Hi there, On the apps.migracioncolombia form, they’re asking for my local stay address, including a phone number. Since we’ll be moving around a lot, we don’t have a fixed address. What should I do? Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, Two years ago, I got a 5-year visa. But I had to change my plans and haven’t used it yet. Do you think it’s still valid? I’d like to go to India at the beginning of the year. I’ve got a big doubt. Do you know where I can find this info? Thanks a bunch!

Hello everyone,

My partner and I would like to travel to the Philippines at the end of August for a 4-month stay. We can’t apply for a tourist visa in advance because (from what I understand) we’d need to provide proof of hotel reservations for the entire stay. But planning a 4-month trip so far ahead isn’t something we want to do.

So my question is about extensions once we’re there:

After the initial 29-day extension request, we’d like to apply for another 2-month extension. Do you know if the same supporting documents are required for this one (pre-booked hotel, 2000 € in the bank account per month requested)?

Or can we go ahead without risk and request the extension without these documents?

Thank you so much for reading, and for this forum existing. Take care,

Boris

Hi, We’re heading to Tanzania at the end of the year and I’d like to know where I can apply for the e-visas because I’ve found some sites, but they’re charging more than what I was told. It’s not the official site, and I’m struggling to find it. Do you have the direct official link, please? Thanks so much for your help! 😊

Hi everyone, I’m heading to the United States in August, specifically Grand Junction, Colorado, and I’d love to hear about your experiences with renting a car in this slightly tricky situation:

I still have my old French driver’s license (the pink paper version, still valid),

I didn’t have time to get an International Driving Permit (IDP),

And I plan to use a Visa debit card, not a credit card.

I’ve booked a car with Budget. I’ve seen that they *can* accept debit cards under certain conditions, especially at airport locations, but there are often high hold amounts for the deposit, and sometimes requirements like a return ticket or an extra ID. - Has anyone rented a car in the US under these conditions before? - Was the paper license accepted without any issues? - Did the debit card cause problems when putting down the security deposit? Any tips, personal stories, or warnings are super welcome! 😊 Thanks in advance!

Hi there,

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!

Best regards,

Gilles

Hi everyone!

What a joy to be back on this forum where I’ve spent so many hours traveling and gathering info—let’s get started! 👋

Almost everything’s in the title, but just to clarify: As far as I know, you currently need a full French motorcycle license (A) to legally ride a scooter in Thailand, since they don’t recognize A1 or A2 licenses. Yes, I know most rental places only ask for an international car license (B), or sometimes nothing at all… but that’s not what I’m asking. What I’d like to know is whether you think this might change in the future, allowing A1 licenses (which are easier to get) or even car licenses (B), since you can ride a scooter in France with one. I don’t want to get a motorcycle license—I’m scared of motorcycles, even though I’m comfortable on a scooter. I’m a bit confused by their regulations. Thanks for any insights you can share!

Lulu56😅

Hello everyone, I’m going on a tourist trip to Canada (Quebec) on September 1st. I filled out an eTA application 10 days ago but made a mistake on my passport number. I submitted a new application and had to send a copy of my passport, which I did correctly (unfortunately, I didn’t take a screenshot as proof). The next day, my eTA was refused! I made a third application this past Saturday, August 16th, and they confirmed receipt, but it’s now Monday evening and I still haven’t heard anything! I’m starting to seriously panic. It’s absolutely impossible to get help from a real person online! The Canadian Embassy in Brussels doesn’t handle eTA applications at all! I don’t know what to do. Can anyone help me, please? Thanks in advance 😢

Hi everyone,

I’m applying for an O-A Visa from France, and they’re asking for a criminal record extract. In the site’s FAQ, there’s a question that interests me: "I want to present my criminal record extract to the administration of another European Union state. What do I need to provide?" But when I click for the answer, I get a "404 error"... of course 🤪.

My questions are simple: - Is it really the "extrait n°3" that’s required for the O-A Visa application? - Do I need to have it translated into English?

Thanks in advance! Olivier

Hi there,

We’re planning to drive to Senegal by car. We’re a little nervous because it’ll be our first time making the trip with a car that isn’t ours. We’re doing the trip to deliver it to its owner. Has anyone here done this before? What documents will we need?

Thanks in advance for your tips!

Hi everyone,

I booked my round-trip ticket from Paris to Phnom Penh (way too quickly, of course) because I’d like to start in Laos. I’m traveling from November 5th to December 3rd. So, I’m wondering: when I arrive in Phnom Penh on the 6th and take a flight directly to Laos without leaving the airport, do I still need a visa for Cambodia? Also, which airport in Laos would you recommend—Luang Prabang or Vientiane?

Thanks so much for your advice!

Hi, We're heading to Zanzibar in 6 weeks. I've been stuck for several days on the website https://visa.immigration.go.tz/ because we need to specify whether we're employed or self-employed, but the "employer" and "profession" fields are grayed out. It's a roadblock—I can't move on to the next step. I thought it might be a temporary bug, but that's not the case. I've tried filling out the form on my computer using two different browsers, on my phone, but I keep getting stuck at the same step. I emailed their contact address but haven't heard back. Has this happened to any of you? I don't know how to resolve this issue, especially to get our visas before our departure. Thanks for your help. Stéphanie

Hi, I’m leaving for Cape Verde on 11/24/2025... I tried to register on the site www.ease.gov.cv (so more than 5 days before departure). I can’t get past the email verification step (I never receive the code). I’ve tried several browsers and all 3 languages—nothing works...

Any ideas?

Hi, I have to leave for Bali and I’ve got a problem. We’re traveling as a family, but when my partner filled out our daughter’s ticket, they only put one last name, even though she has both—mine and her dad’s—on her passport. I tried to fix it to make sure everything’s correct, but the airline won’t do anything about it. Do you think this will be an issue at boarding?

Hi there,

We’re heading to Southeast Asia for several months as a family with two teens (10 and 13). The first country we’re visiting is Cambodia. I’m having an issue with the e-visa—it won’t accept any of the documents I’m attaching. I’ve validated all four e-visas and received the registration numbers, but when I check the application, it shows no attachments. I’ve tried multiple times in different formats (PDF, JPEG, PNG), whether compressed or not, but there’s always a red cross next to the documents.

Has anyone else run into this problem?

Thanks for your help—I’m losing patience, and our departure is in 15 DAYS 😕

Magos

Hi,

I read on another forum that there might be an issue with insurance for our vehicles in the Faroe Islands.

Apparently, we wouldn’t be covered once we disembark from the ferry. From what I understand, the DK on our green card no longer applies to the Faroe Islands.

Could anyone confirm this?

Thanks

bonjour je vais partir à Séoul en septembre et pour se faire il faut obtenir une autorisation de voyager que l'on demande auprès de k-eta......., il se trouve que je peux (difficilement de l'avoue) remplir le formulaire jusqu'à l'adresse de notre "lieu de séjour" or toutes les adresses que j'ai renseignées ont été refusées par le système ...j'ai essaye mon hôtel, le Lotte hôtel visiblement bien connu a Séoul l'aéroport bref j'ai renseigné au moins 20 adresses toutes refusées ....

Alors à toutes celles ou ceux qui ont obtenu l'autorisation pouvez-vous me dire avec quelle adresse vous avez obtenu la "fameuse" autorisation ....

merci pour votre aide

Hey everyone! A small group of us are heading to Gabon for a research mission. Everyone got their visa without any issues through the e-visa site, and it only took a few days.

Except for a friend and me. We applied early, and three weeks later, still no news. And we leave in a week...

A colleague on-site tried to help us, but no updates so far.

My questions:

- Has this ever happened to you? - What are the solutions? (I’ve already tried calling, but it doesn’t work. The email contact form doesn’t work either. The Gabonese embassy isn’t functional, and they gave me a number that never answers and where you can’t even leave a message anymore.) - Can this be resolved easily at the airport? - Am I totally screwed?

Clean record, and I haven’t been to any sketchy countries. Brand-new passport...

Thanks in advance for your help! !

Hi there, I’m planning a trip to Laos in February. I tried to apply for my eVisa online, but the system keeps telling me that both my address and the address of my hotel upon arrival are invalid, without any further explanation. I’ve modified them, shortened them several times, but nothing changes. I sent a message to ask for clarification but haven’t received a response. Has anyone else run into this problem? How was it resolved?

Thanks in advance, and happy New Year! 🙂

hi, and help! I need to complete my TDAC, but the site is stuck on page 2 under Accommodation Information: I can't fill in the "province" field—it's mandatory! I enter Bangkok, but when I scroll down to add the address... everything disappears.

What should I do? Thanks for your help! Elisabeth

Hi there, I bought a flight ticket with Turkish Airlines to Vietnam. On the form, it said: first name then second name, which I did. However, my passport has 3 first names. I called a number in Paris, and they played it safe by repeating: the names must match exactly what’s on your passport. I’ve seen on forums that some say even one first name is enough… Do you know about this situation? Thanks everyone.

Hi everyone, I’d like to take a trip from France to Malaysia and Thailand like this:

Paris to Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi

Langkawi to Koh Lipe

Bangkok to Paris

I’m wondering if I’ll run into any visa issues on arrival since I won’t have an outbound flight ticket from Malaysia and I won’t have an inbound flight ticket to Thailand. If you’ve got any tips or have done this trip before, I’d really appreciate your help.

Thanks so much.

Hi there,

I’m leaving for Japan in a few weeks. I just noticed my passport has an ink stain on the signature page. Could this cause any issues?

Hi everyone, I’m reaching out to the community with a quick question. I’m leaving for the United States soon and don’t have time to renew my passport. However, there are some pretty visible ink stains on the edges of the pages, but the page with my identity info is completely clean. Do you think I’ll be able to enter the United States without any issues? Thanks in advance for your replies! Have a great day!

Hey fellow travelers! 🙂 I'm planning a trip to India in January 2025 for 3 months. This will be my second trip to India. The first time was in 2009, when I was just 21 (doesn’t make me feel any younger!). My issue is this: on the India visa application form, I’m asked if I’ve been to India before, and if so, to provide the visa number from that trip. The problem is, since 2009, I’ve changed passports (and no longer have the old one), so I can’t fill out the form correctly. I thought about answering "no" to the question ("Have you been to India before?"), but that stresses me out because I hate "cheating" or lying. Especially since I figure they might cross-check their databases, and it could seem odd that I answered "no" when I’ve actually been there before. Maybe my visa could even be denied. So, I’d love to know if any of you have been in this situation and how you handled it. Looking forward to your replies! 🙂

Hi there,

The Netherlands is one of the countries that hasn’t officially taken a position on accepting French ID cards with extended validity (+5 years). However, it seems to be tolerated, and it’s recommended to carry the explanatory notice about the law that extended the validity of ID cards—especially in case of a police check during your stay in the Netherlands. The main concern seems to be about legal status in the country. Air France (apparently) indicates that boarding is possible. Has anyone had experience traveling by plane under these conditions, and can someone confirm whether it’s possible to visit the Netherlands (by plane with Air France) with an expired French ID card (based on the date printed on it) but with validity extended by 5 years? It’s hard to get a definitive answer, which is why I’m asking fellow travelers for their experiences :) Thanks in advance for your feedback! Audrey

Hi, I’m arriving soon in southern Laos and the 4000 Islands, with plans to head to Cambodia next. The latest news I got this morning (Paksé, La Boulange) isn’t great—the Cambodian border is also in a latent conflict with Laos for the same reasons as with Thailand...

So, what’s the best site to check for updates on the border opening? Since the situation isn’t stable right now and could change from one day to the next?

Thanks for your input.

Hi there, Just a quick post to let travelers heading to Madagascar know not to apply for an eVisa online—the platform isn’t working. We actually submitted an application last Sunday on their official site (provided by the Madagascar embassy in Paris) http://evisamada-mg.com/. The 35 € payment for a 30-day visa was debited from our account, but no document was issued. After emailing back and forth, they admitted there’s a flaw in their system, and we’ll now have to apply for an AD visa on arrival! We thought we’d save time at the airport—nope, that backfired. They claim we won’t have to repay for the visa, but I’ll believe it when I see it…

Luckily, we only applied for my husband’s visa, so we’ll only lose 35 € if that’s not the case! I’ll apply for mine directly on arrival and skip the eVisa altogether!

India is introducing an electronic arrival card for foreign travelers. The measure is effective for all travelers starting October 1st.

India is now adopting the electronic arrival card. Presenting this "e-Arrival Card" is now mandatory for all arrivals in India as of October 1, 2025. This formality replaces the paper card previously filled out on the plane or upon arrival. India aims to streamline traveler tracking. The requirement applies to travelers of all nationalities, both adults and minors, for all entry points into India. It’s an additional mandatory formality alongside the e-Visa or visa. The e-Arrival Card must be completed online within three days prior to arrival in the country. Available in English only, it’s free and can be done on the official Indian authorities' website. The document is valid only for the declared arrival day. "This means you’ll need to complete it for each new arrival," clarifies RapideVisa, an agency specializing in visa services. Travelers must provide standard information to obtain the document (passport number, purpose of stay, countries visited in the 6 days before arrival, etc.).

Once completed, a document with a QR code to present to authorities upon arrival is generated. With this new system, India aims to facilitate traveler tracking and reduce congestion at airport counters. Nearly 19 million international visitors traveled to India in 2023. Among them, 189,000 were French.

Source: https://www.lechotouristique.com/article/inde-une-nouvelle-formalite-obligatoire-pour-voyager

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WaPqVyUmuY

Hi there, we’re spending March in Sri Lanka, and on several blogs travelers mention they’ve rented scooters or mopeds. On government info sites, it seems they say you need a Sri Lankan license to rent these vehicles. Have any of you run into this kind of issue? Thanks, Marie