Voyageant avec des passeports francais et suedois, nous avons pu traverser (le 25 juillet 2007) la frontiere pakistanaise depuis la Chine, sans etre munis du visa touristique requis.
Toutefois, bien que le gouvernement pakistanais a annonce cette possiblite en juin 2007 (pour cette frontiere uniquement), les nouvelles regles ne sont pas encore vraiment entrees en vigueur.
Le plus complique a ete de quitter la Chine. En attendant de recevoir les documents officiels du gouvernement pakistanais detaillant les nouvelles dispositions, le poste frontiere chinois de Tashkurgan (Xinjiang) continue de refuser la sortie a tout touriste non muni du visa pakistanais. Toutefois, apres avoir discute et argumente pendant une heure, les douaniers chinois ont finalement accepte de nous laisser passer, probablement grace a nos visas chinois a double entree (au pire on ne resterait pas coinces entre les deux pays).
Le poste frontiere pakistanais est situe a Sost (ou Sust). Apres une attente de quelques heures, les services d'immigration nous ont delivre un "landing permit" valable 7 jours pour nous permettre de nous rendre au DC Gilgit et d'obtenir le visa touristique. A Gilgit, le bureau des visas n'est habilite qu'a prolonger et renouveler les visas. Mais apres une 1 heure de discussions et d'appels telephoniques avec Islamabad, le visa nous a finalement ete delivre a Gilgit, nous evitant le trajet jusqu'a la capitale. Ce visa nous a ete delivre pour un sejour de 30 jours. Avec nos passeports suedois et francais, nous avons respectivement paye 10 et 20 US$, probablement le tarif d'une prolongation.
Bien que l'entree sans visa a ete possible pour nous, et que les autorites pakistanaises ont ete arrangeantes et accueillantes (beaucoup de the), je ne recommende pas cette solution avant que les nouvelles regles soient bien formalisees des deux cotes de la frontiere.
Evidemment, ca n'est valable que de la Chine vers le Pakistan, et pas l'inverse...
Bonjour,
Quelqu'un sait-il si ces règles sont désormais "vraiment entrées en vigueur?" C'est à dire que les autorités chinoises sont au courant de ces nouvelles dispositions? Le poste frontière de Sost continue-t-il à les appliquer?
Car je projette vivement de passer par le Pakistan cet été à vélo. Et, les formalités deviennent de plus en plus dures pour y entrer (réservations des billets d'avions, ce qui est très pratique, lorsque l'on compte traverser le pays de la Chine à l'Inde à vélo).
Donc, même si je compte tout de même obtenir mon visa à l'avance, le fait de l'obtenir à Sost me permettrait d'aborder les choses plus sereinement.
Moi aussi ca m interesse!!! pour cet ete!
aux dernieres news en 2008 c etait courant selon des amis pakistanais habitant Gilgit...ils me disent que bcp de touristes arrivant de chine obtenaient leur visa a sost. point barre...
Je n'ai pas d'infos de première main, mais des discussions sur le thorn tree de lonely planet au mois de novembre indiquaient que le visa pakistanais pouvait être obtenu en arrivant au poste frontière de Sost :
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1831648&start=0&tstart=0
A voir si ces dispositions seront maintenues au printemps à la réouverture de la frontière...
Sinon un important glissement de terrain s'est produit au début du mois dans la vallée de Hunza entre Karimabad et Sost, emportant des maisons et des habitants. La route (la KKH) est actuellement bloquée et pourrait le rester pendant plusieurs mois. Parmi les sources d'infos il y a un blog en anglais : http://pamirtimes.net/
Je me suis renseigné auprès d'un cyclo allemand rencontré l'an dernier qui est passé au Pakistan en octobre 2009. Il les confirme également, mais me signale que ça peut quand même changer d'ici là (donc il faudra se tenir au courant de la situation avant de partir).
Mis à part cela, je pourrais peut être aussi avoir vent des dernières infos concernant le visa par certains contacts au Pakistan...Je vous tiens au courant dès que j'ai du nouveau (mais à mon avis, pas avant le mois de mai et l'ouverture de cette frontière).
Enfin, je pense que les conséquences du glissement de terrain seront à peu près résolus d'ici fin-août (même si ça arrive fréquemment semble-t-il).
Sinon, le projet avance, je viens de prendre mon billet aller pour Bishkek le 3 août...
Je reviens à la charge, car cette question me prend pas mal de temps en ce moment.
A moins d'une semaine de départ, je me retrouve à envoyer une 30aine de mails par jour...
Pas de problème à Sost, tout le monde le dit: forums, récits de voyages, tour opérateurs...(sauf l'ambassade en France, mais ça, on s'en fous, ils m'ont envoyé paître...). J'ai contacté un suisse (présent sur ce forum) qui a passé la frontière il y a 2 semaines sans problème. Idem avec des français l'ayant franchie l'an dernier.
Seulement, quand il y a un problème, c'est à chaque fois le même. Le risque, c'est, comme dit plus haut dans ce forum, du côté chinois. Même si dans les cas cités précédemment, les chinois ne leur ont pas posé de problème, il se peut qu'ils se montrent réticents. Et si vous ne passez pas, vous êtes dans une sacrée m.... ! Donc, c'est la dernière solution.
Et dans ce cas, il faut convaincre les autorités chinoises.
Du coup, je récapitule:
1. Le faire en France: L'ambassade Pak en France m'a envoyé paître.
2. Le faire à Bishkek: l'ambassade m'a répondue qu'il me fallait 6 à 8 semaines (donc c'est mort)
3. Le faire à Sost
Dans ces trois cas, une lettre d'invitation d'un Tour opérateur peut s'avérer bien utile (indispensable si on demande le visa dans une ambassade, et peut convaincre les douaniers chinois de vous laisser partir).
J'ai contacté plusieurs Tours opérateurs. L'un, sérieux, m'a proposé de contacter les services d'immigration à Sost pour qui appellent leurs confrères chinois en les prévenant, ainsi qu'une lettre d'invitation...pour 100$ (prix étudiant!)!!!
Donc tant pis.
Un autre agent de tour opérateur m'a envoyé une lettre d'invitation gratuitement, en format Word. Donc, je peux la "trafiquer" de manière à m'adresser aux autorités chinoises, et à ajouter en plus que le visa peut être obtenu à Sost...
C'est une mesure de sécurité qui peut m'aider en cas de problème, même si elle ne m'offre pas toutes les garanties...
Voilà, je ne sais pas si j'ai été assez clair,
En gros, si je n'arrive pas à négocier un visa à Bishkek dans des délais convenables, je tenterai mon coup à Sost. Si les chinois me laissent passer, Hourra! Sinon, je tenterai de les convaincre avec ma lettre d'invitation (et pourquoi pas une photocopie des mails échangés avec la "Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation"...).
Je me permet de répondre sur ce post malgré son âge avancé pour deux questions simples :
- Savez vous de quand à quand ( quels mois ?) est ouvert le poste frontière de Sost ?
- Est-il toujours possible de se faire faire un visa Pakistanais à la frontière, l'avez-vous fait récemment ?
Je compte faire Téhéran Delhi à vélo à partir de septembre, et je n'aimerais pas être bloqué à la frontière Chinoise avant d'entrer au Pakistan..!
Merci d'avance pour vos réponses si vous avez des infos ! ;)
Actuellement en velo en chin j'aimerais savoir s'il est possible d'obtenir le visa pakistanais a la frontiere chinoise et le kunjhun pass. Possible il y a qqs…
Formalités administratives › Pakistan / Inde · 16 replies
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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 there,
I’m a French citizen living in Switzerland, and I set up an RV LLC in Montana, USA. Through that, I was able to register 3 vehicles (an RV, a Jeep, and a Harley) with Montana plates.
I’d like to spend 3 months in Mexico, but it seems complicated—maybe even impossible—to cross the border from the US with all 3 vehicles.
Can anyone give me some advice?
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!
Hi everyone.
I’m leaving for almost 3 months in the Philippines (11 weeks total) starting in early May.
I already have my round-trip ticket.
The problem is, I don’t have time to get a 2-month visa because the process takes nearly a month.
From what I’ve read here and there, I need a return ticket valid for less than a month when I arrive in the Philippines to prove my good faith.
After that, I can apply for a 30-day extension at the immigration office.
I’m planning to either buy a fully refundable ticket to the nearest country or a fake ticket.
For 3 months, I’ll need to extend my visa two more times before my return date to France.
My question is this:
Will immigration ask me each time I extend my visa by one month to show proof of an exit ticket matching the new visa extension date?
Is it possible to extend directly by 2 months before the initial 30 days expire?
Thanks in advance for your experiences and tips! 😊
I’ve been to Thailand several times, but it was about 20 years ago…
There’s a new system in place now, it seems.
TDAC – Thailand Digital Arrival Card.
Before arriving, I apply for a TDAC, okay.
If during my stay I cross the border to spend a few days in Malaysia and then re-enter Thailand,
do I need to submit a new TDAC application?
Do I use the same TDAC as when I first entered the country?
Or do I initially have to pay for a Thai multi-entry visa?
Thanks in advance for your insights—I can’t find the answer online.
My partner (Mexican) entered France on January 21st as a tourist. She was therefore entitled to stay for 90 days in the Schengen Area. She’ll be leaving for Mexico on April 16th, so she’ll have “used up” 86 days.
She plans to return to France on July 18th. According to the European Commission’s Schengen calculator, this new stay “may be authorized for a maximum of 90 days.” That’s not very clear ("may be," "for a maximum of").
The text of Article 6 of the European regulation (2016/399) states that for a stay planned in the territory of the Member States, not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period, one must examine "the 180-day period preceding each day of the stay." That’s not very clear either.
My partner wants to return to France for a 90-day period starting on July 18th. Is this possible?
There are two ways to look at it:
1) The first day she spent in the Schengen Area was January 21st. That day will drop out of the calculation 180 days later, on July 20th.
From July 20th, she’ll get back 1 day of possible stay; on July 22nd, 2 days; and so on. All the days from her previous stay (January 21st–April 16th) need to be outside the 180-day rolling window.
The last day of her stay was April 16th. Looking 180 days ahead, that brings us to October 13th. From that date, she’ll be able to return for a full 90 days.
2) The number of allowed days is calculated for each day of the new stay. In other words: the 180-day window is recalculated every day, not fixed at the entry date.
If she re-enters France on July 18th, she’ll only have a “credit” of 4 days. But with each day of her new stay, one day from the previous stay (January–April) will drop out of the calculation. The rolling window allows her to “replace” days from the previous stay with those of the new stay, without ever exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period.
In this case, my partner could stay in France for 90 days starting on July 18th.
The Prefecture doesn’t provide any information, nor does Air France, and in the forums I’ve checked, opinions are divided. Thanks for any insights you can share!
Hello,
We’re planning to travel to Indonesia (Sulawesi with family) next July and August for a stay longer than a month (about 6 weeks).
I’ve seen that it’s possible to get a 60-day visa before departure, but I’ve also read about people having a lot of trouble getting it (some even didn’t manage and had to leave without it).
We absolutely need to have these 4 visas BEFORE leaving because once we’re in Sulawesi, I’m not sure we’ll be able to go to an embassy to request a visa extension after 30 days.
In short, how can we **100% guarantee** that we’ll get our 4 60-day visas before our trip this summer?
Hello, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026!
We’re heading back in October for a trip through Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
I have a question: for our route, we’ll need to cross the Zambia and Zimbabwe borders twice each. From experience, I know we won’t have any issues with Botswana.
But for the other two countries, I can’t find a clear answer.
All your tips are welcome!
