Visa 101 for the wandering Juans

MANILA, Philippines - Visa applications shouldn’t discourage you from traveling to nearby countries. In fact, applying for visas to Asian countries such as Japan, Korea and China can be fairly easy — especially with today’s fast communication and quick access to information.

Thanks to the Internet, you can be armed with knowledge on the specific requirements of visa application. Nowadays, first-hand accounts of those who have applied for travel visas can be found in blogs and wikis, giving you quick references. So find out which documents you’ll need and prepare them, especially since it’s very important that you make a good first impression to the embassy you’re sending your application to.

Eye the official websites

The fastest and most reliable way to find out how to acquire a visa is to visit the website of the embassy concerned. Official embassy websites, such as the ones for Japan (http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp), China (http://ph.china-embassy.org/eng) and South Korea (http://embassy_philippines.mofat.go.kr/eng), usually have a section devoted to visa applications.

This section contains a detailed list of requirements, such as the specific size of passport photos, and types of official documents needed, like birth and marriage certificates issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO). Some even ask for your possible itinerary.

Some websites may also indicate if a personal appearance is required or if going through a travel agency is necessary — things you would need to know to avoid going back and forth to the embassy to complete the requirements, or worse, having your application denied and going through the process all over again.

Application forms are also available for download to minimize your visits to the embassy.

Make the blogging rounds

If completing necessary requirements become a hurdle, look for active bloggers who willingly give helpful advice covering both the basics and the nitty-gritty details.

Travel bloggers who are already familiar with embassy protocols remind applicants not to wear headbands, jewelry, caps and hats when getting their passport photo taken because they need to have a full-face front view.

More importantly, they also advice you to glue the photo on the application form because there are embassies that do not accept stapled or scanned photos.

Bloggers also advise travelers to submit photocopies of certain documents — not counting the NSO-certified ones — since these won’t be returned to you.

They also highly suggest first-time applicants to provide supporting documents, such as a photocopy of the return ticket or a bank certificate, aside from the ones required by the embassy.

Letting them know you have a valid visa to another country such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand would make you an even better candidate. Having these files can make your visa application process possibly faster — even as fast as three days.

Once you’ve completed and reviewed your documents, finding the most reliable travel agency is the next step. Friends who have undergone visa application through travel agencies, or bloggers with detailed lists of expenses, can give their recommendations.

Find the right agency for you, submit your complete requirements and wait for the feedback.

Getting ready to go

Visa requirements are not a hindrance to traveling to different Asian destinations. Once you get your visa approved, book your flight via Cebu Pacific (CEB) and discover new sights and explore new places.

CEB has the most routes to top Asian destinations such as Osaka in Japan, Incheon and Busan in Korea, Taiwan, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Cebu Pacific is the Philippine’s number one domestic carrier, offering not only the lowest year-round all-inclusive fares to its 33 domestic and 14 international destinations, but also frequent seat sales and promos, making every Juan’s travel dreams a reality.

Visit www.cebupacificair.com, call the 24-hour reservation hotlines at (02) 702-0888 or (032) 230-8888, or visit the airline’s ticketing offices and accredited travel agents for more details on what awaits you with Cebu Pacific.