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December 10, 2008

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WHERE'S JOHNNY JET?               Passport and Visa Expeditors
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PASSPORT AND VISAS EXPEDITERS
I wasn't in L.A. very long and I had plenty to do so standing in line to get a last-minute visa just wasn't going to happen. I needed visas for my Jet Airways around-the-world trip to India and China. I'd heard of passport and visa expeditors but I'd never used them before, probably because they aren't cheap. Last year, when I went to Brazil, I stood in line at the Brazilian Embassy in L.A. and took care of business myself. This time, I wasn't only short on time but passport pages so I really needed to get crackin'. For a second there, I didn't think 10 days was going to be enough – but after contacting A. Briggs Passport & Visa Expediters, based in Washington, D.C., I realized I had nothing to worry about.

A BRIGGS
I found A Briggs on Johnny Jet's Travel Portal. They had the country forms I needed to fill out on their website, for both China and India. These guys have been in business nearly 40 years and specialize in securing these types of documents so I knew I was in good hands. After seeing the prices, I was grateful I didn't need the same-day rush service at a cost of $165 per visa. Regular rush delivery was $115 (described as ‘as quickly as the Embassy will issue it') and non-rush service cost $55. Keep in mind, these prices are on top of what the country charges -- which isn't cheap. For U.S. citizens to enter India for up to six months, it's a $60 consular fee plus a $13 service fee. For China, it's a flat but steep $130. Both require you to fill out their forms and usually you need to pay by money order but with A Briggs, you can pay by credit card and use their FedEx account for overnight delivery ($23).



INDIAN AND CHINESE VISAS
Many travelers don't realize that most countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months before entering and that it must have at least two blank pages for each country requiring a visa. The application process for a visa for India was kind of pain in the butt. The questions are easy but it takes time (a good 30 minutes) to read and 20 minutes to fill out. It also requires two passport-sized photos. The Chinese visa was also on a PDF but the document couldn't actually be saved on your computer. The application for the Chinese visa took a lot less time and required only one passport-sized photo but the questions made me feel like they really didn't want visitors. The questions included: Do you have HIV, leprosy or any other infectious diseases? And they wanted to know if you have a criminal record. Good thing I'm clean. Passport-sized photo tip: Each applicant needs professional passport-sized photos to include with the application. Kinko's charges $14.02 for two but Costco charges just $4.99!

ADDING EXTRA PASSPORT PAGES
Since I was running low on blank passport pages, I had A Briggs also add them. It's usually a free service if you plan in advance but the State Department charged me $60 for a rush job. Tip: It's much easier and cheaper to add pages to a passport at an American embassy overseas than to mail it in. I did it two years ago in Prague and the entire process took only 25 minutes and I did not have to part with my passport for the standard two weeks. Helpful link: U.S. Department of State: How to Add Extra Pages to Your U.S. Passport.

PASSPORT AND CREDIT CARD TIPS
The best part of the whole process is that I could go to A Briggs' homepage once (or a hundred times) a day and check the real-time status of my application(s) by just typing in my last name and date of birth. When everything was completed, my passport was FedEx-ed to me a day before departure which is what I was quoted. Tip: The moment I was reunited with my baby, I scanned the important pages, including the visas. I then emailed them to a web-based account I rarely use so I could access them while on the road if needed. I also made two photocopies: one to store in a separate bag and another to keep in my desk. I also did this with the fronts and backs of everything in my wallet -- just in case they got lost or stolen -- so I knew who to call without wasting time.

IMMUNIZATIONS AND GADGETS
I then made an appointment with Dr. Dave to get the immunizations I needed (for typhoid, flu, polio, booster, Hepatitis A, etc.) and to stock up on some prescriptions and medications, just in case I got Delhi belly or whatever. I walked out of Target like a mini mobile pharmacy. To make my carry-on bag complete, I packed the electrical converters I needed as well as my mini surge protector and electrical strip. FYI: A good website to find out which adaptor you need is WhatPlug.info.

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