Easier Taiwan visa this month for Macau citizens

January 21, 2012

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

Local residents could find it easier to enter Taiwan soon, the director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office said yesterday. Quoted by TDM, Lo Muh Kuen said the details of a proposal were still being reviewed but that there would be news by the end of this month. However, he didn’t reveal whether or not that would involve a visa exemption for Macau residents, something that has been repeatedly demanded by local authorities.

Last November the head of the Chief Executive cabinet, Alexis Tam Chong Weng, said residents could soon enter Taiwan without a visa. “Taiwan visitors don’t need one when they reach Macau. It’s not fair. It’s very likely that we might solve this problem very soon,” he said.

In July, Lai Shin Yuan, the minister of Mainland Affairs Council – Taipei’s top China policy-making body –, said Taiwan authorities would consider offering visa-free entry for local residents. Macau citizens are currently able to apply online free of charge for Taiwan visas. If the request is accepted, all the tourists have to do is print out the visa agreement. The entry permit is valid for three months and allows visitors to stay on the island for a month.

The new procedures, introduced in September 2010, led to an increase in the number of Macau tourists visiting Taiwan, the island’s representatives in the territory said.

Source Macau Daily Times

Russia sets up yet another border checkpoint

January 19, 2012

Storskog border station car-queue

Norway and Russia are introducing visa-free travel in the border zone to ease contact between neighbors. FSB border guard on the other side has set up yet another checkpoint on the road, making European record on passport control between two countries. There are now four checkpoints in 30 kilometers.

Travelers were taken by surprise when the new checkpoint appeared just outside Nikel on the road towards Kirkenes. Shouldn’t it be easier to drive between the two countries’ border towns? The new checkpoint was put in place after New Year. Asked by BarentsObserver for what reason, the border guard smiles and says “…because it is border zone.”

Russia’s border zone regime is getting more and more strict. 2012 makes new surprises.

Over the last few years, Oslo and Moscow have both highlighted the speedy development of neighborhood contacts across the border in the north and the need to ease border-crossing procedures. The agreement on visa-free border crossings is an important step to remove barriers in the border area, Norway’s Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told BarentsObserver when he visited Kirkenes last year.

Also Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said to BarentsObserver when chatting in Kiruna last October that the new regime for visa-free travel will ease border-crossing procedures between Norway and Russia.

Driving the road between the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes and the Russian border town of Nikel shows another reality. There are few signs of removed barriers. The border bureaucracy is still comprehensive and the numbers of checkpoints for clearing your passport are more numerous today than during the Cold War when the Norwegian, Soviet border was said to be one of the most closed in the world.

Border-crossing exercise
Let’s make a virtual trip from Kirkenes across the border and see how it works in 2012. Destination is Nikel, the first Russian town on the road from Norway. Both towns are located inside the 30 kilometer border zone where locals are supposed to travel without visa requirement from May this year.

First you have to pass through the Customs and passport control at the two official border stations, out of Norway and in to Russia. Time-spending is unpredictable, depending on numbers of vehicles in front of you in the queue. When more people cross the border, the longer are queues.

After Russian passport control, you need to fill in the detailed custom declaration, obligatory for everyone driving their own car. In two copies. Then is the Customs check of your car before you are cleared to drive the 50 meters to the gate letting you out of the border station area.

From the Borisoglebsk border station you drive for some 20 minutes along the road in what Russia defines as a special outer border zone, where you are only allowed to drive in transit. The zone is outside of the still-existing barbered wired fence stretching all along Russia’s border to Norway and Finland, from the Barents Sea in the north to the Finnish bay in the south.

You then have to slow down and stop for your third passport control at the checkpoint located where the inner border zone area gate is located. A friendly, but still very formal border guard official approach your car and thoroughly cross-check your passport once again, including the passport of all your passengers. Then he opens the gate and let you through. Then you are inside the barbered wire fence. Welcome to Russia? Well, not yet…

A few kilometers ahead there is suddenly another gate, set up after January 1st this year. For no obvious reason you once again have to slow down and stop. The polite border guard at duty asks for your documents. And your passengers’ documents, meaning once again that you have to hand out your passports. By the book, the border guard look at you and confirm the photo in your passport corresponds to your whatever looking face in the dark polar night, and cross-check that your visa and immigration formula has corresponding stamps.

The border guard will then opens the gate and a few kilometers later you are free to visit your neighboring friends in Nikel, or simply visit the local shops or cafés.

Upon return; same procedures again, this time in opposite order. All in all, a return visit between Kirkenes and Nikel, you are stopped eight times requested to show your documents. Welcome to border-crossing exercise at Europe’s northernmost border between Norway and Russia.

Source barentsobserver.com

ASEAN tourism forum highlights region’s push for further integration

January 17, 2012

The 2012 Asean Tourism Forum held in Indonesia

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations yesterday concluded its annual Tourism Forum in Manado, Indonesia, furthering plans to facilitate intra-regional travel for both ASEAN nationals and foreign tourists, officials said.

Promoting the theme “ASEAN Tourism for a Global Community of Nations”, the forum was held between January 8-15 and provided “a great platform for tourism cooperation between the ASEAN countries to facilitate economic development and environmental conservation”, Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Mari Elka Pangestu said in a statement.

The event has aimed to project ASEAN as a single, highly competitive tourist destination by establishing shared laws that reduced travel barriers for visitors both within and to the region.

Such efforts were continued last week when ministers from all 10 member countries voiced their commitment to accelerate the 2006 ASEAN Framework Agreement for Visa Exemption, which would ease or erase visa requirements for travelling ASEAN nationals.

Cambodian Association of Travel Agents president Ang Kim Eang said that the process has already been long in development, and that Cambodians “now only require visas from a few countries such as Brunei and Myanmar”, adding that he believed these visas could be obtained on arrival.

Figures released at the meeting confirmed that intra-ASEAN travel continued to form a major portion of the tourism industry, comprising 43 per cent of total international arrivals in 2011.

The ministers also were receptive to a new initiative to develop an ASEAN common visa for foreign tourists sometime in the future. Senior officials were told to organise a comprehensive study so that the common visa proposal might be submitted to the 23rd ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh in April.

Ang Kim Eang claimed that Cambodia and Thailand would spearhead the experiment by testing a “bilateral visa agreement”, wherein travelers in possession of a Thai visa would qualify for entry into Cambodian territory.

He did not offer a deadline for when such an initiative would start.

If successful, the common visa could expand throughout the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and eventually all ASEAN countries, he said.

Discussions also extended outside the ASEAN sphere, particularly concerning the major neighbouring countries of China and Japan.

The ASEAN-China Air Transport Agreement, meant to “significantly enhance air accessibility between ASEAN and China”, was entered into force, according to an official statement. Specifics of the agreement were not immediately available.

Japan was praised for its ongoing efforts to expand an “Open Skies” policy, or the opening of aviation markets between the participating partners, with other ASEAN countries.

Myanmar was appointed chief of GMS during the first days of the forum.

Ang Kim Eang said the decision was made to promote Myanmar’s more positive image in recent weeks, such as the release of hundreds of political prisoners, and to encourage further US involvement in the region.

The ASEAN Tourism Forum’s location changes each year according to alphabetical order. Laos is poised to host the 32nd forum in 2013.

Source Phnom Penh Post

India visa on arrival facility extended

January 14, 2012

The visa on arrival counter at an airport in India

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tourist visa on arrival which was introduced in January 2011 on an experimental basis for a year has been extended. However, it will not be of much benefit to Kerala as this facility is introduced only in metro cities.

Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a communique allowing tourist visa on arrival for 11 countries. Tourists from Japan, Singapore, Finland, Luxemburg, New Zealand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia can avail themselves of this facility. Those arriving in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai airports were granted visa on arrival.

Kerala, which is one of the hot tourism spots in the world, is yet to get the benefit of this facility as the airports here were not given the permission for visa stamping. Travel Agents Federation of India Kerala chairman Paulose K Mathew said that those preferring for South India package would only visit Kerala.

As far as Kerala is considered, the majority of the tourists are from European countries and Germany. “Emigration facility should be introduced at the airports in Kerala to cash in on the visa on arrival facility. A massive change in arrival of tourists can be witnessed only with more countries being added to the list,’’ he said.

There are several countries which provide this facility for Indian citizens and it should have been reciprocated to attract more tourists to India. The visa will have a validity of 30 days with single entry facility which will be granted by the immigration officers at the airports.

Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) managing director V J Kurian said that a proposal to provide visa on arrival at Nedumbassery airport was submitted by the Kerala Government to Ministry of Home Affairs. A decision in this regard is pending with the Union Government.

According to Paulose K Mathew, visa on arrival for tourists from other countries was very low at present. Steps should be taken to introduce the facility in countries where the Tourism Department is conducting road shows to attract the tourists there, he said.

Source IBN Live

Sri Lanka, no visa fees for transit passengers

January 14, 2012

Visa fee for children under 12 and passengers on a transit flight in Sri Lanka will be waived

The government has decided to exempt transit passengers and children less than 12 from having to pay visa fees, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said today.

This was based on a proposal by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the cabinet. It states that visa fees would be waived for children less than 12 years of age transit passengers who stay in the country up to 48 hours.

This move would be much favourable to Sri Lanka, as this system would boost visits by foreigners with children.

Source Daily Mirror

ASEAN, India sign agreement to promote tourism

January 14, 2012

The 10 ASEAN members will discusss unified ASEAN travel visa to ease travel

Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India have agreed to promote cooperation in tourism to help boost travel between the subcontinent and the Southeast Asian region. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on tourism cooperation was signed by ASEAN tourism ministers and their Indian counterpart during the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Manado, North Sulawesi, on Thursday.

Indonesian Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said that the MoU would serve as a key instrument to establish more concrete developments in facilitating travel between India and ASEAN. “We are pleased to note that the number of tourist arrivals between ASEAN and India has grown sharply of late,” she told a press conference at the Grand Kawanoa Convention Center.

The total number of tourist arrivals from ASEAN to India rose sharply to 439,000 in 2010 from 276,000 in 2009, meanwhile those from India to ASEAN reached a total of 2.2 million in 2011, up by nearly 10 percent from those recorded in 2010. A tourism marketing and promotion arm of ASEAN National Tourism Organizations, called the ASEAN Promotional Chapter, has also been established in Mumbai, India, to lure more Indian travelers to ASEAN.

United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Taleb Rifai said that the tourism industry in the ASEAN region remained robust despite the global economic slowdown challenging all parts of the world. “The global economic challenges are difficult. However, Indonesia, like any other ASEAN destinations will not be directly affected by this crisis,” he said.

Rifai said that tourist arrivals in the region grew by 9 percent in 2011, double the world’s growth of 4.4 percent. He cited the surging middle classes in the emerging countries as a potential market for ASEAN tourism. “China’s middle class grew by 50 percent, while Russia’s and Brazil’s middle classes grew by 21 percent and 22 percent, respectively. Those are potential markets,” Rifai said.

According to an ASEAN tourism ministers’ joint statement, the region attracted more than 79 million visitors last year, posting a 7.4 percent growth. Intra-ASEAN travel accounted for the highest number of tourists, making up 43 percent of the total international arrivals.

To attract more tourists inbound for ASEAN, the ministers have agreed to develop creative tourism, varying from heritage-, culture-, diving- to cruise ship-based tourism. The ministers also saw the establishment of the Tourism Professional Board and Tourism Professional Certification Board, completing the necessary requirements under the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on tourism professionals.

“Tourism professionals who have been certified will be able to work in any country within the ASEAN region,” said Mari. On the program to introduce a single ASEAN tourist visa, Mari said that the region would conduct the process in stages. “If we look at Europe, they didn’t do it all immediately — they did it in stages. So this could happen in ASEAN and you can start, say, between two countries as a pilot, or you can do it based on a group of people for example [common visas] for businesspeople,” she said.

ASEAN plans to introduce a single visa for non-ASEAN residents as part of the association’s plan to establish ASEAN as a single tourist destination. The ASEAN governments also plan to introduce free visas for all ASEAN residents in order to boost inter-ASEAN tourism. At present, only seven of the 10 ASEAN members issue free visas for ASEAN citizens. Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia are expected to soon follow suit.

Source The Jakarta Post

Sri Lanka online visa income tops Rs70 m

January 14, 2012

Sri Lanka online visa application form

Sri Lanka’s first government sector IT payment gate, Lanka Gate Internet Payment Gateway (IPG) which is created by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) has become a major attraction among foreign nationals who intend to obtain Sri Lanka visas online.

ICTA Communications Head Athula Pushpakumara said, “From the beginning of this year it has been made obligatory for all tourists to Sri Lanka to obtain their visas online.

“We see that IPG users are increasing every day. Over 3,000 foreign nationals are making online visa payments via IPG per day. Over 24,000 tourists have so far made online visa payments through the IPG within the first eight days alone since it became operational from January 1,” he said.

In addition, in the future, payments for all government services would be made via the Lanka Gate Internet Payment Gateway. A Sri Lankan will be entitled to obtain online government citizen services through this which is to be introduced in April by ICTA. Customers will have the opportunity to get the services pertaining to their passports, identity cards and other requirements by paying through the above system and it facilitates payments through credit and debit cards as well.

It was also said that Sri Lanka earned an income of Rs 70 million by issuing of visa within 10 days.

Source Sri Lanka Daily News

Notice for Application of Tourist and Family Visit Visa to China

January 13, 2012

All foreign travellers are required to apply for a visa in order to enter China

Since 16 January 2012 onwards, applicants applying for tourist and family visit visa should supplement the following supporting documents:

1. Invitation letter from a Chinese organization or a permanent resident in China; or
2. Air ticket booking record (round trip) and hotel reservation.

Source Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

ASEAN Single Visa Still Waiting for Approval from Cambodia and Myanmar

January 13, 2012

The ASEAN countries to introduce one visa regime soon

TEMPO Interactive, Manado, North Sulawesi:Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said that the establishment of an ASEAN single visa is still awaiting the approval from the Cambodian and Myanmar governments. However, the minister is optimistic that the ASEAN single visa policy can be completed this year.

“I believe last year the heads of state have made a commitment to complete [the policy] this year,” said Mari at the 2012 ASEAN Tourism Forum on Wednesday.

The idea for ASEAN single visa emerged as an effort to make ASEAN as a single destination. “This means that there will be no visa required for ASEAN member countries. We are also preparing for ASEAN Common Visa,” said the minister.

Source Tempo Interactive

Indonesia introduces ASEAN as single destination

January 12, 2012

South-East Asia visitors invited to 'feel the warmth'

N Sulawesi, Jan 11 (ANTARA) – Indonesia in the ongoing ASEAN Tourism Forum 2012 (ATF 2012) in Manado, North Sulawesi, has introduced ASEAN as a “single destination” with the banding of “Southeast Asia Feel The Warmth.”

“Starting today the brand `Southeast Asia Feel The Warmth` is officially introduced in Indonesia,” Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Mari Elka Pangestu said here on Wednesday. According to Mari, the preparation to make ASEAN a single destination was getting better and therefore free visa among ASEAN countries should be implemented as soon as possible.

“Therefore ASEAN heads of states/government have agreed that the visa-free problem will be dealt with this year to make it free indeed,” Mari said.

In connection with immigration issue, the minister said the governments of ASEAN member states were ripening “ASEAN Schengen Visa” as the “common visa procedure” that had been used in 27 European countries. “For the issue of ASEAN Schengen Visa, related ministers should give their inputs in the next summit in April or May this year because the ministry of tourism and creative economy will monitor it,” Mari said.

The ongoing ASEAN Tourism Forum in Manado that would last from January 8 – 15 was made up of the 35th ASEAN National Tourism Organization Meeting, Ministerial Meeting, and Travel Exchange participated in by 1400 participants from all ASEAN member states.

Of the 1400 participants, 400 are buyers, 900 are sellers, and 100 are reporters from international media. Themed “Tourism for a Global Community of Nations”, the 31st ASEAN Tourism Forum is also involving partner countries such as China, India, Russia, Japan, and South Korea.

Source mcot.net

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