Top Tips to Apply for Your Children’s Visa When You Travel

As you may know from when you’ve travelled abroad in the past, part of the process is often obtaining your travel visa to be permitted entry to your destination, depending on where you’re visiting. For example, if you’re from the UK, then to enter the USA, you require a US ESTA waiver; to enter the European Union, you can currently visit for 90 days visa-free; while to visit other countries such as Kenya, Vietnam or Sri Lanka, you require an eVisa. You also need to check for children’s visas too.

 

Of course, if you’re jetting off somewhere nice this is worthwhile because, for many countries, the visa regulations for children may be different from those for adults. For instance, you might be able to travel with your children on your passport, rather than them requiring their own travel document. Meanwhile, some countries waive their visa for children to visit too, which is a plus!

family of three on a sandy beach dipping their toes in the water

 

With this in mind, find below some handy tips to help you check your children’s visa requirements and help you apply for when you next travel, courtesy of eVisa service Byevisa. These could come in handy, whether your next destination is in Europe, Asia, America or elsewhere.

 

Check Whether Your Children’s Visa Is Free

Most international destinations require children’s visa to enter. As such, when you’re applying for your family’s travel documents, you must apply for your kids’ separately too. Fortunately, though, to encourage families to visit and so lift the tourism sector, many countries waive their usual visa fee for kids. For example, this is the case for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where under-18s can visit for free.

 

Notably, for Brits, this is also the case for the EU’s upcoming ETIAS visa waiver. ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System, and it’s a travel document that Britons (as well as Americans, Australians, and other nationalities) must apply for from 2022/3 to visit Europe. For adults, the ETIAS costs €7. Yet for children under 18 and adults over 70, the waiver will be free – a bonus for people travelling with older relatives and tots!

 

With this in mind, when you’re considering your next holiday destination, be sure to check whether children visas hold a visa fee. It could be a useful factor in choosing one location or another.

 

Confirm Whether Your Children Can Feature on Your Passport

Another factor to keep top of mind when you’re deciding which country to visit next with your family is whether your children can feature on your passport or if they require their own. Clearly, if you’re yet to apply for your children’s own passports, it’s beneficial when a country allows you all to enter with just your travel document, as this reduces your costs and paperwork.

 

Whether your children require their own passport differs from country to country. Vietnam, for example, is flexible either way, as is Turkey. Given this, it’s an especially good idea to check the regulations of the country you’re planning to visit in advance. This will ensure that, while you’re planning your trip, you meet all the requirements to obtain your visas first time. This way, you can focus on all the fun things you’ll see and do together, rather than filling in forms!

 

Factor the Whole Family’s Costs into Your Budget

A further factor to stay on top of while you’re applying for your travel visas is how much you’ll spend as a family. This is useful because some countries, particularly in further-flung locations, require you to demonstrate that you can financially support yourselves during your trip to grant you your travel passes. After all, your costs will be greater if you’re travelling with three kids, compared to when it’s just your spouse and yourself.

brightly coloured paper Map of the world with dollar notes scattered all over it

So to help you do this, estimate how much you’ll spend on each part of your holiday. There’s your accommodation, restaurants, attractions and exhibits, transports and other day-to-day expenses. When you’ve got an idea of how much you’re likely to spend, you can clearly demonstrate on your visa application your ability to meet these expenses. In turn, this increases the likelihood that your application will be promptly accepted.

 

To sum up, these three factors will help you to decide where to go next on holiday with your kids, and to ensure your visa applications go smoothly and easily. Choosing a destination that waives the kids’ visa fee, doesn’t require children to have their own passport, and where you’re not required to demonstrate your financial means could be a good idea. Wherever you go next with your family, have a fantastic trip!

 

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Anna

Anna

Hi, I’m Anna, a travel loving wife to Tristan and Mother to 6 year old twins Poppy and Tabitha, their 3 year old sister Matilda, and together we are Twins and Travels.

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