When my wife and I passed from Puno, Peru (on Lake Titicaca), to Bolivia in a tour bus on May 7, 2015, we learned that group members each could get a single-entry, 30-day visa at the border for $55 cash. (They accept only very new US currency with no wrinkles or tears.)
On May 6, Jordan announced that it has waived visa fees for most visitors arriving at the airport.
To qualify for the fee waiver, a visitor must either be entering Jordan through a Jordanian tour operator and spending two consecutive nights in Jordan or, if arriving without booking a trip with a tour operator, must be spending at least three consecutive nights in Jordan.
At land border crossings, Jordan has reduced the fee from JOD40 (near $56) to JOD10 for any visitor who will be spending at least three consecutive nights in Jordan.
I read the item “Myanmar eVisas” about applying for the visas online at http://evisa.moip.gov.mm (Jan. ’15, pg. 4).
Using a different website, I applied for an online visa in early October 2014, with plans to visit Myanmar Nov. 11-14. I followed the instructions given on the website, included a photo and gave my credit card info to pay the $50 fee.
In late March, the US Department of State announced that, as of Dec. 31, 2015, it no longer will add additional pages to existing passports. Instead, travelers who need more blank pages will have to renew their passports. (No other country allows visa pages to be added to passports.)
Preparing to fly back to the US from our second trip to Japan in 2014, my husband, Clyde, and I were at Narita International Airport on Dec. 16. While waiting for the United Airlines check-in counter to open, we saw a new rule posted above each of United’s couple dozen check-in stations: all checked luggage had to be left unlocked, even bags with TSA locks.
This caused us much concern until we spoke to an agent at the check-in desk and learned of an easy solution.
China now allows 72-hour visa-free stays in an ever-increasing number of cities: Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Guangzhou, Guilin, Hangzhou, Kunming, Shanghai, Shenyang and Xi’an. My husband, John, and I made use of this to visit Shanghai.
Think of this visa as an extended-time transit visa.
On March 15, 2015, I had just competed back-to-back group tours and was continuing traveling on my own, scheduled for a 5-day adventure at Angel Falls. (I fly a lot in premium class, and putting many trips together saves airfare.)
At the international airport in Lima, Peru, I was preparing to board an Avianca flight to Bogotá, Colombia, and on to Caracas, Venezuela, when two men at Avianca’s check-in counter told me that Venezuela had become restrictive on visas and recommended that I not try to go there, since I did not have a visa.
In January I picked up my new 10-year China visa, which has unlimited-entry privileges. It is my understanding that all 10-year visas allow multiple entries into China*.
Incidentally, my new visa was procured through Lisa O’Brian at Universal Passports & Visas (Dallas, TX; 800/831-2098, www.universalpassportsandvisas.com).
I have used them before, for a visa for India, and got very efficient and fast service. The cost of my China visa included a fee of $140 plus $50 to Universal for a total of $190.
DAVID WILLIAMS
To begin 10 weeks of travel in sub-Saharan Africa, my wife, Carolyn, and I wanted a place to stay near Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport. After seeing a subscriber’s recommendation in ITN (Aug. ’13, pg. 15), we chose Sunrock Guest House (11 Park Street, Kempton Park, Johannesburg, South Africa; phone +27 11 394 3772, www.sunrock.co.za). I recommend the Sunrock. While the surroundings are not great, it’s a wonderful place.
