Land of the Fee makes life difficult for African soccer fans

The United States seems determined to make life as difficult as possible for soccer fans from "unfriendly" countries hoping to attend the World Cup.

In addition to sky high ticket prices and inflated transport costs, there are also issues over visas and visa bonds.

Fans from five African nations this week got a potential $US15,000 saving - provided they are already in possession of match tickets.

The Trump administration confirmed that ticket-holding supporters from Algeria, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia will now be exempt from the outrageous requirement to post a bond before entering the "land of the fee".

The five were among 50 countries included in the requirement, which is intended to reduce visa overstays and was part of a wider immigration crackdown (apparently focused on black folk) by the White House.

But African fans planning a trip to a tournament spread across the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19 still neede to have plenty of cash.

"We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets," US assistant secretary of state for consular affairs Mora Namdar said in a media statement.

But in order to have the bond requirement waived, ticket holders from affected countries must have registered with the online FIFA Pass system by April 15. If not, tough luck.

Travellers from Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal are targeted. Those who did not secure their visas before December will not be granted entry to the US.

BBC Sport Africa also reported that some Ghanaians have been denied US entry visas.

Image: Cote d'Ivoire fans

Visa-free entry to China a bonus for Australians

Australian travellers and wine producers are among the big winners following the visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang earlier this week.

Fresh after announcing visa-free access for New Zealand travellers to China, Li flew across the Tasman and offered the same benefits to Australians.

The visa relaxation moves gives Australians up to 15 days in China without the need for a $110 single-entry tourist visa. The visa-free entry will be valid for tourism, business or family visits.

Australians join New Zealand, Singapore, France, Japan, Spain and Thailand in having the perk, a sign of thawing relations between China and Australia.

“We agreed to provide each other with reciprocal access to five-year multiple entry visas for tourism, business and visiting family members - so as to better facilitate personal exchanges,” Li said.

Meanwile, Li Qiang made a historical visit to Australia’s popular winery Penfolds, which has resumed exports to China following the lifting of tariffs.

Treasury Wine Estates, Penfolds’ parent company, had CEO Tim Ford and managing director Tom King host Li.

The visit also included welcomes from South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell, and Foreign Minister Penny Wong at Magill Estate, guided by chief winemaker Peter Gago.

So the big guns were out in force.

Image: Beijing. Roberto Moreno, Scop.io 

A long-term chillout in Thailand is now a lot easier

Ever thought of spending a few months in Thailand, chilling out on the beach?

Visa issues have, until now, made that difficult, but the Thai government is delivering changes to make it easier, the Skift travel news website reported.

In an effort to boost Thailand tourism numbers, ordinary tourists visas can be extended to up to 60 days, along with the possibility of extended stays for post-grad students and remote workers.

And government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said travellers from more countries will be eligible for visas on arrival.

The validity of visas for self-employed "digital nomads" and other remote workers will be extended to five years, with an unbroken stay of up to 180 days. 

The “Destination Thailand Visa” will now allow a 180-day maximum stay per visit, extendable for another 180 days, with another THB 10,000 ($270) fee.

Previously, digital nomads were entitled to only two 30-day stays. 

Wacharonke noted that this measure targets remote workers, freelancers, and those interested in learning Muay Thai and Thai cooking skills. .Also, foreign students can stay in Thailand for an additional year after graduating.

The tourist visas will be available to visitors from 93 countries, up from 57 currently. The new policies will kick off this month.

Thailand welcomed 14.3 million tourists for the year to date. In 2019, pre-Covid, it welcomed a record 39.9 million arrivals.

Image: Winsor Dobbin

Visa rules a blow to Chinese tourism to Thailand

Tourism operators in Thailand are fearful new visa rules might threaten their business models aimed at attraction visitors from China.

Inbound operators are calling for clarity on the new visa procedures, which they believe could have significant impacts on tour groups and meetings and incentive groups catering to the lucrative Chinese market.

The National News Bureau of Thailand reports that from May 8, the Thai Consular Office in China will require every visitor to apply for an individual visa, regardless of whether they travel as part of a tour group.

Additionally, the number of applicants per travel agent will be limited, and applicants must submit a hotel reservation document and a financial document showing they are in possession of at least 10,000 yuan (around $2,200 in Australian dollars).

Some agents can only reserve visa applications three days a week with 20-30 applicants per round.

The new visa rules also require travel agents to present a certified document allowing foreign visa applications and a "yellow card" issued by the Chinese government, which must be renewed every one or two years, our Thailand correspondent reports.

Many Chinese agents’ cards expired during the pandemic, however, and a slow renewal process caused by a lack of officers made it impossible to renew them.

There are concerns that these new regulations could prompt Chinese travellers to opt for other destinations like Vietnam, Hong Kong, or Macau - adversely affecting Thailand’s target of attracting 5 million Chinese visitors this year.

The Association of Thai Travel Agents also reported that many Chinese tourists have been overcharged by taxi drivers in Thailand, noting that the issue could further compound concerns over the new visa procedures.

Image: Sonam Parmar, Scop.io  

Why a Japanese passport is the most useful in the world

A Japanese passport is the most useful travel document you could be carrying in 2023.

Japanese passports are the most accepted globally for the fifth straight year, says the Henley Passport Index, which ranks all the world's 199 passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.

Japanese citizens can visit 193 destinations out of 227 visa-free, while those of South Korea and Singapore, which are tied in second place, enjoy a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 192.

Germany and Spain are joint third, with visa-free access to 190 destinations worldwide. The UK and the US remain in sixth and seventh places, with scores of 187 and 186.

Australia comes in eighth at 185, maintaining the top 10 spot it has held for the almost two decades the index has been in existence.  

The passport you would least like to hold is that of Afghanistan with a score of just 27.

On a macro level, latest study by Henley & Partners reveals that just 6% of passports worldwide give their holders visa-free access to more than 70% of the global economy.

And only 17% of countries give their passport holders visa-free access to more than four-fifths of the world's 227 destinations.

The Japanese passport gives visa-free access to 85% of the world and, collectively, these countries account for a whopping 98% of the global economy.

India has the world's fifth-largest economy, but its passport holders can access just 59 destinations worldwide visa free. 

For full details see https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index 

Sri Lanka aiming to lure back tourists

Sri Lanka has unveiled plans to issue longer visas to help revive its tourism sector.

The Tourism Ministry will extend visas from 30 days to over six months when visitors apply via Electronic Travel Authorisation, Travel Mole reports.

To be honest, I'm not sure how much that will help. 

Very few Australian tourists would want to visit for over a month - and the country's image has taken a recent battering.

The tourism industry in Sri Lanka has been struggling due to the both the Covid-19 pandemic and an ongoing economic crisis.

The Tourism Ministry said those on certain single entry visas can now stay up to 270 days, and multiple entry visas could potentially be extended for up to a year.

Sri Lanka, however, has been hit hard by political unrest with ongoing protests, curfews and blackouts.

Several countries have advised against non-essential travel to the island nation due to shortages of food, fuel and medicine.

The Sri Lankan government has also been heavily criticised by foreign diplomats and human rights organizations for its brutal crackdown on political protests.

Image: Nick Arundel, Scop.io

Playing the powerful passport game

Japan and Singapore continue to share top spot on the Henley Passport Index - the global rankings list of all the world's passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.

Passport holders from Japan and Singapore are able to access 192 destinations around the world visa-free, not taking any temporary Covid restrictions into account, as of Q2, 2022.

Germany and South Korea hold joint-second place, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 190, while Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain share third place, with their passport holders able to access 189 destinations around the world without having to acquire a visa in advance. 

The UK, which recently dropped all remaining Covid-related restrictions, now has a score of 187, with the US just one place behind, with a score of 186.

New Zealand is also on 186 with Australia trailing on 185, alongside Canada.  

Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the index­ — which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) — with its nationals only able to access 26 destinations visa-free.

Dr Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, says the latest update provides a unique snapshot of a volatile and rapidly changing world.

"The country you are born in dramatically impacts the quality and extent of opportunities you will have in your life as well as the challenges you might face along the way," he said.

"Holding more than one citizenship, with the range of personal access rights each guarantees, is the ultimate asset in a time of crisis and volatility."

The Henley Passport Index compares the visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations. If no visa is required, then a score with value = 1 is created for that passport. The same applies if you can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination.

Discover the most powerful passports on the planet

Passport holders from Singapore and Japan are the luckiest in the world.

The latest results from the Henley Passport Index show record-breaking levels of travel freedom for citizens of Japan and Singapore, but also the widest recorded global mobility gap since the index's inception 17 years ago.

Without taking temporary Covid-related restrictions into account, passport holders of the two Asian nations can now enter 192 destinations around the world visa-free - which is 166 more than Afghanistan, which sits at the bottom of the index.

The deepening divide in international mobility between wealthier countries and poorer ones was bought into sharp focus late last year by a raft of Covid restrictions against mainly African nations that United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres described as akin to "travel apartheid."

According to historical data, an individual could, on average, visit 57 countries in 2006 visa-free. 

Today, that number has risen to 107, but this overall increase masks a growing disparity between countries in the global north and those in the global south, with nationals from countries such as Sweden and the US able to visit more than 180 destinations visa-free, while passport holders from Angola, Cameroon, and Laos can only enter about 50.

Germany and South Korea hold onto joint second spot on the latest ranking, with passport holders able to access 190 destinations visa-free, while Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain share third place, with a score of 189.

The US and the UK passports have regained some of their previous strength after falling in 2020 with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 186.

Australians have 185 visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations.

Dr Christian H Kaeilin, the inventor of the passport index concept, says opening up migration channels is essential for post-pandemic recovery.

"Passports and visas are among the most important instruments impacting on social inequality worldwide as they determine opportunities for global mobility," he said.

"The borders within which we happen to be born, and the documents we are entitled to hold, are no less arbitrary than our skin color. Wealthier states need to encourage positive inward migration to help redistribute and rebalance human and material resources worldwide."

rong' nation can heavily impact on your access to business, health, and medical services, and make it impossible for some to travel."

Read the index: https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index

Image: Axel Buekert, Scop.io