Dan's Adventure

Several of the countries that I will be visiting require me to have a visa for entry. Unfortunately I can’t get them all before I leave and have to pick some up on the way. This is because the period that they are valid for will have elapsed by the time I reach those countries. I can’t apply for any of the visas yet for this same reason, but I have identified which ones I need to get before I leave and when to apply for them:

• Kenya: Valid for 3 months so apply in the middle of May. Costs £30.
• Tanzania: Valid for 3 months so apply at the end of May. Costs £38.
• Zambia: Valid for 3 months so apply in June. Costs £75.
• India: Valid for 6 months so apply in April. Costs £46 including postage.
• Vietnam: Valid for 6 months so apply in June. Costs £51 including postage.
• Australia: eVisitor is valid for 12 months and is free so apply in April.
• USA: ESTA needs to be completed before departing, valid for 2 years.

All of these can be applied for by post which is a bit of a relief as the processing time for each varies between 3 and 10 days, so they may have required several trips to London if postal applications weren’t possible.

For China I need to visit Hong Kong to get my visa and for Laos I will need to pick one up in Cambodia in Phnom Penh because the border crossing that I am planning to use does not issue visas on arrival. I will get a visa for Cambodia at the border with Vietnam and for Thailand I will get a visa exemption at the border. For everywhere else I won’t require a visa.