Perry International - Updates
Perry International - Passport Expediting, Visa Services, Document Legalization, Authentications

• China
  Beginning August 1st, the basic Chinese visa, for U.S. citizens, will be a 1 year multiple entry visa. They will charge $100 for this visa. There will no longer be single or double entry, short term visas.
• Thailand
  Thailand has raised their fees for visas.
• India
  Indian visas are now taking from 3 to 4 weeks. The Chicago Consulate is in complete chaos. We have seen at least 1 other visa service decide to no longer work with this consulate. While we will continue to submit applications on behalf of our clients, we have no control over if and when a visa is finished.
• China
  In response to U.S. policy, the Chinese Government is going back to the issuance of single entry visas. The visas will be valid for 1 year, but only for a single entry. Also, for a business visa, an invitation from the host company in China is again required. Tourists may apply for a double entry visa, if they have an itinerary showing the need for two entries. Business travelers may apply for a multiple entry visa with an official invitation from an authorized Chinese unit.
• Labor Day Holiday
  The U.S. Passport Office, most consulates and embassies and Perry International will be closed Monday, September 3rd for Labor Day.
• Brazilian Holiday
  The Brazilian Consulates and Embassy will also be closed Friday September 7th.
• China
  The Chinese Government has a new 2 sided application. They have advised that the application must be the front and back of a single sheet of paper. This form WILL BE REQUIRED STARTING SEP. 4TH. They have also advised us that, an invitation is only required for multiple entry visas. Single entry visas will be issued without one. A multiple entry visa may also be requested if the applicant has a previous Chinese visa in their passport.
• India
  The Indian government is in the early stages of having its entire visa application process outsourced. The consulates and embassy will stop accepting applications and everything will go through a private company. No dates have been set for this transition. While all of the consulates are backed up, Chicago has completely fallen apart. There are, literally, thousands of passports and applications stacked up along the walls. The consulate has no idea how long visas will take. We are still waiting on applications submitted Aug 2nd. Visas are processed based on an applicants state of residence. The embassy in Washington DC even requires a copy of a State ID proving residence. The other 3 consulates in New York, Houston and San Fransisco, currently, only use what is listed on the application for determining residence. If clients use the visa packets for processing in these other locations, they must have an address in that consulates jurisdiction. This may change at any time.
• India
  We are raising our service charge to assist with Indian visas. For U.S. passports our service charge will be $55 and for Non-U.S., it will be $65.
• U.S. Passports
  The temporary accommodation, allowing U.S. citizens to travel by air within the Western Hemisphere using a receipt of passport application, will end as scheduled at midnight on September 30, 2007.
• Tanzania
  Tanzania has increased their consular fee for U.S. citizens
• India
  The Indian government has announced the outsourcing of Indian visas will begin Oct. 1st. The biggest change will be that all applications must be completed online. We have added the link to this application in the visa section of our website. The fee for Indian visas will increase by $13. In addition all applications will need to be submitted with an individual postal money order. Clients may get their own money orders or Perry International will get them for an additional $5 service charge per money order. A copy of a driver license or state ID will now be required with all applications. Visas not requiring special approval will take 3 days at the outsourcing company.
• Website
  We have modified our website to offer the visa packets for Work visas. We have also made some modifications that we hope will improve the functionality of the visa section.
• Chinese Holiday
  The Chinese consulate in Chicago will be closed Oct. 1st. through 3rd, next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The embassy in Washington DC will only be closed Oct 1st, so we can process emergencies through the embassy.
• Nigeria
  Nigeria is now requiring the visa application be completed and the consular fee be paid online. In addition they are requiring applicants have their photo scanned into a file and uploaded while completing the application online. The embassy is charging a $20 or $65, depending on turn around time, processing fee in addition to the consular fee paid online.
• Bolivia
  Bolivia has a new visa application.
• Columbus Day Holiday
  The U.S. Passport Office, most consulates and embassies and Perry International will be closed Monday, October 8th for Columbus Day.
• Angola
  The Angolan Embassy advises that some applications require prior permission from Angola before they can issue the visa. Since March, we have not seen the embassy issue a visa and the fees are nonrefundable.
• India
  Indian visas, on average, are taking 7 business days.
• Money Orders
  More and more countries are requiring postal money orders to pay consular fees. Perry International will be charging $5 for each money order that we get. Clients may send in a postal money order with their visa application and avoid the $5 charge. We have included new instructions regarding money orders in our visa packets for the following countries: Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, India, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kyrgyz, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Sweden, Thailand, Togo, United Arab Emirates, and Zambia.
• Emailing Invoices
  More and more clients are asking for invoices to be emailed to their accounting department. If you are not currently getting invoices emailed and would like to, let us know.
• Japan
  Effective November 23, 2007, Japan will implement new immigration procedures which require fingerprints and a facial photograph be taken upon arrival.
• Brazil
  Brazil has started insisting that an itinerary be submitted with business visa applications. We have always asked for this in our instructions. It was just not mandatory, in the past.
• Schengen Agreement
  Schengen Agreement - Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia will join the current Schengen countries. They will begin to implement the agreement on 21 December 2007 for overland borders and seaports, and on 29 March 2008 for airports. For U.S. passport holders, the total stay allowed in the Schengen Area is 90 days. Those nationalities that require a short term visa can get one visa valid for all countries. The entry requirements page for each country participating in the Schengen agreement does contain this information.
• Veterans Day Holiday
  The U.S. Passport Office, most consulates and embassies and Perry International will be closed Monday, November 12th for Veterans Day.
• United Kingdom
  From December 3, 2007, all visa applicants, irrespective of nationality, will be required to provide their biometric data when they apply for a visa for the United Kingdom. This WILL NOT affect U.S. citizens who are staying less than 6 months as no visa is required for them.
• Brazil
  The Brazilian Consulates are now requiring a copy of a state ID with all visa applications.
• Bolivia
  The Bolivian Embassy has a new visa application and they are requiring 2 of them a