Entry Tips - Visa and Passport - For Leading Asian Destinations

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Booking flight tickets is only a small part of the preparations that go into making an overseas journey possible. Ensuring that one possesses valid travel documents (passport/visa) and will be eligible for entry into the foreign destination or even for transiting through an en route stopover is necessary; and these factors must be mulled over carefully well before one calls the travel agent for booking air tickets for flights and accommodation etc. And since these factors can make or break your holiday, here are the significant entry requirements related to visas and passports for the popular Asian destinations including India and Far East that I cover on my holiday starting this weekend. The info has been sourced from FCO which offers advice for British Nationals; and it is recommended to check www.gov.ukfor latest and updated requirements before booking air tickets.



India



Procuring a visa beforehand is mandatory for entry into India. Besides, a transit visa is needed to transit through India. FCO states that “Your passport must have 2 blank pages for your visa and must be valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of your visa application”. It is ideal if the passport is valid for 180 days or more at the time of entry into India.



Thailand



British nationals who arrive in Thailand on international flights with a passport valid for 6 months or more from the day of arrival can get a 30 day visa at the airport itself. The visa validity will be only 15 days for British citizens “arriving at an overland crossing”. For those planning to stay longer, a visa extension is necessary. Immigration authorities often ask for travellers’ return or onward journey flight tickets at the time of arrival.



Malaysia



A visa is not necessary for a British National visiting Malaysia who are provided visa on arrival for 3 months. For longer stays, visa is required to be procured boarding flights to the country. The minimum validity period for passport is six months from the day of arrival in the country.



Singapore



Like Thailand, Britons purchasing air tickets for visiting Singapore need not acquire a visa beforehand if they are planning to stay for 30 days or less in the country. The passport must have a validity period of at least six months from the date of entry into Singapore.

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