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,
Probably the fact that you were a permanent resident is why the Canadian authorities are asking for "additional" documents (just a guess since I don’t work in the field!).
The letter you received should specify which documents they need (and the documents to submit before the deadline via your IRCC account).
I can’t really help you more, but just in case, here’s the link to the site explaining it all: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/submit-documents.html
Looks like the videos give all the details!! If you still need help, there’s a link to a form on the page (under "if you have a technical problem").
Were your wife and kids also permanent residents? If so, my theory "doesn’t hold water"!
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)
Thanks for your reply, Lescaribous—I’ll check out the links.
My wife was actually with me during our "permanent residency," along with my daughter (she was 2 and a half at the time). As for him, my son was conceived in Quebec but was born 2 months after we returned to France. He missed out on Canadian citizenship by just a bit...
I did everything requested on the link... I have an account and still need to provide this "letter of explanations" before January 25th. It just says "required" with no explanation about what I should put in it. I don’t mind explaining why I’m coming to Quebec, but I don’t really see the point...
I also thought my name might not be unfamiliar to them, but it’s been almost 17 years since I moved back to France, and we’ve visited often since without any issues. I’d rather not tell them I was a permanent resident—if they ask for a number or something, I’d have no idea what to give them... Since I left the territory for more than 6 months, I thought permanent residency was automatically revoked.
The authorities are asking you for an explanation letter (about your trip?). Period!
What are you supposed to explain?
No specific questions to answer?
Is that what you understand?
In my opinion, if the authorities knew you’ve made several trips to Canada, it could only help you. They’d have proof that you return home and don’t cause any problems during your stay. But they probably already know (or maybe not!)
Or is it like a pat-down—just a more thorough random check, and a few words from you will reassure them... idiots!
Good luck!
Le vol est trop important dans un voyage pour ne regarder que le prix.
I did everything requested on the link... I have an account and still have to provide this "letter of explanations" before January 25th. It just says "required" with no explanation about what I should put in it. I don’t mind explaining what I’m going to do in Quebec, but I don’t really see the point...
I also thought my name wouldn’t be unknown to them, but it’s been almost 17 years since I returned to France, and we’ve come back often since then without any issues. I don’t really want to tell them I was a permanent resident—if they ask for a number or something, I won’t be able to provide it... Since I left the territory for more than 6 months, I thought permanent residency was automatically canceled.
Hey,
In fact, you’re no longer a permanent resident if you were one, according to Canada’s immigration law.
For the letter, you need to type up a letter in Word format explaining everything, like: "I was a permanent resident from to , then I chose to leave Canada to return to France, and I traveled back to Canada as a tourist during ." You upload everything to your IRCC profile, and that should be enough.
As for whether they’ll approve it or not, no one can tell you for sure.
MGTOW: Man going their own way...
"Plutôt que d'être malin, vaut mieux être bon " ou les deux.
The authorities are asking you for a letter of explanation (about your trip?). Period!
What do you explain?
No specific questions to answer?
Is that what you understand?
In my opinion, if the authorities knew you’ve made several trips to Canada, it could only help you. They’d have proof that you return home and don’t cause any problems during your stay. But they probably already know that (or not!)
Or is it like a pat-down—just a more thorough random check, and a few words from you will reassure them... idiots!
Good luck!
It’s not nice to call our friendly civil servants idiots😛
MGTOW: Man going their own way...
"Plutôt que d'être malin, vaut mieux être bon " ou les deux.
I do know I’m no longer a permanent resident—I’m really sorry about that, but we had to return to France after a year. Let’s just say it was for family reasons... I was well integrated, always worked, and never had any issues. But hey, that’s how it goes. It took me a while to come to terms with being back in France, but since then, I’ve done quite a few things, including that cross-Canada run, which helped me close the chapter. I still enjoy visiting my friends in Quebec, but I don’t feel any nostalgia anymore.
I’m not sure if it’s worth mentioning—I’m worried it might require extra steps. I think a list of all our trips to Canada should be enough. I’m not coming in secretly; I’m just here to see friends and family. My life is in France now, and if I ever want to move back to Canada, I’ll go through the necessary steps again.
What I find frustrating about this situation is that there’s no explanation for what to include in the letter. I’ve searched, dug, and scoured the government’s FAQs, and I found absolutely nothing! It’s a bit tough to leave people in the dark when it would be so simple to list a few things to include to help. Especially since my whole family was approved in minutes...
Anyway, I’ll try calling the Canadian embassy today and write a letter tonight (with the time difference, it’ll reach Canada early afternoon). I’ll come back to this thread later to share any tips that might help others.
I got an email from the Canadian embassy in Paris asking for a photocopy of my passport before they can respond! ??? Since I’m a good, rule-following citizen, I’ll send it tomorrow.
I also wrote a cover letter explaining our trip—who we’re visiting, where we’ll be staying, and our flight numbers for both outbound and return (so they’re sure we’re coming back home!). All of that sent through the IRCC account they asked me to create. It’s still quite a hassle just to spend 2 weeks in Quebec...
Hello,
You applied for a visa/permit with our service. During processing, we noticed that you were a permanent resident. To continue reviewing your file, you must complete ONE of the 2 forms below, depending on your situation.
Well, that’s where it was stuck. Got this message from the Canadian embassy this morning.
Just need to fill out yet another form. What I don’t get is why my wife and daughter, who were with me at the time, didn’t have this issue.
I’d better find those papers I stashed away 17 years ago...
hi,
My first guess was right after all!
If your wife and daughter also had permanent resident status during the same period, maybe you had to deal with the authorities during that time (unlike the other two family members). I’d definitely consider that as a possibility...
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)
Hey,
My first guess was right after all!!
If your wife and daughter also had permanent resident status during the same period, maybe you had to deal with the authorities during that time (unlike the other two family members). I’d say that’s a solid guess...
Hey,
You were spot on! As for the rest, I’m not sure—I sent the scanned documents to Canadian immigration this morning and will mail the rest tomorrow.
I never had any issues with the authorities during my year in Quebec, not even a small fine. Nor did we have any problems on any of our trips. Up until now, I’d flown under the radar, which I think will work in my favor when my eTA application is reviewed again (once my renunciation of permanent resident status is accepted).
I can only advise anyone who wants to vacation in Canada and has ever had permanent resident status—even a long time ago—to renounce it, just to avoid a little stress like I’m going through. I always wait until the last minute for paperwork. Thankfully, this time I started more than a month and a half early!!!
I submitted my renunciation of permanent resident status this morning on the Canadian government website. I also let the Canadian embassy in Paris know, and they advised me to email them everything back so it’d go faster—which I did before heading back to work.
I get home and see that at 3:20 PM, I had an email saying my eTA is already valid!!!
When we first moved to Quebec, I already thought the process was way simpler than in France, but this? Seriously, it’s lightning fast.
Okay, I’ll still double-check everything when I’m more relaxed, just in case... 🙂
Yes, what a relief! After checking on the Canada Immigration website, everything seems to be in order. I’ll make a photocopy just in case someone at the airport feels like being overzealous.
France is indeed a beautiful country too, but we’re not without our flaws 😇.
Hi,
All's well that ends well!!
I'm surprised you had to write a renunciation letter since, given you were a permanent resident in 2000-2001, you normally would’ve lost your permanent residency. (Unless you came back to "set foot on Canadian soil" within the right timeframe—less than 6 months apart if I remember correctly to keep permanent residency!)
As for the "bureaucracy," I’m sure you’d already noticed the difference between Canada and France!
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)
For me too, it was clear that my permanent residency was effectively lost. By returning to Canada regularly, I hadn’t bothered to check whether I could work there again or not, even though I think my SIN would have probably still worked. Oh well, I rebuilt my life in France after that rich experience in Quebec—I don’t regret a thing.
The introduction of the eTA meant I got flagged when I applied since permanent residents don’t need one. The system must’ve glitched! 🤪
Now things are back to square one.
It’s true that Canadian bureaucracy is almost pleasant compared to France’s, which is a total nightmare.
A little anecdote: When we settled in Quebec, we went through immigration services with our little girl at Montreal Airport (Mirabel at the time). We were well received, and everything was sorted in less than an hour. Later, we went to register with the relevant services for our child. We were in and out in 20 minutes!!!!! Everything was recorded even though we were missing a document. The woman trusted us and asked us to bring the missing paper later. She still validated our file. Not sure that kind of thing would happen in France, where you’re always missing form X2213GH47, page so-and-so with box such-and-such. And good luck getting another appointment quickly. To the point that when you spend less than 30 minutes in a government office, you wonder if there’s a hidden camera.
Anyway, when it comes to bureaucracy, France could learn a lot from Canada.
hi,
The story doesn’t say why YOUR permanent residency would have "flagged" while your wife’s and daughter’s didn’t!
Maybe you’ve got a "blacklisted" namesake 🤪
True, France could learn a thing or two from Quebec when it comes to bureaucracy, but the reverse is also true in other areas (I won’t start a debate—this isn’t the place or the time!)
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)
Well, I owed you all an update anyway. Everything went smoothly, and we enjoyed our lovely vacation and time with friends. My wife and daughter, who didn’t have to go through the same waiver process as me, got through without any issues with their valid AVE. I still wonder why I had to do a waiver all by myself, but I won’t dig into it any further. 😎
I submitted my renunciation of permanent resident status this morning on the Canadian government website. I also informed the Canadian Embassy in Paris, which advised me to send them everything back by email to speed things up, which I did before heading back to work.
I got home and noticed that at 3:20 PM, I had an email saying my eTA is valid!!!
When we moved to Quebec, I already found the procedures way simpler than in France, but this is seriously fast.
Anyway, I’ll double-check everything when I’m more relaxed, just in case... 🙂
Hello Petitange,
I’m reaching out because I’m in the same situation—going through the process of giving up my PR status (which expired in 1982, by the way!!!). I uploaded all the required documents on June 26th, and I haven’t heard anything since. I check my eTA status several times a day, but there’s no update on my file.
In your message above, you mentioned, "I also informed the Canadian Embassy in Paris." Could I ask how you did that? I’m leaving for Quebec in 3 days and I’m super stressed.
I’m reaching out because I’m in the same situation—following the procedure to abandon my PR status (which expired back in 1982!!!). I uploaded all the required documents on 06/26, but I haven’t heard anything since. I check the status of my eTA several times a day, and there’s still no update on my file.
In your message above, you mentioned, "I also informed the Canadian embassy in Paris." Could I ask how you did that? I’m leaving for Quebec in 3 days, and I’m super stressed.
Thank you so much for your help.
Hey, with just 3 days until your trip, no wonder you’re stressed!
I used the contact form via the GCKey, and I got a quick response by email. You also have messages in your GC account, but you have to be careful—you need to click the little arrow under the message title to see the content. If you just click the title, nothing happens. Took me a week to figure that out! (Unless they’ve changed it since then.)
They also have a Facebook page—you could try reaching out there, but I’m not sure if they’ll respond. Still worth a shot.
https://www.facebook.com/AmbCanFrance/
There’s a phone number too.
First off, a big thank you for your quick reply.
Yes, just like you, I followed the "GC account" procedure to give up my GC status by sending the required documents on June 26 (I was able to see the letter’s contents). But since then, no news!
Is the phone number you mentioned the one for the embassy in Paris?
First of all, a big thank you for your quick reply.
Yes, just like you, I followed the "GC account" procedure to give up my GC status by sending the required documents on June 26 (I was able to see the letter’s content). But since then, no news!
Is the phone number you’re talking about the one for the embassy in Paris?
Thank you, and have a great day!
A month is a bit long...
The phone number listed on the Paris embassy’s Facebook account is most likely the embassy’s number... I’ve read several times that they’re unreachable, but in your case, you’d better try everything you can.
Hello, I’m in a more or less similar situation. My husband and I were permanent residents from 2000 to 2007 and never returned to Quebec. My husband’s eTA application was approved right away, but I had to give up my PR status and send a copy of my passport. My eTA was granted in 3 days. For my husband, I hope everything goes smoothly since he didn’t have to give up his status. We also had to urgently apply for Canadian passports for our 3 kids. I want to give a shout-out to the embassy—they were really responsive (with proof of travel provided). We should have the passports by the beginning of the week. Fingers crossed for the eTA. Good luck to you!
Hello, I’m in a more or less similar situation. My husband and I were permanent residents from 2000 to 2007 and never returned to Quebec. My husband’s eTA application was approved right away, but I had to give up my PR status and send a copy of my passport. My eTA was granted in 3 days. For my husband, I hope everything goes well since he didn’t have to give up his status. We also had to urgently apply for Canadian passports for our 3 children. I’d like to thank the embassy for being very responsive in this case (with proof of travel provided). We should have the passports at the beginning of the week. Fingers crossed for the eTA. Good luck to you.
Hello Rachel,
Thanks a million for your encouraging message!
I can’t quite understand why your husband’s eTA was approved directly while yours required an extra step, but in the end, the result is what matters! 🙂
Thanks to Petitange (whom I’d like to thank in passing), I contacted the Canadian embassy via Facebook. They replied about an hour and a half later, giving me an email address I’d like to share with VoyageForum:
paris-im.visiteur@international.gc.ca
Right away, I wrote to them, explained my situation, and the issue was resolved in just 2 hours!!!
Can you imagine the relief?! The eTA was approved less than 2 days before departure, even though it was submitted on 06/25!!!!
In my case, I think I understand why my application wasn’t moving forward: my email is hosted by Yahoo. Don’t ask me why—I couldn’t tell you more. I’m wondering, in your case and Petitange’s, are your email addresses also with Yahoo? Because your applications were approved without any issues, while mine had been stuck since 06/26 (the date I submitted my PR renunciation).
I wish you a great trip and once again, thank you so much.
Je me retrouve dans la même situation que vous, je suis citoyenne canadienne et mon mari est de nationalité française, il a fait la demande pour l'AVE et qu'elle ne fut pas notre surprise lorsqu'il nous ont demandé de fournir une renonciation à la résidence permanente. (Alors que nous n'habitons plus au Canada depuis de nombreuses années)
Nous avons donc fait le nécessaire et avons joins les documents demandés sur la plateforme clé GC, mais depuis, silence radio. (la demande initiale a été faite avec une adresse mail yahoo)
J'ai donc suivi vos conseils et j'ai contacter l'ambassade sur facebook (je suis toujours en attente de réponse) et nous avons aussi envoyé un mail à l'email que vous avez indiqué.
Ma question pour vous, avez-vous fourni des informations supplémentaires ou utiliser un formulation qui a permis l'avancement rapide de votre dossier ?
Je sais que votre demande date de 2018, mais je tente ma chance en vous contactant tout de même.
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!
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?
