Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. Foreign governments often require you to get a visa before they let you enter and laws, regulations and travel conditions are constantly changing. The experienced travel agents at Pulse Travel help you navigate the confusion and avoid costly, easy to make mistakes when organising Visas and travel documentation.

Types of visas

• transit visas, if you’re just passing through
• visitor or short stay visas, usually for tourism, business, study or volunteering
• long stay or immigrant visas, if you’re going overseas to live or work

Within each type, there are usually many variations. The specific visa you need often depends on the nationalities you hold and the activities you plan to do there.

For example, a country may have a general tourist that covers most short-term visitors there to see the sights. They may also have a series of tourist visas for specific activities. This could include yoga, Hajj, medical tourism or working holidays.

To find out which visa you need, ask an authority from your destination. Contact their embassy or consulate in Australia.

How to get a visa

Each country determines their own process for visa applications and approvals.

• Check the travel advisories for all destinations you’ll be travelling to or through. Some provide basic visa information.
• Visit the websites for your destinations’ embassies or consulates in Australia. They usually detail the process for Australian visitors.
• Some foreign embassies and consulates in Australia will direct you to an official immigration website. Others may refer to to an authorised commercial service.

Read and understand all conditions on your visa. If you get the wrong visa, or breach your conditions, you’re breaking the local law. You could be arrested or jailed overseas.

Source: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/before-you-go/the-basics/visas

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While most Australians travel safely overseas, some find themselves in trouble. Each year Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade handles over 20,000 cases involving Australians in difficulty overseas. In cases where the victims are not covered by travel insurance, such personal tragedies can be further compounded by a long-term financial burden. Hospitalisation, medical evacuations, or even the return of the deceased’s remains to Australia, can be very expensive. Suresave is a leading provider of travel insurance to Australians and prides themselves on the ability to provide quality travel insurance cover. Their travel insurance plans include overseas medical and dental cover, comprehensive luggage cover and our world-class 24-hour emergency assistance.