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Visa advice can be an extra string to an agent’s bow, particularly when booking more independent travel. Dave Richardson asks visa procurement specialists for tips
he big two countries requiring visas for all travellers are India and China, with Russia also in
demand for holiday and business travel. And with people travelling to ever more weird and wonderful destinations, both independently and on a package or escorted tour, savvy agents should keep abreast of visa requirements, which are subject to change. Only since January 1, 2012, for example, have visas been required for travel to Sri Lanka. Business travellers have a greater need for visas as they go off the beaten track more regularly – to places such as Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Angola – and you may need a visa when travelling on business but not on your own holiday. Travel Management Companies often have their own systems in place to flag up visa requirements. Tour operators can also help, with some large operators – including Kuoni – having their
own visa service. But if it’s your responsibility to arrange visas for clients then the best route is to use a visa procurement specialist.
Abta partners There are many to choose from. Six have been appointed as Abta Travel Industry Partners, these being Action Visas, Ross Consular Services, The Travel Visa Company, The Visa Butler, TLCS and Visa Supermarket. TLCS and VisaCentral are subsidiaries
of CIBT, a large multi-national with nine offices worldwide issuing nearly one million visas a year. CIBT’s UK director of business development, Shawn Hefner, says it has long-established
relationships with the travel industry. “A lot of leisure agents see visas as something extra they can do for customers to build up loyalty and they absorb the fees,” he explains. “But they may go months without having to deal with a visa, as many operators put customers in touch with us. “Tour operators are careful to ensure people know about visa requirements, as this is part of their duty of care.”
Bad form Visa requirements can be a minefield, especially if non-UK nationals are involved, but specialists such as CIBT have easy-to-use online systems telling you exactly what is required. “The main change in recent years is that many countries require applications to be made online and then printed out and sent with passports and photographs. Some older travellers may have a problem with this,” says Hefner. The Travel Visa Company pays a £5 referral fee to agents, and prides itself on personal service
with no premium rate phone lines, and offices open six days a week. Business account manager Jonathan Hill says: “When you apply direct to an embassy,
Visa costs
Prices for single entry tourist visas as quoted by VisaSwift
India: £32, plus processing centre fee of £8.50 (£25 for next day processing) and handling fee £71 China: £30, plus processing centre fee of £30 (four-day service) or £40 (three-day service) and handling fee £47 Russia: £50, plus processing centre fee of £22 (six-day service) or £28 (next day service) and handling fee £78 ■
visaswift.com
the pitfalls are often to do with the form filling. Many of the forms are long and relatively complicated, but we will guide our clients through the form filling process and complete any online administration that is required. “Visiting an embassy is rarely an
enjoyable experience. Clients can find themselves queuing for hours without any real guidance that their documents are correct.” Personal contact can be important when handling visa applications for some countries. Business travel specialist ATP International handles visas in-house, and is used by some members of Advantage. Simon Rawlins, operations manager
of ATP’s passport and visa department, says: “It is critical we receive regular feedback from embassies on any changes that they may make. We also proactively ask our various representatives to check for changes, so we can distribute this information via our Visa Bulletin system.” Travel Counsellor Andy Fouracre, a business travel specialist, says agents should always use a visa specialist if asked to get involved in an application. “Travel Counsellors has a system
VisaSwift charges £107 for a China visa (four-day service) 48 01.03.2012
linked to a visa procurement company, but you need some knowledge of what’s required in the first place. I have picked up two bits of business recently because I can handle visas, and I normally charge £20-£25.”
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