TZ Visa data?

AlanS

I'm getting an early start on our visa applications for our K&T trip in June.

Could Gary (Cantraveller), LeoM, Meril, or anyone else who has applied for Tanzanian and Kenyan visas either by mail or in person please provide the following info:

Line 9. on the current Tanzanian visa application:

"9. Contact Person(s) in Tanzania _________
Address _____________"

Line 7. of the Kenyan visa application:

"7. Full names and addresses of Hotels/Places/Firms/Friends or Relatives to be visited in Kenya (Physical
Address) __________
Telephone/Cell no. _____________"

What did you all use for this data? If I remember from previous (non-visa) tours, similar info may have been included in Tauck's final documents (in the little book), but in any case, since I haven't paid in full yet I don't have it and would rather not wait for it.

I am including a cut & paste letter made up from the Tauck summary of purchase letter and an abbreviated itinerary, but it does not include addresses. Should I add them (from the internet), or is there one single address/phone number to put on the form that will do? I realize the embassies have handled many Tauck traveler visa requests, but I would rather the application be a perfect as possible in case a newbie is assigned to review it.

Also, in an old post, Tauck Emily said applications can't be processed any earlier than 90 days before travel. I did not see anywhere where it said that on either embassy websites. They just said the visa is good for 6 months from date of issue. I suspect Emily was referring to processing by Pinnacle? Any comments?

Thanks for your help.

[Deleted User]

AlanS wrote:

I'm getting an early start on our visa applications for our K&T trip in June.

Could Gary (Cantraveller), LeoM, Meril, or anyone else who has applied for Tanzanian and Kenyan visas either by mail or in person please provide the following info:

Line 9. on the current Tanzanian visa application:

"9. Contact Person(s) in Tanzania _________
Address _____________"

Line 7. of the Kenyan visa application:

"7. Full names and addresses of Hotels/Places/Firms/Friends or Relatives to be visited in Kenya (Physical
Address) __________
Telephone/Cell no. _____________"

What did you all use for this data? If I remember from previous (non-visa) tours, similar info may have been included in Tauck's final documents (in the little book), but in any case, since I haven't paid in full yet I don't have it and would rather not wait for it.

I am including a cut & paste letter made up from the Tauck summary of purchase letter and an abbreviated itinerary, but it does not include addresses. Should I add them (from the internet), or is there one single address/phone number to put on the form that will do? I realize the embassies have handled many Tauck traveler visa requests, but I would rather the application be a perfect as possible in case a newbie is assigned to review it.

Also, in an old post, Tauck Emily said applications can't be processed any earlier than 90 days before travel. I did not see anywhere where it said that on either embassy websites. They just said the visa is good for 6 months from date of issue. I suspect Emily was referring to processing by Pinnacle? Any comments?

Thanks for your help.

We are leaving in three weeks on this trip and secured our visas directly from the respective embassies here in Washington.

For the questions about points of contact in the countries, I used the contact information (from the web) of the first hotels in each country. As in "General Manager, Lake Duluti Serena Hotel, Tel: (+255) 272553049."

This didn't seem to present any problem. We also had copies of our flight itineraries into Tanzania and out of Kenya plus the booking receipt from Tauck. This worked for us.

As you note, there isn't really a not earlier date for applying as long as the trip happens within the period of the visa. Both embassies provided over-the-counter-service in 5 business days. No idea how long by mail.

AlanS

Thanks. That is what I will do. While I could drop one application off in DC when we visit our daughter, the processing time would prevent me from doing both in one trip and I would need to have them mail it back to me. I'll just send them via FEDEX or UPS with tracking.

Another question- what did you enter for "Budget Available For Your Stay" (Line 14. on the TZ application)? - "Prepaid air and tour- "Adequate," "Unlimited", or some random, bogus amount?

My son-in-law is a Foreign Service Officer for the State Department and my daughter has worked in the consular sections of our embassies in Colombia and Libya, so I know the reason for these questions. You would not believe some of the answers to similar questions she got during interviews of people applying for US visas!!!!!

She: "Have you ever been to the US?"

Applicant: "No"

She: "How long will you be staying in the US?"

Applicant: "7 days"

She: "Where do you plan to go?"

Applicant: "New York City, Washington DC, Disney World, Grand Canyon, Hollywood, and San Francisco."

She: "How will you be traveling?"

Applicant: "By car"

She: "Have you purchased airline tickets yet?"

Applicant: "No"

She: "What funds do you have for your airfare and travels in the US?"

Applicant: "Almost $300!"

British

ALAN, if you do a little cheating and go into the visacentral.com/tauck you can click on the Tauck Kenya and Tanzania tour info for Visa Kit and you will find provided the details you will need, no need to set up an account or anything. there are two lots of names and addresses. I just did this because I am curious since Tauck no longer uses Pinnacle but it looks as if Visa central provide the same details you need to fill out applications correctly. They do seem to stress not doing it too early, but we had to do it earlier than just three months for Tanzania this past year because we needed our passports for other foreign travel before then. I'm thinking that Visa central prices look better than Pinnacle did. Wonder why they stopped using Pinnacle, we never had any problems with their service. We really did not have the time or inclination to do this ourselves my husband is not of retirement age. Good luck with all your travelling details, the months will fly by for your trip now.

cantraveller

All I did was referred them to Tauch at their phone number as well as send them a copy of the itinerary which showed hotels in each area. I had no problem what so ever.

Gary

cantraveller

Alan, as I recall the visa is good only for 90days from the date they stamp it, so send it in as close to the departure as you can as long so that it will cover the period when you are there once approved. I did my own and sent it to the embassy courier and got it back in 2 weeks. I gave them a prepaid courier envelope to send it back. They were really good and took the Kenya visa across the street and returned both to me. I am not sure if they will do this in the US. I also called them in Ottawa before I sent to make sure what they needed.
I find it works well if you phone the embassy or the visa company to ensure what documents they require. I just did the with the visa company for my Brazilian visa and found out there was new info required so sent the correct info the first time. I sent it out and had it back in my hand in 10 days.
Gary

jdurkin

AlanS wrote:

She: "Have you ever been to the US?"

Applicant: "No"

She: "How long will you be staying in the US?"

Applicant: "7 days"

She: "Where do you plan to go?"

Applicant: "New York City, Washington DC, Disney World, Grand Canyon, Hollywood, and San Francisco."

She: "How will you be traveling?"

Applicant: "By car"

She: "Have you purchased airline tickets yet?"

Applicant: "No"

She: "What funds do you have for your airfare and travels in the US?"

Applicant: "Almost $300!"

O. M. Goodness! So glad I was not drinking tea as I read your post, Alan, otherwise the monitor would likely be drinking it, too!
Alan, are you quite sure your daughter wasn't moonlighting for Aussie DEFAT? Because these answers are so similar to the questions asked on the Australian forum. Granted they do spend about 9 touring days in Australia, but the lower 48 does fit inside Australia ..... so I don't like their chances of fitting in the equivalent itinerary here! Maybe ignorance really is bliss! ))))

[Deleted User]

cantraveller wrote:

Alan, as I recall the visa is good only for 90days from the date they stamp it, so send it in as close to the departure as you can as long so that it will cover the period when you are there once approved.

The Kenya Visa is good for 6 months with one entry (not counting crossings from neighboring countries, specifically Tanzania).

The Tanzanian visa is good for a year.

Both of the above reflected on our visas obtained in December.

cantraveller

I checked the visa stamps in my passport and in 2012 Tanzania was good for 90 days and Kenya for a year.
Gary

AlanS

Portolan wrote:

The Kenya Visa is good for 6 months with one entry (not counting crossings from neighboring countries, specifically Tanzania).

The Tanzanian visa is good for a year.

Both of the above reflected on our visas obtained in December.

cantraveller wrote:

I checked the visa stamps in my passport and in 2012 Tanzania was good for 90 days and Kenya for a year.
Gary

Gary, I went to their respective websites and just re-confirmed that the longer periods cited by Portolan are the most current.

Thanks all. (and British, a special thanks for the VisaCentral tip. Wink, wink )

Jan, I'm wondering if some of the applicants my daughter interviewed were just trying to fill their passports with Visa stamps which they will never have the resources or time to use. She also did background checks on quite a few who had criminal records or other issues which would make them ineligible for a visa.

jdurkin

))) Ah, Alan, you really do have to wonder about some people, don't you! And just think of all those stories she can't tell you.

Cheers,

Jan