I wish we lived in a world where you could go anywhere, anytime, without anyone asking questions. My wish is utopic, to say the least, but you don’t know what will happen in the future. Maybe one day we could do it. However, until that time comes, we need visas to enter other countries. Fortunately, we are no longer required to go through a consulate to obtain one.
It’s not news that the online world has conquered every existing field. And lucky for all of you travelers out there, getting a visa can be done using nothing more than the internet. Countries like India, for example, accept an e-visa at certain points of entry. All you have to do is apply online, and you could obtain the permit in as little as 18 hours.
What is the process?
The whole process is straightforward, doesn’t require much documentation, and is designed to be completed in 20 minutes at the most. If you have trouble understanding a few things, you can even receive assistance that is provided 24/7.
First of all, I recommend that you do your homework. Read about everything you need to know. Information really is power. As far as documentation goes, you don’t need anything out of the ordinary. You will need a valid passport. If you have one that is about to expire, take care of it. Otherwise, you will not be granted an e-visa. Other than that you need a recent digital photo of yourself, a scan of the information page of your passport, and a credit/debit card or a Paypal account. If you have all of the above, you are all set and can move on to the application itself.
The form can be completed online, it should take about 5 minutes, and consists of basic information like name, address, passport number, etc. This is also the moment when you have to choose the processing time. You can choose the Standard Processing, which means you will get the visa in 3 business days, the Rush Processing will last one business day, and the Super Rush Processing will grant you an e-visa in 18 hours. The service fee differs, but I think you figured that out.
After you are done with the application, you will be required to answer a set of personal questions. This too will take only a few minutes. Then you need to upload the documents I was telling you about above. And you are done. All you have to do at this point is wait for the visa. It will arrive via e-mail in the timeframe you chose.
Getting an online visa is simple, elegant, and it doesn’t require too much effort. It will spare you from going to the consulate and standing in line for hours. You can do it from the comfort of your own home. It’s every traveler’s dream. Documentation is an important part of the planning process, and if you can do it over the internet, why not? And that is not the only thing you can do from home. Various websites can provide helpful services when it comes to traveling. For example, did you know that you can get passport photos online just by standing in front of your webcam? I am telling you, this is a new age we live in. It may not be my utopic world, but it’s still something.