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Jul 13 - around 2 PM we lost our phone system to construction in our office building. Please email questions to perry@perryvisa.com.
09 Jul 10 - U.S. Passport Fee Increase - On Tuesday July 13th, the U.S. Department of State is increasing the fees for U.S. Passports. This includes implementing a new fee for adding extra pages to an existing passport. Please see our detailed passport instruction packets to get the specific changes for each procedure. MORE
09 Jun 10 - Russia and China - Both countries are raising there visa fees for U.S. citizens by $10. The U.S. raised their visa fee on Friday Jun 4th, so to reciprocate many countries will be raising their fees.
07 Jun 10 - Gambia - The embassy has a new visa application form.
04 Jun 10 - Brazil - has increased their consular fees beginning today.
20 May 10 - United Kingdom - The U.K. Border Agency is introducing a $150 priority processing fee. Applicants that do not pay this fee can ONLY mail in their applications and processing may take 3 weeks. To have a third party such as Perry International assist in processing or to schedule a personal appointment at one of the consulates, the applicant must pay the priority consular fee. The U.K. consulates are working to implement this June 1st. As details are finalized we will explain the procedure further.
14 May 10 - Jordan and Tajikistan - Have new applications.
13 May 10 - Turkey - Turkey has a new visa application.
11 May 10 - Ghana, Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo - Have raised their visa fees. Congo also has a new application.
11 May 10 - India - A spouse and dependent family members accompanying an applicant with a Business, Employment, Research or Student visa must apply for an Entry (X) visa, NOT a Tourist visa. All persons of Indian origin and the spouse and dependent children of a person of Indian origin traveling to India to visit family or for tourist related reasons must apply for an Entry (X) visa, NOT a Tourist visa.
07 Apr 10 - Oman - The Oman embassy has a new online application.
07 Apr 10 - Qatar - Visas will no longer be issued upon arrival. All visas must be obtained before departure.
19 Mar 10 - Brazil - Brazil has dropped their requirement that a visa be used for the first time within 90 days of its issue date. The visa can be used any time while it remains valid.
02 Mar 10 - India - When listing the reference in the US on the visa application, it cannot be someone that lives at the applicants address.
25 Feb 10 - US Passport Fee Increase Proposed - On February 9th, The U.S. Department of State proposed increases in the fees charged for various U.S. Passport procedures. Passports for applicants 16 and over are set to increase by $35. Having extra pages added to a passport, which was free, will cost $82. This is currently only a proposal. However, the wording of the proposal leads us to believe this will take affect by mid March. MORE
23 Feb 10 - Saudi Arabia - Visas to Saudi Arabia are now taking a minimum of 6 business days.
09 Feb 10 - Chinese Holiday - Chinese New Year is Feb 14th. All of the Chinese Consulates will be closed Monday the 15th and Tuesday the 16th and some will also be closed Wednesday the 17th. Visa processing when they reopen is usually limited to 1 week processing so any travelers leaving before March 1st should get their applications submitted this week.
09 Feb 10 - Blizzard Office Closures - With 10 to 20 inches expected from Chicago to New York, we expect many consulates to close early. DC consulates may remain closed after yesterdays closures. Expect 2 to 3 day delays on all work processed in Washington DC and now there may be delays in Chicago and New York also.
08 Feb 10 - DC offices closed - The Federal Government including the U.S. Passport Office will be closed today. We expect many embassies to also be closed. Many Fedex packages shipped from our DC office have been delayed.
15 Jan 10 - India - BEGINNING TODAY, India is requiring A photocopy of Birth Certificate (Note: You should NOT submit the original birth certificate, only a photocopy.) This may affect applications already in process. The India Visa Office has advised that any applications not completed yesterday, will require this document. We will find out which applications are not yet finished this afternoon, but would advise anyone who has an Indian Visa in process to get this document from their traveler.
11 Jan 10 - U.S. Raises Visa Fees - The U.S. Department of State is raising its Non-immigrant Visa Fee by $9. The last time the US raised their fees, Brazil, Russia, India and China all raised theirs. We expect many countries to begin raising their visa fees, over the next couple of months.
11 Jan 10 - Turkey - Turkey has raised their visa fees.
07 Jan 10 - Argentina - On December 20, 2009, the Government of Argentina began charging American Citizens visiting Argentina for business or tourism an entry fee of $131 U.S. dollars. The fee will be collected only at Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport. Once paid, the fee permits multiple entries into Argentina for ten years in accordance with United States visa reciprocity. Americans may pay in dollars, by credit card, or with travelers checks.
21 Dec 09 - Winter Storm - Blizzard conditions in DC and NYC will result in many embassy and consulate closures. The federal government in DC, including the US Passport Office, is closed. FedEx and other deliveries to DC and NYC are likely to be delayed by 24 hours or more.
08 Dec 09 - India - The Indian government has made a few changes to its visa policy. They are discontinuing the 1 year tourist visa. US passport holders of Indian origin can still apply for a 5 or 10 year visa, but all nationalities can only get a 6 month visa. For business visas the consulates are being extremely selective about giving 5/10 year visas. In NY they are presently not issuing the 10 year business visa and you must show future trips planned in order to be considered for the 5 year business visa.
08 Dec 09 - Russia - The Russian Embassy will be closed January 1st - 10th. We recommend anyone with plans to travel to Russia prior to February 1st, submit their applications within the next 10 days. Visa processing when the embassy reopens may be delayed.
27 Nov 09 - Brazil - The Chicago Consulate has increased their processing time to between 2 and 3 weeks.
21 Nov 09 - Saudi Arabia - The embassy has announced they will be closed Nov 23rd through Nov 27th.
19 Oct 09 - Sierra Leone - There is a new visa application.
28 Sep 09 - Brazil - Do to changes in policy at the consulates in Los Angeles and San Francisco, applicants residing in the states of AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, and WY will need to apply in person at their respective Brazilian Consulate. At this time we cannot assist with applications for residents of the above listed states. We can assist residents of all other states.
28 Sep 09 - US Passport Charges - Beginning Oct 1st our standard service charge for assisting with passport applications will be $100 per application. If the passport must be processed within 3 to 5 business days our service charge will be $150 per passport, and for processing in 1 to 2 business days it will be $200 per passport.
28 Sep 09 - Chinese Consulates Closed - The Chinese Consulates will be closed Thursday Oct 1st through Monday Oct 5th. Visa applications cannot be submitted or picked up and these days will not count as processing days. This will also likely cause a delay in processing when they reopen on Tuesday.
09 Sep 09 - Uzbekistan - The embassy has a new visa application that must be completed online.
09 Sep 09 - Canada - We have had a report of immigration officials asking business travelers to produce a business letter stating the nature of their business. We have added the following information to our Preparations for Travel to Canada page. Persons traveling to Canada on business should provide, as appropriate to their circumstances, either a letter from their employer identifying the activities they will perform in Canada and the duration of their visit or a letter of invitation from a Canadian business outlining the reasons for the visit. MORE
02 Sep 09 - Saudi Arabia - The embassy will be closed Sep 21st through Sep 28th. This week marks the end of Ramadan and most Islamic countries will be closed at a minimum Sep 21st and 22nd. MORE
31 Aug 09 - Russia - The visa application must be typed. Full addresses are required and no acronyms, like UCLA, are accepted. There must be no writing outside of the typed in field areas.
31 Aug 09 - Brazil - The Consulates in New York, Los Angeles and Miami have started requiring the visa application be completed online. This leaves only the embassy in Washington DC as the last Brazilian office accepting the old paper application forms. We have updated our instructions to include the link to the online application where appropriate.
26 Aug 09 - Vietnam - There is a new visa application.
10 Aug 09 - France - France has dropped their requirement for US pilots or crew members to have a visa.
30 Jul 09 - Indonesia - An invitation from the contact in Indonesia is now required for a business visa.
16 Jul 09 - Liberia - The embassy has a new visa application form.
13 Jul 09 - Ghana - There is a new visa application form.
02 Jul 09 - Independence Day Holiday - Friday, July 3rd the U.S Passport Offices, most embassies and consulates and Perry International will be closed.
01 Jul 09 - Kenya - The visa application must now be completed online.
17 Jun 09 - Russia - There is a new visa application for US passport holders
10 Jun 09 - China - The Declaration of Countries form is no longer required. This is the form that was added when the outbreak of the H1N1 virus began.
04 Jun 09 - Indonesia - Tourist visas now require a bank statement showing a minimum balance of $2000.
03 Jun 09 - United Kingdom - Due to the extreme increase in complexity of getting a visa for the U.K., we have updated our instructions to include an additional service charge.
03 Jun 09 - Myanmar - The embassy of Myanmar has new visa application forms and is requiring a money order for consular fees.
01 Jun 09 - Accounting Modifications - Perry International has modified its accounting system to charge the estimated deposit amount when work is received. We have seen an increase in credit cards being declined. In many cases we also pay the governments their non-refundable fees at the time of submission of applications. In cases where there are unforeseen additional expenses, there may be a 2nd charge when work is completed.
01 Jun 09 - Passports - The requirement that a passport or other WHTI compliant document be presented for all international travel including travel by land or sea goes into affect today.
19 May 09 - United Kingdom - The Visa4UK website will be down for a system upgrade and essential maintenance for 48hrs from 8:00 GMT May 26th to May 28th. No one will be able to complete the online application, or access any online application during this time. Perry International will still be able to submit completed applications to the consulates on these days.
18 May 09 - Thailand - All visa fees will need to be paid with a postal money order. Our instructions have been updated with details regarding the money orders.
18 May 09 - China - The embassy and consulates have again started issuing visas as fast as needed, when the applicant supplies an itinerary showing that rush processing is needed.
15 May 09 - Pakistan - A letter from a doctor on letterhead, stating that the applicant does not have the H1N1 Flu virus and that they have had a Seasonal Flu vaccine, is now required with visa applications.
14 May 09 - Possible International Travel Delays Due to H1N1 Flu Screening Procedures - Airport staff in some countries may check the health of arriving passengers. Many countries, including Japan and China, are screening arriving passengers for illness due to H1N1 flu. These health screenings are being used to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu. MORE
12 May 09 - Perry International Supports Medical Relief and Training in Africa - Through an innovative philanthropic initiative, Perry International has chosen to donate 5% of each registration at a US embassy to prevent disease in rural Africa. Through this project, vaccinations are provided for mothers and children in rural villages. Training is provided in 24 remote villages to prevent disease, including: AIDS, malaria, hygiene, wound care and more. MORE
04 May 09 - China - The consulates are also now requiring the following Declaration of Countries Visited. MORE
04 May 09 - China - The Chinese consulates have all announced that as of today all visas will take 1 week to process. THEY WILL NOT BE RUSHING ANY APPLICATIONS.
30 Apr 09 - Money Order Fees - Due to the increasing number of countries requiring money orders for consular fees and the cost of obtaining money orders, we will be increasing our charge to obtain money orders to $10 per money order. Clients may always obtain their own money orders if they prefer. We do list on the visa instructions when a money order is required.
22 Apr 09 - Ireland - The visa application must now be completed online, for Non-U.S. passport holders that require a visa.
20 Apr 09 - France - U.S. passport holders can now study in France for up to 90 days without a visa. Previously a visa was required for students for any length of stay.
16 Apr 09 - Cuba - For those interested in the specific details regarding family visits to Cuba, we have added a number of details on our Blog. MORE
16 Apr 09 - Bolivia - The consular fee for tourist visas has been increased to $135. Business visas remain at $85.
15 Apr 09 - Thailand - The Thai Consulate in Chicago has a new visa application.
14 Apr 09 - Russia - Same Day and 24 hour visa processing have been suspended and there are new consular fees for visas.
10 Apr 09 - United Kingdom - The U.K. has updated its visa application fees.
31 Mar 09 - U.S. Passports - News of a few cases in which U.S. passports were inappropriately issued by the Department of State has put U.S. Passport Agencies under increased scrutiny to ensure that passports are issued properly. In addition the June 1st deadline, when a passport will be required for international travel via land or sea, is fast approaching. As a result, passport processing time is increasing. MORE
24 Mar 09 - Ivory Coast - The embassy has started requiring a hotel confirmation or business invitation and proof of yellow fever vaccination with all visa applications.
23 Mar 09 - France - France reinstated border controls on the 20th of March and border checks have been reinstated until the 5th of April due to security measures during the NATO Summit. The only change is that travelers entering from, or departing to, another country applying the Schengen Convention may become subject to a border check. MORE
23 Mar 09 - France - France has reinstated border controls starting the 20th of March until the 5th of April. Border checks will be reinstated due to the security measures during the NATO Summit.
02 Mar 09 - Argentina - The $131 entry fee that was to go into affect in January and then again in March has been postponed again with no specific date of implementation.
02 Mar 09 - Iraq - Foreigners who enter Iraq through the Kurdish north of the country without a visa issued by the authorities in Baghdad may face arrest and legal charges.
26 Feb 09 - Algeria - The embassy has an updated application and is now being very strict about not accepting hand written applications. Applications must be completed on a computer and then printed and signed.
19 Feb 09 - Armenia - There is a new visa application and fees.
16 Feb 09 - Legalizations - We have adjusted our service charges for document legalization to what we believe more accurately reflects the costs of processing the work. We have gone to a rate of $50 per seal for the first document and $30 per seal for each additional document.
12 Feb 09 - Brazil - The consulates in Atlanta and Houston have started requiring the visa application be completed online. They join the consulates in Chicago and San Francisco in this requirement. We expect the remaining 5 consulates to transition to this form over the course of the year.
11 Feb 09 - United Kingdom - The U.K. continues to transition to its new immigration policy. There are a number of steps that are occurring at different times. We have seen a number of clients, going to work in the U.K. for more than 6 months, have difficulty with the new procedures. The process for students is set to change at the end of March. While U.S. citizens staying less than 6 months usually do not need a visa, the entry process into the U.K. has become more complex, also. We recommend clients check our Preparations for Travel to the U.K. to find links regarding entry requirements for various travel purposes. MORE
09 Feb 09 - Liberia and Sierra Leone - Both countries have new visa fees.
01 Feb 09 - Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) - Beginning Feb 15, 2009 U.S. citizens will require a visa.
25 Jan 09 - Vietnam - The Embassy of Vietnam has announced that 1 year multiple entry visas are no longer available. 6 month multiple entry visas are still available.
22 Jan 09 - Kazakhstan - The Kazakh government has changed their visa fees.
22 Jan 09 - Turkey - The Turkish government has raised the fees for visas.
19 Jan 09 - Vietnam - The Vietnamese Embassy will be closed Monday, Jan 26th through Thursday, Jan 29th for the Chinese New Year Holiday.
19 Jan 09 - Chinese New Year Holiday - The Chinese Embassy will be closed Monday, Jan 26th and Tuesday Jan 27th, some consulates may also be closed Wednesday Jan 28th.
16 Jan 09 - Inauguration - Tuesday, Jan 20th most embassies and consulates in Washington DC will be closed. Perry International will be open. Most work being processed in DC will be delayed by a day.
16 Jan 09 - Martin Luther King Holiday - Monday, Jan. 19th the U.S Passport Offices, most embassies and consulates and Perry International will be closed in honor of the holiday.
08 Jan 09 - Zambia - There is a new visa application form and the fees have changed.
18 Dec 08 - Egypt - Effective January 1, 2009 business travelers to Egypt are required to have a visa ahead of time. Only tourists will be able to get visas upon arrival. Perry International recommends getting all visas before departure to prevent unexpected problems.
15 Dec 08 - Russia - The embassy and consulates will be closed from Jan 1st through Jan 10th.
05 Dec 08 - Rwanda - The embassy has a new visa application and fees.
05 Dec 08 - Saudi Arabia - The Saudi Embassy and consulates will be closed Dec 8th - Dec 12th.
04 Dec 08 - Switzerland - On Dec 12th, Switzerland will join 24 European Countries under the Schengen Agreement. This will change their visa regulations. From that date, U.S. Alien Registration Card holders will no longer be exempt from the visa obligation for short stays in Switzerland.
17 Nov 08 - South Korea - A business visa for U.S. citizens is NO longer required, if staying less than 90 days.
03 Nov 08 - Veterans Day Holiday - Tuesday, November 11th the U.S Passport Offices, most embassies and consulates and Perry International will be closed.
30 Oct 08 - Perry International's Founder, David Koehler, passed away today - For those clients that have been working with Perry International over the decades and came to know David, you can contact us if you would like to know the service arrangements. While Tom Collins took over as President of Perry International 10 years ago, David continued to be consulted as the company has continued to grow.
28 Oct 08 - Argentina - Begining Jan 1st, 2009, Argentina will begin charging a reciprocal entry fee for Nationals of countries that charge Argentineans. For U.S. passport holders this is expected to be $134 U.S. dollars. Note that we do include this type of information for each country on the Preparations for travel page for that country MORE
27 Oct 08 - Visa and Passport Presentation - Perry International is sponsoring the November, Rocky Mountain Business Traveler Association event in Golden Colorado. For those Corporate Travel Managers who are not familiar with the regional and national BTAs, they are a great way to meet and learn from your peers in the Travel Industry. MORE
27 Oct 08 - France - When a French Visa is required, the consulates will be requiring a personal appearance beginning Nov 1st. This will not change the requirements determining when a visa is required. It only means that those who need a visa can no longer send their paperwork to a third party to assist. This will mostly impact U.S. pilots because they are required to have a visa.
22 Oct 08 - United Kingdom, Britain - While there has been information that those wishing to visit Britain for up to six months for purposes of business must apply for a new UK business visa and follow strict new rules, neither the embassy nor consulates have been able to confirm if this will affect U.S. Passport holders. We will send out an update as soon as we have confirmation on this new regulation.
09 Oct 08 - Columbus Day Holiday - Monday, October 13th the U.S Passport Offices, most embassies and consulates and Perry International will be closed.
07 Oct 08 - Qatar - There is a new visa application and the consular fee has changed.
30 Sep 08 - Holidays - A number of consulates and embassies will be closed Oct 1st through 3rd. The Chinese consulate is one of them. While we have had a calendar showing holidays for the various offices on our website, we have added a link to this calendar on each instruction page. We hope this link, in addition to the menu button that has been on the web site, will allow more clients to check for holidays before sending in their applications. MORE
19 Sep 08 - China - The consulates have relaxed their visa requirements. Hotel Confirmations and Visa Notices are no longer required.
17 Sep 08 - Web Site - The service we have integrated into our site to determine if someone, other than a U.S. passport holder, requires a visa is having technical difficulties. We are working to get this restored. The information for U.S. passport holders has not been affected. If you need to determine whether a visa is required for another nationality, please call or email us.
12 Sep 08 - Bolivia, Honduras, Venezuela - All 3 countries have expelled the U.S. ambassador, so the U.S. has done the same. We do not yet know how this will affect visas for these countries. However, there may be delays.
05 Sep 08 - Mongolia - Has new visa applications.
05 Sep 08 - Bangladesh - Has raised their fee for visas.
30 Aug 08 - U.S. Global Entry Program - Global Entry is a new program managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection which allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers expedited clearance upon arrival into the United States. Online applications are now available. MORE
25 Aug 08 - Tajikistan - There is a new visa application and fees.
25 Aug 08 - Labor Day Holiday - Monday, September 1st the U.S Passport Offices, most embassies and consulates and Perry International will be closed.
25 Aug 08 - Brazil - The consulate in San Francisco is the 2nd consulate after Chicago to start requiring the visa application be completed online. In addition the rest of the Brazilian Consulates are now requiring applications specific for their city. We have updated our site so that you will receive the correct application when using our visa advisory.
15 Aug 08 - Saudi Arabia - The Saudi Embassy is requiring all invitations follow the format shown in the sample invitation MORE
31 Jul 08 - Electronic System for Travel Authorization - Anyone that works with clients coming to the U.S will want to learn about the enhanced security requirements international travelers who are seeking to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program are now subject to. MORE
30 Jul 08 - India - For a business visa, a letter of invitation from the sponsoring organization in India is now required. Please see our Indian Visa Instructions for all of the details that must be in that invitation and the company letter from the US company. MORE
28 Jul 08 - Nepal - Has raised their visa fees.
28 Jul 08 - China - We have been advised by the Chinese Consulates that applicants can get a business visa, if they include in their company letter information that they tried to receive the visa notice and were turned down. It should include the details of what office denied issuing the visa notice.
24 Jul 08 - U.S. Passport Card - For those interested in the U.S. Passport Card, here is an update from the State Department MORE
24 Jul 08 - CHINA - We have been receiving information that China has stopped issuing visa notices in China. We do not have full details. This will GREATLY impact the ability to get a business or student visa.
23 Jul 08 - Syria - Has raised their fee for visas for U.S. citizens.
17 Jul 08 - Brazil - INCOMPLETE FORMS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. EVERY FIELD MUST BE FILLED IN. We recommend printing and including a copy of each page of the form as it is completed. This is the only way we can double check the application before submission. If we do not have a copy of each page and the application is not accepted there will be an additional $10 charge for each resubmission attempt.
16 Jul 08 - Thailand - The embassy in Washington DC has begun requiring a copy of an invitation from a contact in Thailand for business visas.
08 Jul 08 - Bangladesh - There is a new visa application.
08 Jul 08 - Website - We have modified our website to better accommodate those countries requiring online applications and to offer our clients customized order forms.
02 Jul 08 - Service Charges - We will be increasing our service charges for visas and legalizations by $5, on Monday Jul 14th.
