Are you thinking about a vacation? But you’re not sure where to go.. or even where you can go? With the political uncertainty in the world, it’s hard to know where you can and can’t go without a visa. Well, the internet gods are here to help you figure this out. A new site, called VisaDB will give you all the information you need. Simply put in your information and off you go. You will need to include your citizenship, the type of travel you want to do, and where you want to go. The sites host (Lana) will tell you where you can go.
When I say the type of travel you want to do, I mean why you’re travelling. So if it’s just for a quick trip abroad, you will want to select “travel visa free”. But you have at least one other option right now, which is “startup abroad”. What’s great about this is that it will give you some really neat information about the country you want to go to. I put in my citizenship, and that I wanted to startup abroad, and specified Europe. From there, I can pick a Country – let’s say France. The information I get now is how long I can be there for – 48 months, and how difficult it is to obtain the proper documentation. According to Lana, it’s low for France.
From there, you can click on Visa Requirements, and it not only lists them, but it also tells you what documentation you need and how to apply. Under Visa requirements, it tells you things like – how much money your investor must invest in you in order to be eligible. Again, for France, it is only 10%. There is a long list of other requirements, but I think this type of direct and clear information is really valuable.
If you’re just looking to travel, it’s also really simple. Again, give your citizenship, that you want to travel visa-free and then select where you want to go. Again, I chose Europe. Right off the top, Lana lets me know that I can travel to 45 countries without needing a Visa, and that there are 8 European countries that I would need one. But what is really cool about this site is that it gives you some stats.
For example, I can go to Albania for one month without needing a Visa. But then the site compares costs for me. Indicating that accommodations in Albania are 78% cheaper than where I live. Restaurants are 54% cheaper, and transportation is 87% cheaper. So if I’m looking for a vacation on the cheap, I might consider Albania. Obviously, I chose that one as it is first in the alphabet, but you get the idea.
Right now the site is limited in terms of what you can search for, but they have plans to expand. Soon you will be able to say that you want to work or study abroad, or even get citizenship somewhere. And Lana will tell you how you can get that. Or if you can get it. I really like the way that this site lays out all of the information in a very clear way. Even if it’s just for travel, these are things you need to know. Applying for a visa to get into some countries can take a long time. Don’t get caught off guard and disrupt your travel plans because you didn’t do your research!