Passport/VISA question... help? (1 Viewer)

[Scott Wong]

Do any of you guys know if I can obtain a VISA in person the same day I obtain my U.S. Passport? I work for a major airline so I'll be flying to the passport bureau in Chicago next week. They can hand me over the passport in 60 minutes. Can I get my VISA for another country that same day from the same office??

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Scott.

 

[Andrew W]

The US passport office does not issue visas for other countries. You will need to go the the embassy or consulate for the country you wish to vist. Since Chicago is a large city, there may be one there. Otherwise you can overnite your passport to the embassy/consulate and they will stamp it and send it back. There are also companies that can arrange all of this for you. CIBT is one my company uses.

 

[Denward]

Andrew is basically right. For those who haven't done much foreign travel, getting passports and visas can be confusing. A passport is issued by your own country of citizenship and identifies you as a citizen of your country. A visa is issued by the country you wish to visit and gives you permission to enter that country and specifies the restrictions on your activities while visiting. Visa requirements vary widely depending on the friendliness of the relationship between the two countries. Here's the lowdown for U.S. citizens traveling on business or leisure (not emigration) as summarized by the U.S State Department.