careful with the details that can affect any plan. Being late for the appointment to submit the application or not having recent photographs may delay the application process.

Duguech & Dip Worldwide Legal Services supplies a complete range of personalized solutions in the immigration field by providing support and advice to businesses and individuals to remain fully compliant with local and international laws.  

Legal Notice: Since legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and laws are constantly changing, nothing on this article should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent legal counsel. The content on this article is offered only as information and does not constitute solicitation or provision of legal advice. You should always consult a suitably qualified lawyer regarding any specific legal problem or matter.

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