Numbers of documents are required along with your passport when planning to travel to a foreign country. Many countries need you to file for a visa in order to get the requisite permission to enter their country, while there are some that don’t require it for the citizens of particular nations to gain entry. It is very important that you do a bit of research when you need to travel abroad in order to determine whether the country you are traveling to require you to file for a travel visa.

If the travel visa is mandatory for the country you are visiting, you need to get the visa forms and submit it after entering all the information required along with the support documents and fees. The whole process of determining if the visa is needed and filing for it may sound like a complicated task, but it is not really that difficult. Below are some easy steps that will help you to file for a travel visa without any problems.

Step 1

The first thing you need to do is to contact the immigration department of the visiting country at their embassy or consulate located in your country to determine if you need a visa. Most of the embassies are located in capital of the country you are residing with their consulate offices spread across. Simply contact them over the phone and inquire about the visa requirements.

Step 2

If they need you to file for a travel visa, request them to mail you an application. Alternatively, you can visit their website and download the required visa application from there.

Step 3

After you get the visa form, enter the required information. Clearly state your purpose of the visit and estimated time period of your stay in the appropriate fields. Always enter the genuine information that is true to the best of your knowledge.

Step 4

Make a photocopy of the visa form and keep it at a safe place for your records.

Step 5

Attach the supporting documents, photos and fees required to the original visa application and submit it to the consulate by mail or in person. Most consulates now accept visa applications online. Check the requirements for submitting travel visa applications online by visiting their respective websites. Never attach any fake documents like the copy of inflated income tax return. If you do, not only your application will be declined, but you will also be put on a “blacklist” eliminating any chances of getting the visa in the future. In addition, send your application early keeping in mind your travel plans, as the processing can take anywhere from few days to over a month.

After your visa application is approved, you will be issued the required visa. Keep it along with your passport, as it will be checked by immigration authorities when traveling.

You can also hire the services of registered travel agents to the make the whole process easier.  However, beware of the touts and frauds that promise to get you guaranteed approval for some extra money. Remember, no one can guarantee that you will get it approved, as getting a visa solely depends on whether you fulfill the required criteria and the discretion of the consulate officer.

A visa may be denied for a number of reasons, some of which being that the applicant:

has committed fraud or misrepresentation in his or her application
has a criminal record or has criminal charges pending
is considered to be a security risk
cannot prove to have strong ties to their current country of residence
intends to reside or work permanently in the country she/he will visit if not applying for an immigrant or work visa respectively
does not have a legitimate reason for the journey
has no visible means of sustenance
does not have travel arrangements (i.e. transport and lodging) in the destination country
does not have a health/travel insurance valid for the destination and the duration of stay
does not have a good moral character
is applying on excessively short notice
had their previous visa application(s) rejected and cannot prove that the reasons for the previous denials no longer exist or are not applicable anymore
is a citizen of a country with whom the host country has poor or non-existent relations
has a communicable disease, such as tuberculosis
has previous visa/immigration violations
has a passport that expires too soon
didn’t use a previously issued visa at all without a valid reason (e.g. a trip cancellation due to a family emergency)
fails to demonstrate intent to return (for non-immigrants)