Visa Information
Australia Visa
If you plan on heading south of the equator to the lovely kangaroo-stewn land of Australia any time soon, then you are going to need to make some travel arrangements beforehand. It is important to know that the timescale of your visit doesn’t matter; whether you are going for a few days or a few years, you’ll still need to get yourself a visa. The good thing is that it’s relatively easy to do.
There are two categories of visas, depending on the length of your visit, and you can apply for both of them online.
Short Stay Business or Tourist ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) – This type of visa lasts for one year, for trips amounting to no more than 3 months.
With a tourist ETA you won’t be allowed to do anything besides voluntary work while those with a short-term business ETA will only be allowed work in particularly specialist fields and only for a short number of weeks.
Long Stay Business ETA – This visa lasts for up to 10 years and is valid for multiple journeys of no more than three months.
Click here for contact forms for the Australia Visa Bureau, and to apply for a visa online.
China Visa
If you are going to China in the near future you’ll more than likely need to get yourself a visa. The availability of these visas varies depending on your nationality and the reason for your visit.
Some of the visas you might apply for include:
L or Tourist Visa – This is the most popular visa choice for visitors to China. For a tourist visa there is no supporting documentation needed and the duration covered can range from 30 days to 120 days.
X or Student Visa – These can be obtained through your nearest Chinese embassy and students will need to provide proof that they are enrolled at a Chinese university to get approved. Once the visa has been acquired you have three months to enter the country.
Z or Working Visa – You can only apply for this visa when you already have work waiting for you in China. Once again the embassy will need proof of this job offer and an invitation letter from your future employer will be required before the Chinese government will approve the visa.
USA Visa
If you are planning a trip to the USA you will need to apply for an ESTA – Electronic System for Travel Authorization (which is essentially an electronic visa). This scheme was put into place in 2009 as part of the new Visa Waiver Program and allows visitors to enter the country multiple times over a two-year period.
You shouldn’t worry too much about it though, the information they are asking for to enter the country is no different than what was sought on previous applications and in most cases it is approved instantly.
Visitors to the United States don’t need to know their exact date of travel or even their destination before they apply, however, they do need to have their ESTA approved BEFORE they attempt to travel to the country.
Click here for more information on ESTA approval and applications.
