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200 isn't really a "drop in the bucket". Especially for a piece of paper, and not for Russia or Azerbaijan. Although i would be open to visit any country.
And regardless of that, I would only be willing to pay so much for a visa, because anything else would be a rip-off. Something I don't like and don't think many countries can afford to do,.if they want tourism.
I never used to, but now I would, considering how many countries are charging retaliatory (they call them reciprocity) fees, now over $150 for quite a few countries. Americans are the main victims. Several South American countries now just stamp in Canadians at the border, no charge, but require Americans to have a visa from the consulate, single entry, 30 days, $150, because that's how much the US charges them to get a visa.
America rips them off, they payback. Bottom feeders, as usual, pay the trickle-down penalty.
There are only six countries on that list that I've never been to, and I doubt if I've ever paid more than five bucks for a visa anywhere. My wife and I traveled for 7 months through 30 countries in Africa, and our whole trip cost less that what the visa fees alone would be now.
It would be a minor annoyance for the kind of traveler who flies in, stays in a 5-star hotel in a resort area, and flies out. That would be a trip costing several thousand dollars, and the single-country visa fee would be less than the gratuities in the hotel dining room.
But it could spell the end of casual overland travel by backpackers, who would have to spend a thousand dollars on visas just to ride chicken buses through South America, where it is still possible to travel on $20 a day.
As I alluded to in my earlier post, I once traveled overland from Gabon to Liberia. The trip went through nine countries, which today would eat up well over a thousand dollars in visa fees. Which would cost as much as the round trip plane fare to Africa.
It is important to stress that in many cases, those fees are charged ONLY to punish Americans for their sins, with other nationalities getting visas either free or for a minor nuisance fee.
It's not the fee necessarily, it's the time, pain, and paperwork. Most of my visa's are paid by my company but this is an example of what's needed for my China business visa...and I have to do this every year:
Fill out the China application
Fill out separate visa service application
Get two passport photos
Get signed letter from company in China saying what I will be there for
Get signed letter from my company saying what I will be there for
Provide proof of residency
Provide passport, which has to have open space and be valid for a period of time beyond application date
all forms have to be done exactly in according to a certain format (i.e. China application must be typed and in Capital letters, invitation letter must be on company letterhead and must include certain info).
Then you have to take it to the Chinese Embassy, the closest of which is about 300 miles away (we use a visa service however, which means fedexing everything back and forth). My China visa costs my company close to $500 and takes at least two weeks. Process is similar with my visas to Brazil and India.
There are some visas...tourist visas...you can get at the countries airport for some countries. Pffffftt, I would pay extra for that privledge of avoiding all the hassle.
it is probably 20% of the hassle the Chinese need to go through in order to get a US visa.
I never used to, but now I would, considering how many countries are charging retaliatory (they call them reciprocity) fees, now over $150 for quite a few countries. Americans are the main victims. Several South American countries now just stamp in Canadians at the border, no charge, but require Americans to have a visa from the consulate, single entry, 30 days, $150, because that's how much the US charges them to get a visa.
America rips them off, they payback. Bottom feeders, as usual, pay the trickle-down penalty..
But it is fair, isn't it?
You can't demand a $150 visa to foreigners yet expect visa-free privilege in return, just because you are American. (some countries do though) In fact, they should charge visa fees based on PPP. For example, $150 for a Chinese is probably equivalent to $500 for an American.
It is the American government's fault, not those countries.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
There are only six countries on that list that I've never been to, and I doubt if I've ever paid more than five bucks for a visa anywhere. My wife and I traveled for 7 months through 30 countries in Africa, and our whole trip cost less that what the visa fees alone would be now.
It is possible. Some of the visa fees only apply when you go through their major usually capital international airport. For example, we drove into Chile and Argentina, so all the visa charges are waived.
If the cost of a visa is a real concern to you, you can't afford the trip.
My thoughts exactly
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