J'ai le projet d'aller passer un moment en Biélorussie après un séjour d'un mois en Russie. Il semble y avoir plusieurs trains qui effectuent le trajet Moscou-Minsk, mais je me suis déjà laissé dire que les étrangers devaient se méfier de la frontière entre les deux pays dans le mesure où on n'aurait pas l'habitude d'y vérifier adéquatement les passeports. C'est-à-dire qu'il semblerait qu'à cette frontière, certains douaniers omettraient parfois d'apposer le tampon d'arrivée dans les passeports, ce qui est un problème majeur au moment de l'enregistrement qui doit suivre l'arrivée au pays.
Est-ce que l'un d'entre vous a déjà entendu parler de ce problème? Est-ce un problème réel ou seulement une rumeur?
j'ai un cas +/- en rapport avec ta question. j'ai un pote qui a eu un peu ce genre de mésaventure, cela est arrivé en juillet 2006, nous étions à st petersburg, et il devait rentrer à odessa en ukraine, en achetant son billet pour le trajet, personne n'a mentionné le fait que le train passé par la biélorussie. au petit matin une personne lui dit dans le train, les paysages sont sympas en biélorussie !!!! pardon vous avez dit biélorussie, il n'y avait eu aucun contrôle entre la russie et la biélorussie, donc il n'était officilement jamais sortie de russie et jamais entré un biélorussie. bien sur il y a eu un contrôle avant l'entrée en ukraine, résultat il a du descendre du train, il a eu 3 jours se régulariser, mais pour cela tu dois aller à minsk pour prendre ton visa et payer ton amende, je rentre pas dans les details mais je te laisse imaginer la merde que cela peut etre quand tu te retrouves tout seul comme un con à la frontiere entre la biélorussie et l'ukraine livré à toi même. heureusement sur minsk, il a trouvé de l'aide dans une agence de voyage, une charmante personne parlant le francais l'a aidé à se rendre dans les divers endroits pour se mettre en conformité....etc...etc.... bref je baratine beaucoup tout ca pour dire que oui il faut faire gaffe, et je pense que en montant dans le wagon il vaut mieux se signaler au provotnik (c'est l'employé de la SNCF locale, il y en a 1 par wagon), mais bon pour cela il vaut mieux connaitre 2 ou 3 mots de russe.
maintenant si tu prends un train qui va directement de russie à minsk, et qu'il y a un contrôle de douane en régle, à mon sens pas de probléme, penses juste à vérifier qu'il y a un coup de tampon sur ton passeport. passes de bonnes vacances
Je ne suis pas certaine que mentionner ma présence au provotnik ferait vraiment une différence; du moins, je ne courrai pas la chance d'être prise dans des problèmes administratifs en entrant par les pays baltes.
Merci encore pour ces indications, sans toi j'aurais sans doute pris le risque d'y aller quand même.
pour répondre à ton message, je pense que si tu arrives des pays baltes, il n'y aura pas de probléme dans le sens ou il y aura un contrôle à la frontiére, dans ce cas il suffit juste d'être attentif à avoir un coup de tampon sur son passeport. à mon avis le probléme se pose plus quand tu arrives de russie en biélorussie, les liens entre les deux pays étant assez étroits, il arrive que les trains passent la frontiére sans faire d'arrêt. si tu veux vraiment aller en biélorussie, il faut que tu y ailles, je ne connais pas personnellement le pays, mais je pense que comme ne russie et en ukraine, qu'il y a moyen de faire nombre de rencontre bien sympathique, malgré la barriére de la langue....
effectivement, il n'y a pas de contrôle systématique à la frontière, le train ne s'arrête même pas. J'étais au Bélarus avec ma femme (qui est biélorusse) et nous sommes allés quelques jours à St Petersbourg par le train. Mon visa russe n'a pas été tamponné, ni à l'aller, ni au retour, ce qui m'aurait sans doute causé des problèmes si j'avais eu à faire aux autorités à St Petersbourg. A l'hôtel on ne nous a rien demandé, d'autant que c'est ma femme qui s'adressait au guichet et personne ne s'est aperçu que je n'était pas russe (ma femme s'est aussi fait passée pour une russe, mais c'était plus facile...).
Bonjour, je me permets de vous poser une question: peux-t'on passer de russie à la bielorussie sans passeport russe mais uniquement avec la carte d'identité russe?
d'avance merci pour vos réponses.
bonjour je suis étudiante en commerce internationale et je suis chargée d'une étude de marché le chocolat en Biélorussie par conséquent j'aurais souhaité savoir si vous disposez d'infos a ce sujet que ce soit le prix estimé la bas ou la consommation des biélorusses ou meme si il y a possibilté d'importer merci beaucoup!
Visiblement la première précaution à prendre est de regarder une carte avant de monter dans le train !
Sinon pour ceux qui connaissent leur parcours, on peut bien les passer ces frontières, avoir ses visas à l'avance, se présenter gentiment à la provodnitsa qui contrôle de toute façon l'entrée de tous les wagons des trains longue distance, attrapper les douaniers ou conrôteurs quand ils montent dans le train, et descendre du train quand celui-ci s'arrête à la douane pour aller faire tamponner le passeport, si nécéssaire. En thérie le provonitsa demande de voir les visas des pays traversés mais sinon il faut lui demander si des douaniers montent dans le train.
(si on parle pas russe: "at kuda" + geste fort "je tamponne mon passeport" en disant :"visa"). Ca suffit.
"scratch a Russian and you will find a Tartar", proverbe russe, cité par peter Hopkirk, in "The Great Game"
pas de probleme et surtout pas de douaniers a la frontiere si on la passe en train. Tu passes de russie en bielorussie et vice et versa sans etre inquiete: De nuit entre Gomel et Saint Petersbourg de nuit aucun autre controle que le bilet de train. Mais il vaut mieux avoir un visa pour la bielorussie et la russie c ets plus secure
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Hi everyone,
I’ll explain my situation.
Unfortunately, I lost my passport, and I only realized it two weeks before my departure for a humanitarian mission in Libya. I’m a nurse, and this mission really means a lot to me.
First, I applied for an emergency passport, but it was denied by the Val-d'Oise prefecture on the grounds that a planned humanitarian mission wasn’t considered an urgent reason.
So, I submitted a biometric passport application on July 20th. Since then, the tracking has been stuck, and the town hall can’t (or won’t) give me any clear information. Every time I call, I get a different story. The last update I received was that the passport had been produced since July 23rd with a status of "about to be shipped," but nothing since then.
I’ve managed to push my departure back to next Tuesday at the latest, but I’m starting to really panic.
Have any of you submitted an application around July 20th, especially in Val-d'Oise (95)? How long did you wait between the passport being produced and it being available at the town hall? Is it normal for this step to take this long?
This mission means so much to me. I had everything organized, and I’m also supposed to attend a friend’s wedding right after near the border.
Thanks so much to those who take the time to respond or share their experience. 😔
Can anyone tell me exactly if a passport "valid for the duration of the stay" is enough, or does it need to be valid for 6 months after the trip?
I checked the embassy’s website, but that info is missing.
Hi there,
I’ll be arriving in Seoul on November 18th after spending about a month in India.
Do you know if I’ll need to fill out any additional documents besides the e-arrival card?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hi everyone,
I have to leave for Perth, Australia in a week, for 7 days, and I couldn’t get my international driver’s permit due to processing and delivery delays.
The information I’ve found about whether an international permit is required is contradictory. Some sources say you need one, others say you don’t.
Could anyone let me know if an international driver’s permit is necessary to rent a car in Australia (Perth), or if a French license is enough for a 7-day rental?
I’m a bit embarrassed because I need to travel to Quebec from February 27th to March 13th. I’m a regular visitor to Canada—this will be my 10th trip since 1997, plus a year as a permanent resident (2000–2001) and a cross-country run from Vancouver to Halifax in 2011. So, I’m definitely not a terrorist!
But since our last trip in July 2015, they’ve introduced this eTA thing. Seems more like a way to make money than to actually secure Canada, if you ask me, but anyway, that’s not the point.
I applied for an eTA for myself, my wife, and our two kids. They all got approved within hours, but not me! I was asked to create a GC key and then an IRCC account, which I did. Normally, you get news within 72 hours, but since Monday, January 15th, nothing!
In the "message" section of the account, it says "explanation letter (required)" with a deadline of January 25th, but I can’t find any explanation anywhere—despite searching the Canadian government website and Google. No links, nothing!
I’ve emailed them but haven’t heard back yet. I’m thinking of calling the Canadian embassy in Paris tomorrow. Even though I’m not stressing yet, it’d be a bummer if everyone else got to go without me!
If anyone’s had this issue before or knows what this explanation letter is about, I’d love to hear more.
hi there
I’m heading to Seoul in September, and to do that I need to get a travel authorization that we apply for through K-ETA....... turns out I can (barely, I admit) fill out the form up to the address of our "stay location," but every address I’ve entered has been rejected by the system. I’ve tried my hotel, the Lotte Hotel (which is well-known in Seoul), the airport—basically, I’ve entered at least 20 addresses, all rejected....
So, to anyone who’s successfully gotten the authorization, could you tell me which address you used to get that "elusive" approval?...
Question for those who’ve done it:
In theory (French national), I’m visa-exempt for a 30-day tourist stay, but on France Diplomatie it says on this page
Hi there,
I know there are similar topics here and elsewhere, but they’re a few years old, and I need an up-to-date answer to make sure I don’t throw over 1000 € out the window. Thanks for your patience.
I’m planning a trip from France to Alberta/British Columbia, and I’m unsure about which bank card to use for the security deposit with the rental company (I’m thinking of going with AVIS).
I contacted Avis Canada, and they told me a credit card is absolutely required. I asked my bank for a credit card (a *real* credit card), but they only offered me a deferred debit card.
My question: For a rental with Avis Canada, is a Gold International Mastercard deferred debit card usable for the security deposit needed to finalize the rental? Is the "CREDIT" label enough? (Some cards say "CREDIT" and others say "CARTE DE CREDIT"—seems minor, but it’s actually a big deal in how the card works.)
I’ve seen conflicting info everywhere I look... My bank says it’s *usually* okay (the deferred debit card), while Avis Canada insists it *must* be a credit card, not debit—even when I mention the deferred debit card.
I know the whole credit card concept is already confusing, and on top of that, some sites say a deferred debit card counts as a credit card, while others say it doesn’t.
Thanks to anyone who can share a recent experience!
Have a great day
Hi there,
I’m heading to Senegal in January for a month and was wondering if I just need my French driver’s license or if I should get an international permit?
Thanks!
JL
Hi,
I’m bringing Seresta, an anxiolytic (tranquilizer) from the benzodiazepine family,
to help me sleep.
I’ll have the prescription with me.
Will this be a problem at customs, and do I need to declare it?
Same question for antibiotics?
Thanks a bunch!
I’m heading to Laos next spring, but I have a question about the Thai arrival/departure form. I’ll be flying PAR-BKK, then taking the train to Laos (so exiting Thailand), and later re-entering Thailand by train to catch my return flight. Do I need to fill out two forms in this case?
Hi there,
I have a 9-seater passenger vehicle that I use for my business in Paris, transporting people.
I’m planning to go to Algeria with my family.
The vehicle registration lists my company as the owner.
Can I get a TPD (Temporary Admission Document)?
Will I need a KBis extract or a power of attorney?!?
Thanks for your help.
Worst case, I can add my personal name as a co-owner on the registration, but that would be a real shame!
Hi,
I’m writing to ask for some info—I’ve heard that you **must** have travel insurance to land in Zanzibar.
What’s the process, and which insurance should I get?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Seb
Hi, are there any travelers who’ve recently crossed the border between Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) and Beineu in Kazakhstan?
It was closed for a while.
Thanks for any info!
I bought a one-way flight (Ryanair) and a return flight (EasyJet) to spend a week in Morocco in April.
My passport expires 3 weeks after the return date.
Some websites say the passport must be valid for 3 months at the time of entry.
However, it will still be valid both on entry and return, but its validity will only be 1 month at the time of entry (and 3 weeks on the return date, everything prepaid).
It's an individual family trip.
The consulate can't give me an answer—they're still looking into it (really!)
Last year, we stayed for 3 months in Thailand, north of Khao Lak, and were able to benefit from the 2-month visa exemption, renewable for one month by going to Takua Pa to validate a 1-month extension (1,900 baht).
This year, it’s a disaster for us—not only were we planning a 4-month stay, adding a visa run in between (which some say is quite risky), but the law is apparently changing in the coming months with the return of the 1-month exemption (plus the usual 1-month option). So, we looked into applying for a 6-month multiple-entry visa, allowing a maximum of 60 consecutive days in Thailand. However, I can’t find anywhere the minimum time required outside Thailand between two stays—do any of you have an idea?
Thanks for the info! If you’d like tips on Khao Lak and the surrounding areas, we’ve got some experience, though things change fast!
Cheers,
Bruno.
My partner, our 8-year-old daughter, and I are going on vacation to Gex.
We’ve decided to spend one day in Switzerland and another in Italy. Will we need ID (national ID card or passport)? Do we also need ID for our daughter?
Hello,
We’ll soon be moving to Madagascar long-term.
As a French national, I need to obtain a short-stay visa that can be converted to a long-stay one. To do this, I have to send the required documents to the Madagascar embassy in Paris.
No issues with that procedure so far.
If I get this visa, once I arrive in Madagascar, I’ll need to provide the same documents to the Ministry of the Interior in Anosy. I’m trying to find an email address or website for the Ministry to check which documents I need to submit (I think they ask for additional ones).
If you have any info on this, I’d appreciate your replies.
Best regards,
M. Buisson Eric
I’d like to know if anyone has already applied for a private visa to Russia with an invitation from a Russian resident.
I traveled earlier this year with an e-visa, but since I want to stay longer, I’ll be visiting my friend who lives in eastern Russia.
For the visa application, does the invitation need to be on an official paper form issued by the Russian ministry? And most importantly, do I need to present the original for the application, or is there an electronic version that can be sent directly to the consulate in France?
Thanks for any info if you’ve gone through this process before!
I filled out the B2 form to apply for a visa, created an account on Atvis to pay the visa fees and schedule a meet-up, but every time I try to pay with my Boursobank Visa 1st card, they refuse the payment with a message telling me to check my details (address), even though everything is correct. Does anyone know why this is happening, or maybe they don’t accept Visa cards? Are you aware of this?
Thanks for your feedback!
Elisabeth
There are rumors going around about the ETA: it must absolutely be on your smartphone in the "ETA" app.
Paper documents might not be accepted.
Is this real or just a hoax?
Thanks, I’m leaving in 3 weeks. My passport is good to go and my ETA is still valid for a year, but I only printed the email I received.
Thanks everyone.
Hi there,
We need to apply for a B2 visa because we visited Iran in 2018. It currently costs $185, but they’re planning an additional $250 fee per person for the same visa—it’s been approved but not yet implemented. Does anyone know when this fee will take effect?
Thanks in advance!
Elisabeth
Hi there,
In November, we're heading off on a 4-month trip. We'll be landing in China and plan to leave the country via a land border into Vietnam.
I’ve read that China may ask for proof of exit within 30 days (flight ticket or other reservation). Since we’d be leaving by land, I’m wondering how this works in practice.
Has anyone here been in this situation recently?
Did the airline ask for an exit ticket before boarding?
Did Chinese authorities require proof upon arrival?
Is a train/bus ticket to Vietnam sufficient?
Is a cancelable or flexible reservation accepted?
Hi there,
Just a question that’s probably been asked before (though usually the other way around for my situation :))
My wife and I are heading to the US.
On her ticket, it only has her maiden name (e.g., Martine DUPOND).
On her passport, it’s written as Martine DUPOND épouse AVRY.
No issues for travel, I hope I did the right thing with the ticket?
Then for the ESTA, is just Martine DUPOND enough, or do I need to include the "épouse AVRY" part like on the passport?
Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
I’m spending a few days in San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) and would like to cross the Argentine border to make a loop toward Salta and then return to Chile to drop off the rental car.
I’ve heard that crossing the border can be tricky!
Is it possible with a rental company’s authorization? Which company, and at what cost?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Best regards,
Arnale
I saw on the French Embassy in Peru’s website and the Peruvian Consulate in Paris’s site that the rule is to have a passport valid for 6 months *after the arrival date* (not the return date).
I arrive in Peru on August 13, 2019 (for about twelve days), and my passport is valid until February 16, 2020.
That’s 6 months and 3 days after my arrival date in Peru. In my opinion, I’m good to go.
But could I still be denied entry if they say I don’t cover the return date or that I’m too close to the 6-month mark?
I read on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that it’s possible to apply for a temporary driving permit in China, valid for 1 month.
I’m planning to rent a car (without a driver) to explore part of the country next August, so I was wondering:
Has anyone here already gone through this process upon arrival?
How long do the formalities take on the spot?
Is it possible to handle these steps in advance, before arriving in China?
Hi there,
My departure is slowly approaching, and now that I’ve got my Russian visa sorted, I’m fine-tuning the rest of my trip to Tajikistan. Since the Tajik visa is no longer required for stays under 30 days (for French nationals), I’ll need to visit the Ministry of Interior (OVIR) to register within 10 days of entering the country. No big deal, though, since I had to go there anyway to apply for my GBAO permit. 😉 However, I’ve *seen* several reports from travelers (mostly motorized) mentioning that you need an entry permit for Kyrgyzstan, which has to be arranged in advance at the Kyrgyz Ministry (consulate?) in Dushanbe. Otherwise, you’re *stuck* at the Kyzyl-Art border (with no Wi-Fi, of course, to try and sort it out). The most recent report was from a year ago, so I’d love to know if this is still the case and if it’s indeed at the Kyrgyz Ministry (consulate?) where you need to go for this pre-authorization.
Does anyone have any recent info on this?
Thanks in advance!
