We determined that we required visas for China, India, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Russia and Romania (all at an extra cost), plus would be required to get a Visitors Pass when we enter Chile ($59usd). To obtain the relevant info Bec downloaded application forms from the web, and I rang the embassies to clarify the requirements and embassy opening hours. You may be thinking that we have left it a bit late to be organising visas, but the timing is important as validity from date of issue is as short as 3 months (China) and only as long as 6 months (the others).
For each we needed to have 1-2 passport photos, the application form, passports, some required itineraries and all required payment $40-80 aus. Each would also take between 3-5 working days to process. For Egypt, Bec will have to send her application (with passport) to Sydney for processing because she doesn't live in Canberra. So we thought this one would be best left to last.
Our first attempt - We decided on China first because we had several tasks to do during the day and the opening hours according to the phone was 9-12.30, and 2-4 pm, giving us a bit of flexibility.
9.45 am: Obtained a multitude of passport photos. This took a little longer than expected since they had to dry before we could take them with us.
10.00 am: At Government shopfront (where you get driver's licences etc) waiting in line to find out about International Driving Licences (IDL).
10.20 am: Get to counter and told these are obtained from NRMA... of course... silly us... an insurance company should have been our first guess.
10.30 - 11.30am: I went to physiotherapy and Bec picked up the now dry passport photos (the good ones are those that you expect to see numbers below).
12.00 midday: Bec tried to get a youth card from Student Travel Centre but their machine was broken. Weren't too phased and decided to try a different shopping centre close to the embassy.
12.30 -1.00pm: Found NRMA after confusing shopping centre map. Getting IDLs was a very easy process (of course one still waits in line several minutes).
1.00pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Armed with the necessities we arrive at the China embassy only to be told that, counter to phone message, they are not open in the afternoons. Hmmmmmmm. Plan B... Zimbabwe (9-5pm).
2.30pm: Bec applies for the youth card, it will take about 5 days as this travel firm (STA travel) did not do them on the spot.
3.00pm: On route to Zim Embassy via railway station (had to get my Mum a ticket back home - 30 mins waiting in line).
3.45 pm: Finally at embassy. All going well until we go to pay... CASH ONLY! So we go off to find an ATM.
4.15 pm: Pay for the visa via person#1, wait for person#2 to write the receipt and person#3 to photocopy receipt. Hopefully this visa will be ready by next week so we can then get the next one.
4.30 pm: On our way home feeling very tired.
NOTES TO SELF: 1. Always have an alternative plan. 2. Read forms carefully (and don't believe phone messages). 3. Expect things to take twice as long as you expect. 4. The week after New Year - it may be quiet, but many places are under staffed and so lines get very long.
Judy
For each we needed to have 1-2 passport photos, the application form, passports, some required itineraries and all required payment $40-80 aus. Each would also take between 3-5 working days to process. For Egypt, Bec will have to send her application (with passport) to Sydney for processing because she doesn't live in Canberra. So we thought this one would be best left to last.
Our first attempt - We decided on China first because we had several tasks to do during the day and the opening hours according to the phone was 9-12.30, and 2-4 pm, giving us a bit of flexibility.
9.45 am: Obtained a multitude of passport photos. This took a little longer than expected since they had to dry before we could take them with us.
10.00 am: At Government shopfront (where you get driver's licences etc) waiting in line to find out about International Driving Licences (IDL).
10.20 am: Get to counter and told these are obtained from NRMA... of course... silly us... an insurance company should have been our first guess.
10.30 - 11.30am: I went to physiotherapy and Bec picked up the now dry passport photos (the good ones are those that you expect to see numbers below).
12.00 midday: Bec tried to get a youth card from Student Travel Centre but their machine was broken. Weren't too phased and decided to try a different shopping centre close to the embassy.
12.30 -1.00pm: Found NRMA after confusing shopping centre map. Getting IDLs was a very easy process (of course one still waits in line several minutes).
1.00pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Armed with the necessities we arrive at the China embassy only to be told that, counter to phone message, they are not open in the afternoons. Hmmmmmmm. Plan B... Zimbabwe (9-5pm).
2.30pm: Bec applies for the youth card, it will take about 5 days as this travel firm (STA travel) did not do them on the spot.
3.00pm: On route to Zim Embassy via railway station (had to get my Mum a ticket back home - 30 mins waiting in line).
3.45 pm: Finally at embassy. All going well until we go to pay... CASH ONLY! So we go off to find an ATM.
4.15 pm: Pay for the visa via person#1, wait for person#2 to write the receipt and person#3 to photocopy receipt. Hopefully this visa will be ready by next week so we can then get the next one.
4.30 pm: On our way home feeling very tired.
NOTES TO SELF: 1. Always have an alternative plan. 2. Read forms carefully (and don't believe phone messages). 3. Expect things to take twice as long as you expect. 4. The week after New Year - it may be quiet, but many places are under staffed and so lines get very long.
Judy
