| First, a cautionary tale: At the age of twenty, I flew | | | | allow you to buy a travel visa within their borders, but |
| from Sydney, Australia to Saigon, Vietnam with a | | | | some don't. My advice is to purchase them |
| layover in Singapore. Caught up in the excitement, I | | | | beforehand, just in case. Besides, it will save you time |
| failed to research the travel visa requirements for | | | | when crossing the border. |
| Americans. Turns out I had to learn this lesson the hard | | | | Understand the different visas available. One of my |
| way... | | | | former clients was disallowed entry into Brazil for |
| After almost an entire day of airplanes and airports, I | | | | business purposes. After hours on the phone with the |
| arrived in Vietnam, sans visa. Within five minutes I was | | | | embassy, we discovered he could enter with a tourist |
| shipped back to Singapore on the exact same plane. | | | | visa, and save a lot of headaches. |
| Fortunately, Singapore does not require a visa for | | | | Maintain a Zen-like calm. Let's be honest here: there is |
| Americans, and I planned on flying back there | | | | no place in the world that is more bureaucratic than a |
| anyways. Still, it took me eight years before I was able | | | | border; you get the joy of dealing with not just one |
| to visit Vietnam again... | | | | government, but two (including your own). Don't be |
| Learn from my mistake. Here is some hard won | | | | surprised if there are surcharges, "handling fees" and |
| advice for travel visa requirements: | | | | time limitations... do your homework and prepare |
| Buy your visa before you arrive. This point was driven | | | | yourself ahead of time to avoid at least some of |
| home when I arrived in Vietnam. Many countries will | | | | these delays. |