International Visa Restrictions

[gotlost]

From TV

International Visa Restrictions

The Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index

The Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index is a global ranking of countries according to travel freedom their citizens enjoy. Henley & Partners has analyzed the visa regulations of all the countries and territories in the world. It has created an index which ranks countries according to the visa-free access its citizens enjoy to other countries. This is the first time that a global ranking shows the international travel freedom of the citizens of the various countries as well as the international relations and status of individual countries relative to others.

In today's globalized world, visa restrictions play an important role in controlling the movement of foreign nationals across borders. Almost all countries now require visas from certain non-nationals who wish to enter their territory. Visa requirements are also an expression of the relationships between individual nations, and generally reflect the relations and status of a country within the international community of nations.

Read more: https://www.henleygl...a-restrictions/

 

[Moderator3]

New regional visas will make life easier for travellers

New regional visas will make life easier for travellers

Plans for unified visa schemes spell good news for expats and business travellers across the globe

Rush hour in the countryside near Vang Vieng, Laos: New immigration proposals could make cross-border travel easier in the region









By Justin Harper

9:54AM BST 04 Oct 2013
Follow

Comment


Four regional economic areas have announced plans to create unified visa regimes covering parts of south-east Asia, east Africa, southern Africa and the Middle East.

The five countries of the Mekong River Delta have begun talks to create a common tourist visa. This would allow seamless travel between Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma (now officially known as Myanmar). These countries already enjoy healthy tourist numbers individually.

The leaders of five East African Community nations also agreed to the creation of a unified tourist visa at a summit in Kenya recently. The participating countries are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda.

Meanwhile, the 15 countries of the Southern African Development Community have recommitted themselves to earlier plans for a unified visa. The member nations include Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The motivation among member countries is to boost tourism, business, shopping, travel and economic activities.



In the Middle East, the six member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) may introduce a unified visa as early as 2014. Participating countries include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In all cases, the plans are likely to encounter bureaucratic obstacles, and it may take years before the proposed unified visas are implemented.
For the GCC, it is hoped a single-entry visa should be valid for one month while multiple-entry visas could be issued for one year. With GCC visas, the traveller must also prove they have sufficient financial resources. Gulf nationals can already travel to any of the GCC countries without visas by presenting an identity card, but most foreigners must apply for visas ahead of their travel.
Larger economic zones could eventually be created across entire continents, following the Schengen system in Europe. The Schengen scheme allows business people and tourists in 26 European countries to move freely under just one visa.
Mark Dent, a British expat living in Saudi Arabia, said: "This will make things a whole lot easier, especially for those who have to travel around the region as part of their job."