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Traveling Soon? Everything You Need To Know

Accurate and Expedited Visa and Passport Solutions

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The Best Travel Visa Services

The 9 best travel visa services.

• Passport Visas Express
• Travel Visa Pro
• Rush My Travel Visa
• Handy Visas

What's the Easiest Way to Get a Travel Visa?

Online travel visa providers have revolutionized the way individuals apply for visas when planning their international trips. These services offer a wide range of benefits that simplify and expedite the travel visa application process, making it more convenient and accessible than ever before.

One of the most significant advantages of using online travel visa providers is the convenience they offer. Traditionally, getting a travel visa required multiple visits to embassies or consulates, which could be time-consuming and inconvenient. With online travel visa providers, you can complete the entire application process from the comfort of your own homes or office. This eliminates the need for in-person visits and long waiting times, saving you valuable time and effort.

Saturday, April 20th

2024 Travel Visa Service Reviews

• Can apply for multiple visa types (tourist, business, student)
• Works directly with embassies of 150+ countries
• Three tiers of service (Regular, Preparation, Concierge)
• Thousands of five-star reviews
• Customer service is easy to reach

Passport Visas Express has been providing expedited passports and express visa services for nearly two decades. They have received recognition from reputable sources like CNN, BudgetTravel, and The Washington Post as a reliable and affordable solution for obtaining travel visas online.

Works with embassies of most nations

Get started by selecting your travel destination: when you click on the button, it'll show you some of the most popular countries (China, Thailand, India) or you can select "view all countries" if where you're going isn't on that short list. Passport Visas Express works directly with the embassies of more than 150 countries, so you shouldn't have a hard time finding your location here.

You'll know if you need a visa

We were glad to see that this service makes it abundantly clear when travelers don't need a visa for travel to a particular destination. For example, at the time of this evaluation, Brazil had paused its requirements for tourist entry visas, and PVE stated that upfront at the top of the country-specific page. Helpfully, they also listed out other expedited visa types that were on offer, such as work, diplomatic, and non-US citizens.

You won't pay for something you don't need

Similarly, we were really impressed when we went to look up the Australian tourist visa , which is known as being both lengthy and expensive. What seemed like a downside - seeing that Passport Visas Express had it as "service currently unavailable" - turned out to be a huge mark in this company's favor. Why? When we reached out to their live chat agent (who responded promptly, by the way), they explained that at the moment, Australia was requiring all tourist visas to go through their embassy directly, with no third-party assistance allowed. Other companies were not so clear about that - and were perfectly willing to take our money for something we might not have needed (a different type of visa for those who didn't qualify for what the Australian government was offering to direct applicants).

Very transparent visa process

So, let's take a look at a country with a long list of visa requirements: China . How does Passport Visas Express do? In a word, excellent. From the very first moment you land on the China visa page, you'll be able to see exactly what to expect: pricing, process, and more. For example, on a basic tourist visa, you'll pay service fees starting at $449 (on top of the required consular fees, of course). You'll also need to enter your zip code to get the application requirements for the consulate nearest you. We love how PVE spells out each step needed, from the tourist visa application review to the flight confirmation and beyond.

DIY or concierge, you choose

Generally speaking, there are three levels of service available from Passport Visas Express. Regular lets you complete your travel visa application at your own pace, with their team on standby to answer any questions you might have, and then you send your application to them for processing. You can also opt for the Preparation service as an upgrade during checkout; this tier connects you with one of their experts over the phone, who will complete the application for you during the call and then send it to you to print, sign, and return for processing. Finally, if you prefer to skip online checkout completely, you can call for Personal Concierge service: the agent will create your order, ensure all needed services are included, fill out your application, and send it to you for your signature.

Thousands of 5-star ratings

PVE holds up really well when you consider its reputation too. Across nearly 6,000 reviews on Trustpilot, more than 95% of clients gave this travel visa service a 4- or 5-star rating, averaging an impressive 4.9 out of 5 stars. People describe their experience as being quick and easy, and many mention how pleased they were with the availability of the customer support team. While we wish that Passport Visas Express would put something on their site about how they handle rejected visa applications - is there a refund? Does it only apply in certain circumstances? - the overwhelmingly positive feedback from clients, especially those who have used this travel visa service on multiple occasions, leaves us feeling like that's a pretty minor concern overall.

#1 pick for travel visas

When it comes to applying for a travel visa, it doesn't get much better than Passport Visas Express. They deliver on their promises, returning your passport with a completed visa right on time and giving you all the help and reassurance you might need along the way. You should feel very comfortable entrusting this service with your documents. We're pleased to name Passport Visas Express as our new #1 pick for getting help with travel visas.

• Mostly offers tourist and business visas
• VIP and Executive Choice concierge service available
• Help available via phone, text, live chat, online form, or in person at one of 50+ USA office locations
• "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB

If you want all of the features of a large agency with the one-on-one service of a boutique travel visa company, Travel Visa Pro is the right place for you. In business for over a decade, this service specializes in making travelers' lives easier with full-service in-person locations and simple online applications, support even on weekends and at night, and the kind of attention you'd expect from a world-class travel visa provider. You can also get passport services here, whether you need one for the first time or you're replacing a passport that's expired or stolen

Won't make you apply for something you don't need

Let's take a look at how Travel Visa Pro did with three countries we used for comparison across providers.

• With respect to Australia , who was requiring applicants to get tourist visas directly through a government website at the time of this evaluation, Travel Visa Pro didn't spell that out. But, in contrast with some rival visa platforms who let us go ahead and apply for... something... TVP said that we would need to reach out to them so that they could research our request, because the requirements weren't updated in their system. We would have liked to see a clear explanation of what was going on with Australian tourist visas, but this approach was good enough for us.
• Brazil was also a special case at the time of this evaluation: it wasn't requiring tourist visas for US passport holders, but those fees were scheduled to be reinstated in a few months. While Travel Visa Pro didn't have anything about the reinstatement date, it correctly indicated that we wouldn't need a visa for tourism of 90 days or less.

Excellent choice for Chinese travel visas

China was the third destination in our comparison, and we were pleased to see that TVP offered several travel visa types (employment, family visit, business, crew, tourist) - because the visa types for other countries here were more limited than some rival services. The information provided for travel to China was the most comprehensive we saw on any visa site, explaining everything from different visa types to document and photo requirements. Travel Visa Pro also gave us lots of options for processing time on our China visa: 16-30 days for a service fee of $499, 11-15 days for $999, and 5-10 days for $1,499. That's a big advantage over many rival services who were only offering 15-30 day processing at the time of this evaluation. We could also opt for concierge service for $199 (VIP) or $499 (Executive Choice): extras with those packages include overnight inbound and outbound delivery, photo printing, and so on. Those services are available as a la carte purchases if you prefer not to pay for a package, but the bundled services will always be a better deal.

Round-the-clock support

We appreciate that Travel Visa Pro makes it easy to get help, too. You can reach out via phone, email, text, or online form 24/7 - or you can even visit one of their in-person locations nationwide. That makes this an excellent choice for anyone who might want a little face-to-face reassurance that their travel visa application will be in good hands.

Travelers love this company

And yes, Travel Visa Pro really does live up to its promises. Everywhere you look, you'll find almost nothing but five-star reviews for this travel visa and passport service. Some of the phrases that jumped out at us include "TVP saved my trip and my sanity" , "reliable and extremely responsive" , and "I wish more companies were this good" . The Better Business Bureau agrees, giving Travel Visa Pro its accreditation and an "A+" rating.

Best for travelers who need extra support or quick processing

Travel Visa Pro comes in as a very close second to our #1 pick in the industry. TVP wasn't quite as clear on why certain countries weren't available for visa applications, and travelers who need visa types beyond tourism or business might not be able to apply here, depending on the destination. But, this company goes above and beyond most rival services with respect to customer service, especially with the ability to reach out to a rep 24/7. If you think you might need a little extra reassurance during your travel visa application process, or if you're in a tight situation time-wise, we strongly recommend that you get in touch with Travel Visa Pro.

• Many different travel visa types available (artist, athlete, courtesy, missionary, research, tourist)
• Website is very easy to use and informative
• Pricing is typically competitive
• Help available via phone and email

Since its establishment in 2003, VisaHQ has been a leading provider of online visa services and U.S. passport solutions. They offer a convenient and efficient way for travelers to apply for visas to nearly any country worldwide. With their advanced online platform, customers can easily complete a single electronic form for some destinations, eliminating the need for paper documentation. VisaHQ also assists US citizens with passport services, including obtaining, renewing, and replacing passports.

Could be a little clearer when requirements change

How did VisaHQ do when we looked at three countries for comparison (namely Australia, Brazil, and China)? At the date of this evaluation, Australia was requiring tourists needing their most basic tourist visa (subclass 601) to apply directly through their government website, and VisaHQ disappointed us by not explaining that. Instead, their site defaulted to the tourist e-visa (class 600) "if you cannot get subclass 601" . Confused? We would have been too, if we didn't already have the heads-up about what was going on at the time.

Lots of visa types available

On the other hand, we were very pleased with VisaHQ's results for a Brazilian tourist visa : they correctly identified it as not necessary (which was true at the time of our visit), as well as informing travelers of the exact date when that visa requirement for US citizens was scheduled to be required again. We also appreciated that many different visa types were available for this destination country, all visible with a handy scroll bar on VisaHQ's main Brazil visa page: artist/athlete, courtesy, missionary, official, scientific, and so on.

Visa requirements clearly explained

And China? VisaHQ did well there too, offering help with visa types ranging from tourist to journalist and many others. As you may know, the Chinese visa process is not simple, and this site does a great job of explaining absolutely everything a traveler will need to do and provide. You complete the application form online and print it off, then send it in along with your other documents (passport, proof of residency, the Where You Stay form).

Transparent pricing

For any country where you need a travel visa, VisaHQ clearly spells out what your total cost will be right on that country's page. For example, a Chinese tourist visa would incur a fee of $784: $185 for the embassy fee and $599 for VisaHQ's service fees. Is that a reasonable cost? That depends: on the China main page, it said those fees would cover a turnaround time of 7-9 business days, which is a steal compared with rival travel visa services. However, when we got into the application, the processing time was shown as 15-20 business days: honestly, that's the timeframe we were expecting in current conditions, and that puts VisaHQ as a little more costly than other services charging in the neighborhood of $499 for that processing speed.

Good reputation

Overall traveler feedback for VisaHQ is definitely positive. Out of 3300+ reviews, the company earned an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars. One of the most frequent compliments is on the processing speed for travel visas: many customers say that their applications were approved and passports returned well in advance of the promised timeframe. Other clients praise the customer service team, with one person saying that VisaHQ gave them "the most rapid response [they] have ever had in dealing with customer service by email" .

Not a favorite of the BBB

But, should you go out looking for VisaHQ reviews yourself, be prepared to find an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau ( we were surprised too ). That's for failing to respond to two complaints out of the five filed with the BBB over the last three years: not what we would call an egregious pattern of misbehavior, anyway. And, most of the complaints we spotted as we sifted through reviews elsewhere were responded to appropriately and quickly by VisaHQ representatives.

Excellent option for travel visas

VisaHQ is one of our preferred providers of travel visas. The site is one of the easiest to use that we've ever seen, making it fast and simple to choose the right visa for your trip and to understand what the requirements for approval will be. Less experienced travelers will benefit from having access to customer support reps via email and phone, and everyone can appreciate getting their visa paperwork processed and completed faster than promised. Give VisaHQ a look the next time you're planning on traveling internationally.

• Good for tourist visas
• In business for 10+ years
• Almost 35,000 five-star reviews

Decent refund policy

The company iVisa, founded in 2012 by two friends pursuing their MBAs at Harvard Business School, was born out of their own frustrations with the cumbersome visa application process. As avid travelers, they understood the hassle of dealing with government offices and extensive paperwork while trying to balance their growing families. They aimed to create a streamlined solution that would enable hassle-free travel without the need for time-consuming forms or visits to foreign embassies. Since its inception, iVisa has served over one million satisfied customers who appreciate the simplicity of their processes.

Helpful FAQ for newbies

If you're a first-time applicant for a travel visa, you may have questions regarding the necessity of a visa, the application process, and the expected timeframe for obtaining one. iVisa offers a helpful FAQ page to address such concerns and provide clarity. This page covers topics like eVisas, visa validity duration, application status tracking, typical visa processing times, and other essential information.

Isn't always clear with countries' requirements

Using the iVisa site is pretty straightforward. Select the country you're from and your intended destination, and you'll see what's required for that location, including details on government fees. But, here's what we didn't love. We checked out a country that, at the time of this review, wasn't requiring tourist visas for US citizens ( Brazil ). iVisa told us that - but at the same time, we were pushed to use the service to take care of our health declaration. When we tried to start that process, we were then told no, it wouldn't be necessary until a date in the future when the country was reinstating required tourist visas. It felt very confusing, and if we hadn't already been familiar with the travel visa requirements for that destination, iVisa certainly wouldn't have set our mind at ease.

Visa types limited to tourism

Another drawback we found when using iVisa was not being able to choose among different travel visa types. Not everyone needs a simple tourist visa: some travelers need options for business, missionary work, scientific research, and so on, and we didn't find that kind of help here (despite easily getting it through some of iVisa's rivals in the industry).

What will you pay for iVisa's help in getting your travel visa application processed? That depends on the location and the speed you prefer. For example, if you're traveling to Brazil, you'd pay $35 for standard processing, $65 for rush processing, and $100 for super rush processing - on top of any governmental fees the country requires at the time of your application.

iVisa's refund policy is good but a little convoluted. If you decide to cancel your visa application, you can get all of your money back if your status is "received" or "in progress" . Once it switches to "information needed" , your refund amount drops to "up to 90%" , and then down to zero if your visa application reaches "waiting on government" or "complete" status. What if your travel visa application is rejected? Your ability to get a refund from iVisa will depend on what type of service you purchased. Guided visa services - US B1/B2, Australia Visitor, UK Visitor, Canada Visitor, China, and Schengen visas - are all non-refundable if your application is denied, unfortunately. But, other travel visas here are covered by a full refund policy.

Mixed but generally positive client feedback

How about reputation? iVisa has nearly 35,000 five-star reviews on Trustpilot, and most clients wind up happy with the service they receive. People usually describe it as fast and affordable, and they feel that the process of getting their travel visa was made much easier to understand with iVisa's help. But, if you scroll through some of the most recent reviews, not everyone is thrilled with the experience here. Although only 10% of iVisa clients would rate the service as three stars or lower, those less-than-glowing reviews often relate to some of the downsides we mentioned: taking travelers' money for services they might not really need, not offering refunds when clients expected them, or taking weeks (or months) to process visa applications that could be accomplished by applying directly with the destination government's embassy in a matter of days.

Good but not our favorite anymore

iVisa is still a reputable place to get your travel visa - at least, as long as you're traveling as a tourist and not needing a more specialized kind of permission to enter the country. We're encouraged by the fact that 90% of iVisa's clients still give the service a 4- or 5-star rating too. But, with respect to overall clarity on countries' requirements, iVisa has fallen behind some of its competitors and is no longer our highest-ranked option for travel visas. You may want to see what rival services have to offer before deciding on iVisa for your trip.

• Multiple visa types available (tourist, student, and more)
• Service mostly consists of filing your completed application: you do the work to get it filled out, and they take it to the embassy or consulate
• In business for over 30 years

For over 30 years, Travel Document Systems (TDS) has worked with corporate and individual international travelers, cruise lines, NGOs, travel agents, and tour operators to provide expedited visa and passport processing. With locations in DC, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, and LA, this company is just a short walk from most embassies, consulates, and the US Passport Agency itself.

Might give you a visa you don't actually need

How did TDS perform when we looked at three popular visa destinations (Australia, Brazil, China)? We had mixed feelings with the Australia results: at the time of this evaluation, Australia was requiring tourists staying less than 90 days (which, honestly, is most people) to apply for an ETA visa through their channels only and not with third-party help. TDS correctly identified that - but their Australia page defaulted to the Long Stay (90+ days) visa, something that many inexperienced travelers might not realize isn't the documentation they need.

Some countries have available visas beyond tourism

Brazil came up roughly the same way: TDS showed the tourist visa as not required for US passport holders (which was correct at the time of this review) but defaulted to a 10-year validity visa that might not be what the average tourist wants. Other visa types were also available for Brazil, such as student, technical, and work.

Okay for multiple visa types in China

Finally, China. It was noteworthy that there was a disclaimer about Chinese visas on every country page we saw, not just China's itself - explaining that processing times were much longer than what was posted on the site because of the volume of applications being processed at the Chinese embassies and consulates, even for clients paying for Express (2-3 business day) processing. But, TDS also encouraged prospective clients to email them if they have a tight departure, to verify whether or not they can help within the needed timeframe. We appreciate that! TDS offers help with many different types of visas in China, including business, tourist, student, and visiting family/friends. You'll pay $269 for Regular travel visa assistance here and $319 for Express, but again, TDS explained very clearly that the 5-7 business days or 2-3 business days given as timeframes weren't applicable at that time.

Be aware of what services are included in your initial fee

We would recommend going through the Document Requirements listed for each country's visa process. You'll find helpful information, both in general and specific to TDS' processes. For example, as we browsed the list for a Nepali tourist visa, that's where we spotted the fact that we'd have to pay an extra $50 for someone at TDS to review our documents for completeness and correctness ( we would have thought that was part of the service fee, but apparently not ). We also saw that travelers can pay an extra $12 to have TDS format a selfie and return it digitally for printing. In other words, when you pay the generic fee for a travel visa here, you're still doing most of the work yourself. That's fine if you know that all you're getting is someone to file your visa paperwork for you, unless you choose to pay more for additional services.

Watch that grade

And reputation? Interestingly, the TDS website proudly displays a badge from the Better Business Bureau to prove their accreditation there - but when you click on the link, the BBB listing for this company not only showed no accreditation but also a "D-" grade. Oops . Fortunately, though, that rating was for failing to respond to two complaints out of a total of three filed over the last three years - and there were no complaints filed with the BBB in the most recent 12-month period (so not exactly an avalanche of poor customer experiences).

Where's the recent feedback?

Feedback elsewhere was a little... mystifying. There were nearly 5,000 reviews on Trustpilot, averaging about 4.4 out of 5 stars... but none of them were newer than 2018. Similarly, on Shopper Approved, TDS stopped participating in their rating collection back in 2021 - and even the TDS website copyright ended in 2022. And, when we called the local number for the Washington DC headquarters during normal business hours, we got a recorded message saying all agents were busy and inviting us to send an inquiry via email. Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice in Wonderland would say...

Below average for travel visa services

TDS might be a solid place to get a travel visa - but it's hard to feel overly confident about that, with customer feedback dropping off to almost nil over the last few years. We appreciate the accurate information on each country's visa requirements pages, but at the same time we were discouraged by not being able to reach someone during regular business hours. Our recommendation is to keep TDS in mind as an option, but only after you've checked out our higher-ranking providers of travel visa services first.

• Mostly tourist visas, though other types (work, student) available for some destinations
• Expedited service available for some destinations
• Refunds available within first 72 hours

Rush My Travel Visa tells you what you need to know right in the company name: they specialize in getting your visa application done quickly. This is a service of Expedited Travel, who also offers passport services, and the company is registered with many foreign consulates.

Might charge you for something you don't need

As a way to gauge the accuracy of various travel visa services, we usually looked at three countries: Australia, Brazil, and China. At the time of this evaluation, Australia was not allowing third-party help for travel visas, requiring visitors to go directly through the government website/app. And yet, Rush My Travel Visa was still offering its service at a price of $45 for their service plus $20 in embassy fees. That didn't leave us feeling super confident.

Not always clear on whether or not you'll need a visa

The travel visa page for Brazil wasn't any better. While it stated very clearly that " Brazilian travel visas are required for all US Citizens" , Rush My Travel Visa only offered work and student visas - probably because, at the time of our visit to the site, Brazil had temporarily suspended the tourist visa requirement. But, there was no mention of that on the country page here.

Cheaper - but slower - than most for Chinese travel visas

China travel visas were a little more robust, though. We were able to choose visas for tourists, business, work, students, or crew, and the pricing was spelled out clearly. For a standard multiple-entry tourist visa to China, Rush My Travel Visa charges a service fee of $334, in addition to an embassy fee of $140 and an extra $10 service fee for having RMTV pay those fees on your behalf. However, the only processing speed was 25-40 business days, with no options for expediting paperwork. That's ironic for a service that literally has the word "rush" in its name.

Very limited refund policy

How about refunds? If you cancel your travel visa order within 72 hours, you can get a full refund. Beyond that, though, Rush My Travel Visa will not return your money - even if your application is incomplete or inaccurate, or your visa application is rejected. We wish they would take responsibility for errors on their part - or at least spell it out if they already do that, instead of leaving it unstated.

You'll either love it...

Looking at reviews in places like Trustpilot, they were almost all positive. Customer gave praise for specific customer reps and their hands-on help during the application process, quick turnaround times, and being able to get visas done right when clients had made a mess of it on their own.

...or hate it

However, the company (under parent brand Expedited Travel) has only earned a "B" rating from the Better Business Bureau, with nearly 150 complaints filed there over the last three years. People complained about a lack of customer service, unclear requirements for submitting visa and passport applications, and documents that were so delayed that trips had to be canceled. Not exactly encouraging, despite the increase from a "C+" rating the last time we looked.

Do you feel lucky?

Obviously, Rush My Travel Visa is getting mixed client feedback. It's hard to reconcile such different experiences. We're left wondering if it's the luck of the draw when choosing Rush My Travel Visa.

Try a different service for travel visas

Despite the positive feedback, we can't give Rush My Travel Visa a high rating. With constantly-changing visa requirements, a service like this one needs to be 100%^ up to date at all times, and there's no excuse for taking money from nervous travelers who should go directly to the destination government to complete their paperwork instead. Beyond that, this service doesn't offer as much as its rivals do - for visa types or processing speed. We strongly recommend that you look at a higher-ranked travel visa provider instead of RMTV.

• Offers primarily tourist visas to about 100 countries
• Can add another traveler to initial application
• In business since 2019
• 100% refund if your visa application is denied

Handy Visas started in Spain in 2019, aiming to turn the travel visa application process into a more carefree, streamlined process for travelers on all five continents. Since inception, the company has sold more than a million services with a 99% approval rate on travel visas.

Not necessarily clear

To make a fair comparison across travel visa providers, we often went by the A-B-Cs of Australia, Brazil, and China: all countries that had at some point required US citizens to have a visa for entry. During this evaluation process, Australia was requiring applications to be made directly through their own website or app and not using a service like Handy Visas. On the Australia page, Handy Visas correctly identified that we would need a visa as a US passport-holder, but it wasn't until we went further into the "apply now" process that we were told that Handy Visas would be unable to process our request. Also, the site didn't explain that it was because of the Australian government's policy change: because we were directed to contact our nearest embassy or consulate, we would have been left thinking there was a problem on our side if we didn't already know about the direct-apply requirement.

Could be more specific

Handy Visas got it mostly right when it came to Brazil , telling prospective US travelers that a tourist visa wasn't required at the time and not even directing people to any kind of application. Well done! But, unlike some rival sites, Handy Visa failed to mention that the requirement was scheduled to be reinstated in the near future, which would have been helpful to know.

No help for US citizens needing a Chinese travel visa

And China ? Total fail for US passport holders trying to use Handy Visas. All we got was this: "Citizens of United States need to apply for a Visa for China. We recommend contacting the nearest embassy or consulate of China for more information." Or how about we go to a competitor travel visa service who will gladly help us apply for a Chinese travel visa?

More "no" than "yes" here

So, if you're keeping score, at this point Handy Visas had yet to come up with a destination country they could help us with. Let's try a few more. Nepal? Yes, we would need a visa - and Handy Visa's link took us to the Nepali government website to apply directly ( guess you don't want to help us with that one? ) Russian Federation? We were redirected to a .ru website that gave us a 502 Bad Gateway error.

Higher fees than rivals

Finally, we found one: India. We had to go deep into the application to find out that there were multiple travel visa types available here (like tourism, business, medical treatment). It was also a nice perk that we could add another traveler to our application once we finished entering our own details. However, it was only when we got to the payment page that we finally got to see how much we'd be paying for the service: $89 for standard 1-business-day processing time. That's quite a bit more than many competitor services, and much more than if you apply for it directly with the Indian Embassy online.

Support only offered via email/DM

One very important aspect of using Handy Visas is this: they offer 24/7 customer support... but only via email/online message, and they tell clients to expect a 72-hour turnaround time. That's okay if you're not on a tight deadline, but not ideal if you've got an extremely time-sensitive situation or if you're a less-experienced international traveler who wants an answer now and not three days from now.

Unexpectedly good acceptance guarantee

On the other hand, this company offers a guarantee that beats almost every other travel visa service out there: if your application is denied by your destination country, you'll get a full refund of the fees you've paid. That alone is reason to see if Handy Visas can help you with your needed travel documents.

Mostly positive ratings from travelers

Plus, client ratings of Handy Visas are surprisingly good, though most of them are coming from travelers outside of the US. On Trustpilot, 90% of users across 900+ ratings give this travel visa service a 4- or 5-star score, citing ease of use and prompt emails when issues need to be corrected in the paperwork. But, as you'd expect, for people in a pinch who need a rapid response, Handy Visa's 72-hour-via-email situation can be a source of complaints.

Not awful, but not the best for US travelers

We're so conflicted when it comes to ranking Handy Visas. On the one hand, we love the refund policy and we're encouraged to see hundreds of recent reviews from customers who had no problems getting their travel visas here. However, on the other hand, Handy Visas couldn't take care of our Chinese tourist visa at all, and we have huge reservations about working with a Spain-based company that only takes questions and concerns via email with a three-day turnaround. All of that combined puts Handy Visas as just below average in our rankings, particularly for anyone traveling on a US passport.

• Multiple visa types available (tourism, missionary/religious, artist/athlete, and more)
• In business for 30+ years
• Worked with more than 5 million travelers

Travisa has been providing immigration and visa services for over 30 years, catering to both corporations and individuals. With a team of over 1,600 skilled professionals, including immigration experts, lawyers, and migration consultants, spread across 60 offices in 27 countries, Travisa is the primary visa service provider for 75% of Fortune 500 companies. They offer a comprehensive range of services through their two primary brands: Newland Chase, a subsidiary specializing in global immigration strategy and advisory services for corporations, and Travisa, offering business and other travel visa services for corporate and individual clients.

Performs well with up-to-date visa requirement info

To see how Travisa measures up, we looked at visas for three different countries: Australia (who, at the time of this review, was requiring visa applications to go directly through the government and not through any third-party service), Brazil (who had paused requiring tourist visas), and China (who's known for having a lengthy, somewhat difficult travel visa process). We were glad to see that Travisa got it all right. Unlike some of its competitors, this service didn't start us down a path of some unrelated paperwork or anything we didn't absolutely need. We also appreciate that Travisa offers many different types of travel visas, including professional artists, missionaries, and business travelers, not just your standard tourist paperwork.

Detailed information if you dig for it

When you select your destination country and visa type, you'll get a long list of things to know before you go, including entry restrictions, processing times, and service fees. Looking at China as an example, Travisa says to expect to pay $140 in consular fees and $185 for their standard processing of 8 business days "or longer" . But, when you click on "see more details" , you'll also learn that there's also a 6.9% processing fee when Travisa pays your government agency fees.

BBB rating drop

That should clue you in to the fact that Travisa still ranks low here because of ongoing less-than-positive client feedback. For example, the Better Business Bureau gives this travel visa service a not-impressive "B-" rating for failing to respond to a couple of customer complaints there, a drop from its previous "A-" rating the last time we evaluated the service. That in itself wouldn't be a huge issue, but the complaints continue elsewhere.

Travelers complain about surprise fees

The most frequently mentioned problem? Lack of transparency in pricing. Time and again, clients say they paid one amount when they submitted their application, only to get further charges down the road - ones that they say were never spelled out in an invoice, during checkout, or anywhere easily discovered during the Travisa paperwork process. You'll see roughly the same results when you look up the reputation of Travisa's parent company, CIBT. While CIBT does better with the BBB ("A+" rating and accreditation), client feedback is equally bad: you'll see words like "scam" , "rip off" , and "never again" in many different reviews.

Not a good choice for individual consumers

It's no wonder that Travisa remains low in our rankings of travel visa companies. Although we were glad to see that their country-specific pages were up to date - after all, some of their rivals' sites weren't - that's not nearly enough to compensate for Travisa's lack of transparency in pricing and overall poor track record. You'll save yourself a lot of stress and money by going with a higher-ranked travel visa provider and avoiding Travisa.

• Based in Spain
• Limited refund policy
• Limited destination countries

Headquartered in Madrid, Visagov is on a mission to make it as easy as possible to travel abroad. However, because Visagov is based in Spain, it might not be the visa service of choice for US travelers. The only way to contact the company is via email: not the most reassuring situation if you have an urgent issue or your application is particularly time-sensitive. We're not sure how that lines up with the "24/7 visa and travel assistance" they so proudly advertise.

Very limited list of destinations

We also had a hard time finding all of our target destinations in Visagov's list of countries: neither Brazil nor China were included. Australia was there, but at the time of this review the country was requiring travelers to apply for a visa directly with their government and not through a third-party service like this one - but Visagov was still accepting applications. We had similar issues looking at other countries in Visagov's list. Mexico or Montserrat? "Application temporarily unavailable." ETIAS (to enter the Schengen area in Europe)? Nowhere to click to apply.

Website is difficult to use

When we finally found a country whose travel visa we were eligible to apply for - New Zealand - the process was mostly uncomplicated, winding up with a total charge of $64 USD. The only irritating part was trying to find "United States" in the various country dropdown lists (country of passport issuance, residency): it's not alphabetical, so you have to scroll through until you happen to spot it.

You may or may not qualify for a refund

Visagov has a refund policy, but it's not the most straightforward. If your visa application is denied by the destination government, you'll get a refund of those fees. But, the policy also says "you will never receive a payment corresponding to [their] handling and processing fees, any other refund request will be excluded" .

Some travelers actually like this service

With all of that, it was surprising to find quite a few 4- and 5-star reviews on Trustpilot. Some clients actually had a good experience using Visagov . On the other hand, complaints were as you'd expect: hard to reach customer service when they needed help, incorrect info on documents that couldn't be fixed in time to process the visa paperwork, and so on.

Worst travel visa service in our evaluation

That still doesn't change our mind: Visagov is our lowest-rated travel visa provider, particularly for US citizens. You might not find the country you're visiting in their list, and even if you do, the application might not be available. And who wants to work with a provider that can't even be reached on the phone or at least via live chat? We don't. Avoid wasting time (and money) by going directly to one of Visagov's higher-ranked competitors instead.

Continued from above...

Expert guidance is another valuable benefit provided by online travel visa providers. These services often employ professionals who are well-versed in travel visa regulations and requirements. They can review documents, provide advice, and ensure that applications are accurate and complete. By having experts oversee the process, you can have peace of mind, knowing that your application is being handled by knowledgeable individuals that also help reduce the chances of errors or omissions that could lead to visa rejection.

Another hidden benefit of online visa providers is that they can increase the chances of visa approval. Due to their extensive knowledge and experience with visa regulations, these services understand the specific requirements of destination countries. They can provide valuable insights and advice on gathering the correct supporting documents and preparing applications that comply with the embassy's guidelines. This attention to detail significantly enhances the likelihood of obtaining a travel visa successfully.

Of course, you need to understand what a visa is and why you might need it for an upcoming trip. A travel visa is an official paper that a country's government gives you to let you enter and stay in their country. Common visa types include tourist visas, business visas, student visas, and work visas. Countries have different visa rules, depending on factors like the purpose of your visit, how long you plan to stay, and where you're from.

There are additional services that some online travel visa providers offer, that can enhance your overall travel experience. For instance, some platforms provide visa tracking services, which allow you to monitor the progress of your application. Additionally, some providers offer visa expediting services for urgent travel needs, ensuring that you receive your travel visa within a shorter timeframe.

So, which service should you choose to make it fast and easy to get your next travel visa? There are lots to choose from, and many of them seem pretty similar at first glance. But, if you're trying to narrow down the possibilities a little, here are some factors that might tip the scale towards one or the other:

• Ease of navigation. Getting a travel visa (especially on short notice) can be nerve-wracking. The best services are simple to use from the get-go, showing you exactly which countries require visas and what you can expect from the application process.
• Timeframe. How long does the visa service say it will take to get your application approved and your passport back into your hands? Can you get it expedited if you're supposed to travel in the near future?
• Fees. Governmental fees will be the same no matter where you apply for your visa, but check out how much the service charges to take care of the application for you. Pay close attention to shipping/delivery fees.
• Reputation. What do other travelers say about the travel visa service? Did they get their paperwork done on time? Would these clients use this service again?

If you're traveling to a country that requires a travel visa for entry, you can simplify your life by using one of the top-rated services in our rankings here at Top Consumer Reviews. We've done the work to show you the best of the best - and the worst of the worst - so that you can rest assured that your travel visa paperwork is in good hands. Enjoy your trip!

Travel Visa Service FAQ

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The Travel Visa Company Ltd   Reviews

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Reviews 3.3.

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A fast and efficient service. Very helpful staff.

A brilliant service. Fast and efficient. The Visa arrived the day after I submitted the application to the Company! Very helpful staff, especially Dan, who talked me through the process. Highly recommended.

Date of experience : February 02, 2024

Incorrect information given! needed information regarding…

We needed information regarding Vietnamese visa. Incorrect information given to us at last moment! We needed to buy a visa £90 each. Visa arrived only just in time. When arriving in Vietnam we heard from our travel guide that visa was no longer needed at all since recent change of rules. It feels like we were given incorrect information and this was a money making practice on their side! We had a great holiday but would not use this agency ever again!

Date of experience : September 01, 2023

Efficient service

Efficient service, I was concerned after reading reviews,but seems only people with problems review. We needed Visa for India and they were given by our cruise company. They required more information which we supplied and next day we had a date for our visa appointment. the paperwork arrived 2 weeks before the date, we went there today and apart from the 1hr 45m delay, the visa office was chaos, all was fine. Now awaiting our passports back with visa. Service was competent and we got what we paid for

Date of experience : December 05, 2022

Ue to go to Japan 4th Oct 2023

Ue to go to Japan 4th Oct 2023. British Subject right of abode UK been here since 1948. As a British Subject must have Visa for Japan. After holding on to my paperwork for four weeks told by them as a British Subject they cannot processmy application Have to apply to Japanese Embassy to get Visa I have had to send my passport to the Embassy But I am due to go to Austria on 17th Sept so hope and pray I will get my passport back in time for that trip. Very stressfull and many sleepless nights.

Date of experience : August 15, 2023

Helpful with change of travel plans

My husband and I were planning to travel to Sydney for our sons wedding The travel visa company had completed our Digital Passenger Declaration. Then ,at the last minute unforeseen circumstances meant that we had to delay our departure by a week. The Travel Visa Company agreed to re-do our DOD at no extra cost. Very happy

Date of experience : May 19, 2022

Poor service …

Used this company in Sept 2021 for covid testing requirements for a holiday in Portugal. Was given the wrong advice and we lost our holiday. This company refused liability so I had to take them to the Small Claims Court where I won my case. Despite having a CCJ they refused to pay. Months later finally made to pay after I referred the matter to Cobra Financal Soutions.

Date of experience : November 10, 2022

Ide like to write a review of this…

Ide like to write a review of this company but as I've spent a good portion of my life over the last week or so trying to contact them without success it's hard to form an opinion. So if you've all the time in the world to hang on a phone only to have the line go dead on you after twenty minutes or so this is the company to go for.

Date of experience : July 25, 2022

Stressful and unhelpful

We are elderly and used this company to reduce stress - bad mistake, terrible experience. PCR tests were late arriving, we had to chase them up whilst we were away. The plf's were also late, our hotel helped us with these. They don't bother to return calls. We were due a refund on the tests as the requirements had changed, the travel visa company said we would receive this within 30 days, still not received money in spite of sending emails to chase. The 30 days ended at the end of February. Experiences like this can spoil your holiday - stay well away from this company.

Date of experience : April 30, 2022

Highly recommend

Thank you Travel visa company for helping to get my visa and making my holiday possible. Really had a great experience and special thanks to Dan Hutt.

Date of experience : September 20, 2023

Absolute Nightmare

Absolute nightmare. Turned up for our visa appointment and the visa company had filled one of the forms in incorrectly. Tried calling the visa company and they never answer the phone - 5 hours later having to refill it out online ourselves!! Very stressful

Date of experience : October 03, 2022

We are both elderly used this company…

We are both elderly used this company to help with our passenger location form they took two payments and we did not receive any confirmation and our request was ignored. Our daughter helped us with the free BMI app in the end. We thought using a private company would be easy and not to have bother our family. I paid on a credit card and hopefully will get a refund. It is now over two weeks still no refund Credit card company now dealing with it CREDIT CARD COMPANY RETRIEVED THE PAYMENTS not a company to be recommended

Date of experience : October 31, 2021

I was told my Australian visa would be…

I was told my Australian visa would be 6-8 weeks originally that’s why I thought 5 months would be plenty of time ,I’m still waiting every one has gone and I’m back home still! Don not deal with Ann GRIFFITHS !Australia messaged her asking for information about me I was emailing them every couple of days to and they kept telling me they would be in touch .she then sent me the 12 days later from the Australian embassy and told me to send information over ASAP but the email said I had seven days to respond I didn’t get it till twelve days after she received it .no apology nothing ! I paid these best part of 200 to fill in my application I was told on the phone that the application I filled in would be re written it wouldn’t be the scruffy piece of paper they provided but they just uploaded it as it was . I tried to speak to the higher bosses but you can’t get hold of them I don’t know how they can justify the money they was paid do not give these any money. Rip off merchants .

Date of experience : December 28, 2022

Absolute nightmare

Absolute nightmare, completed my form and paid for express / priority service. Had to chase them up a week later. Getting nowhere on emails and every time I call them after 15 minutes the call goes to an automated message and then ends. DO NOT USE!

Date of experience : March 15, 2023

Poor would not use agin

WE had used the Travel visa company about 6 years ago but will no be using them again. 2 of my colleagues were going to India and they we needed their help to get the visas. They had done this before and it was done in a way we did not have to attend the embassy. The communication with them was extremely poor and there was no response to emails. They advised us they we had to attend the embassy as this was a change by the consulate however a friend of mine got a visa with another company within the same week and did not have to attend. I have also been trying to get an invoice for payments made on my credit card but they are not responding to emails and there is no answer on the phone. very unhelpful

Date of experience : October 17, 2022

Telephone customer service and prompt email response. A+++

Spoke to friendly customer service that corresponded via email promptly and provided very helpful information as my partner is from South America and struggling for a Schengen visa to Spain. I would highly recommend the services from The Travel Visa Company and Keni was very helpful.

Date of experience : June 28, 2022

Expensive rip off covid testing

Paid £43 each for two 2 day tests to The Travel Visa Company. The tests were sent from another company and invoice value was £14.99 each. You may think that the additional £28.01 was for support from TVC. This is not the case. Couldn’t register the tests online. Tried contacting TVC, first by phone then by email. It has taken them 3 weeks and a total of 3 emails to respond. And then only because I was requesting a refund (denied). A total waste of money. Dec 2021 update. After intervention from Mercury Holidays (Who recommend TVC) I was contacted by a representative of TVC. He explained that they had been very busy during this period which is why the service I received was below par. He said he would refund monies paid and follow up with an explanatory email. Still no email but the cost of the two tests have been refunded. Still wouldn’t recommend this company. Stay clear.

Date of experience : December 01, 2021

Exceptional service

What a fantastic service, takes all the stress out of filling forms, worrying about is my photo OK,our Indian visa was processed within a week especially with the help of professional staff like Dan, thank you all so much

Date of experience : August 21, 2023

Had a difficult last minute issue and they were amazing. Really done us a favour and we were able to go abroad thanks to them. Couldn’t thank them enough. Amazing staff, company and service :-)

Date of experience : July 21, 2022

I cannot praise this company enough

I cannot praise this company enough, they are swift, sure and delightful to deal with. Why cannot more companies be like them? Thank you Keni. Sue Worrall

Date of experience : May 25, 2022

Date of experience : February 24, 2024

Home » Articles » The 4 Best Travel Visa Services in the United States

The 4 Best Travel Visa Services in the United States

The visa application process

Here is my quick list of the top visa services in the U.S based on my experience of having traveled to 50+ countries (and received countless visas along the way). I’ll go into more detail later in this post.

TravelVisaPro

PassportVisasExpress

Although I’m normally a do-it-yourself kind of guy, I sometimes get a travel visa service to take care of all the visa formalities for me. The best travel visa services in the United States (I’ll discuss 4 in total) often have knowledge and connections that the average person simply won’t have.

Getting experts to do the tedious work of getting the visa for you on your behalf can make a lot of sense and relieve you of future headache if you’re trying to secure a visa for a particular country.

Even for seasoned travelers like yours truly, visas can be incredibly frustrating. You have to get this document and that document; and often, despite having all of the necessary documents and fees in place, the consulate or government agency never fails to find a reason why they cannot process your visa.

If you have any questions on visas, good luck getting anyone to answer the phone….consulates and embassies are notorious for not picking up the phone. Many consulates would rather provide you with an e-mail address that gets you a short, uninformative response in three business days or more (and sometimes they don’t even respond).

The visa application process can be very stressful

So when the going gets tough, go ahead and get a good visa service to get your visa for you. Sure, the commission they get for doing this service is often quite high, but these guys do this stuff for a living and have the relationships and knowledge to help you save time and avoid future hassle.

Most visa services works as follows:

• You fill out a form.
• You gather the required documents.
• You send the visa service your required documents.
• Visa service takes care of everything and mails you your visa!

So, without further ado, check out the reviews below of the best travel visa services in the United States based on feedback from my readers and my personal experience. In order to evaluate the services, I took into account criteria such as responsiveness, website design, cost, professionalism, phone demeanor, and attention to detail.

As a side note, if you’re a U.S. citizen and don’t have a passport, all of the agencies below can also assist you with getting a passport. Service fees for both visas and passports vary between the companies, so be sure to check each website for their latest fees so that you can get the best rate.

With U.S.-based offices in Washington, DC and New York City, a U.K.-based office in London and a Canadian office in Ontario, VisaHQ is a heavyweight in the world of visa agencies. Even though they’ve been around in the online travel visa business since just 2003, they have grown rapidly and have the cleanest, most user-friendly website that you will find. If you go to the bottom of their home page to where it says “VisaHQ widgets”, you will find a cool tool that quickly shows you if you need a visa for pretty much any country in the world.

Using Visa HQ is as easy as:

• Completing the secure online application.
• Mailing the documents necessary to prove one’s identity
• Sit back, relax and wait for your passport or visa to arrive in the mail .

It is that simple.

When applying for a visa, customers can choose from a long line of countries. Also, anyone who orders a new U.S. passport from Visa HQ receives a free passport cover. In addition to issuing new passports, Visa HQ also lets people add pages to their passport, change their name on their passport and report a lost or stolen passport.

Prices for passports start at $59.00, and the company promises that there are no hidden or cancellation fees. When it comes to visas, VisaHQ is definitely the more expensive of the visa agencies listed here. With that said though, they are often worth every penny; but, nevertheless, be sure to shop around all these sites before settling on a travel visa service.

2. TravelVisaPro

With offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and Seattle, Travel Visa Pro is superb. I’m a big fan of these guys. I did business with them in the past when I had to get a document legalized at a consulate in Washington D.C. They were super responsive and got back to me on any query I had in well under 24 hours (normally within the hour). If you are trying to get a document (such as a transcript or proof of employment) legalized, these guys are the ones to go with.

For passports only, customers can choose urgent shipping to have their passport delivered to them within two days of their application. For both passports and visas, customers can also get rush delivery, which is anywhere from one to three days for a visa and four days for a passport. The budget delivery option can allow customers to obtain their visa within three or more days and their passport within two to three weeks.

Travel Visa Pro also offers a concierge service where customers can have an employee fill out their application. There are many benefits to using the company’s concierge service, including but not limited to being entered into their VIP Program, free insurance coverage on one’s passport and free printing of electronic photos at Travel Visa Pro’s office. Many of my readers who have used the services of this company report that their service was fast, friendly and efficient.

I would say that the one downside to Travel Visa Pro is their overly busy, text-filled website. It is not as user-friendly as the VisaHQ website, meaning you have to hunt around a bit to find out what you are looking for. In order to get a visa, when you go to their homepage, choose the country where you want to go in the small drop-down list under the “Visa Services” heading. You will then need to follow the steps listed on the website in order to apply.

3. PassportVisasExpress

With more than 15 years’ experience issuing passports and visas, PassportVisasExpress has been around longer than some of the other travel visa services out there. I’ve heard from a lot of satisfied readers who have used their services to obtain a passport and/or visa without any hassle.

Passport Visas Express specializes in expediting passport applications in as little as 24 hours, but they have a pretty decent visa service as well. I do find their claim to issue “expedited” visas to more than 150 countries a bit misleading though (not that many countries offer expedited visas). In most situations, visa processing speeds will be at the whim of the consulate (which is beyond their control).

With that said, the user interface is superb, and the site is chock full of visa information. I love it how you just click on the visa button, enter your zip code, and you go right to the appropriate visa information for the consulate of your jurisdiction. I know this must have taken a TON of work to implement, so I give a strong Bravo to these guys for putting this functionality on their website.

PassportVisasExpress also offers a live online chat. They issue new and replacement passports, as well as passports for children and updated passports for a person who has changed their name, lost their passport or needs to obtain a second one.

TraVisa is a company that specializes in issuing passports and visas to travelers quickly and easily. A service they offer that many other similar companies don’t is the ability to save an electronic version of one’s passport or visa on your smartphone. They have a mobile application that for Androids, iPhones and iPads let people get all the necessary information about their passport or visa. The company also allows its customers to register their travel with the U.S. Embassy. They even have an instructional video on their website that tells people everything they need to know about how to use their services.

TraVisa has offices in Atlanta, Washington DC, New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Houston, Ottawa and London. The countries they offer visas to include China, Brazil, Russia, India, Australia, Vietnam, Kenya, Tanzania and many more. This company also specializes in the legalization of documents.

The company’s website also includes a travel store where customers can purchase items such as phone cards, passport covers, maps and medicine to prevent jet lag.

The majority of customers that use TraVisa are applying for a visa to travel to Brazil, China, India, Russia and Vietnam (i.e. the countries that require U.S. citizens to get a visa).

Also, a cool feature of TraVisa is their visa “pre-check.” A visa pre-check is when a TraVisa Visa employee reviews a customer’s visa application to be sure that it was filled out properly, and the customer has all the necessary documents in place to get the visa approved. Once customers have ordered their visa they can keep track of their application by logging onto the TraVisa website and getting updates on their application status.

My readers report that TraVisa provides decent service (but not above and beyond like some of the others in this list…but still do give them a try if you are price shopping) when it comes to applying for or renewing a passport or visa.

So there you have it folks, the best travel visa services in the United States. Be sure to visit each website and check prices before deciding on a visa service. Service fees can vary quite considerably. Anyways, good luck on your visa hunt and safe travels!

Further Reading

Want Professional Visa Help? If you are a U.S. citizen and want professional help with getting a visa, check out my post on the 4 Best Travel Visa Services in the United States .

Worldwide Moving Guide: Everything you need to know in order to plan your move to 65+ countries around the world.

Find an Embassy or Consulate: Check my Worldwide Embassy and Consulate Finder to find the diplomatic representation nearest you.

Worldwide Jobs Guide: Be sure to check out my posts on how to find jobs in any country in the world.

Worldwide Dating Guide: Also, check out my posts on the best online dating sites in 60+ countries around the world.

Hey! I'm Addison Sears-Collins, the founder of Visa Hunter . You can learn more about me here . Connect with me by liking my fan page on Facebook , connecting with me on Twitter , or check out my website Automatic Addison where I build robots and embedded systems.

Visahunter.com accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the accuracy of the information contained on this site. Please read the Visitor Agreement and Disclaimer . If you think there is an error in the information, please bring it to our attention so that we can correct it. Also, some of the links above could be advertisements or affiliate links, which means that I will earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) should you decide to click on the links and make a purchase. I recommend sites from time to time, not because I earn money or get a tiny commission if you click on the affiliate links and make a purchase, but because, I want you to focus on the places that will deliver you the most value and the best results. Good luck!

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CIBT draws on over thirty years of experience and over 2,000 expert immigration, visa and passport professionals, attorneys and qualified migration consultants located in over 60 offices in 29 countries. CIBT offers a comprehensive suite of services under two primary brands: Newland Chase, a wholly owned subsidiary focused on global immigration strategy and advisory services for corporations worldwide and Travisa, the market leader for business and other travel visa and passport services for corporate and individual clients.

Travisa is a private company that is authorized to process visa applications and expedite passports at consulate and passport agencies for a fee.

Simplify the journey, to bridge people, cultures, and businesses and open the world.

Our Mission

We enable global movement by managing the complexities of a changing world. We empower people and organizations to seamlessly live, work, travel, and trade through our global reach, local expertise, and customer-focused solutions.

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We are a diverse, global team that embraces inclusivity and authenticity. We appreciate each other's individual perspectives and experiences, and we are committed to our individual and collective success. We work to create a fun and engaging environment that fosters connectivity and joy.

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We put customer interests first and operate with empathy and honesty. We take pride in helping our clients achieve results through a personalized approach, rooted in expertise, adaptability, and agility.

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We seek a careful balance of speed, quality, and efficiency. We utilize global processes to achieve consistent, compliant outcomes. We empower teams to adapt to meet the changing needs of our customers and the government agencies with which we engage.

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We're curious and constantly seek to learn. We promote individual growth and development and embrace change and innovation.

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We care deeply about what we do and the difference we make. We take accountability, demonstrate integrity, and make conscious choices to do the right thing. We aspire to leave things better than we found them.

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Update April 12, 2024

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What is a U.S. Visa?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel. The Visa section of this website is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States.

(Note: U.S. citizens don’t need a U.S. visa for travel, but when planning travel abroad may need a visa issued by the embassy of the country they wish to visit. In this situation, when planning travel abroad, learn about visa requirements by country, see country information in the International Travel Section section of this website.)

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The type of visa you must obtain is defined by U.S. immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your travel.

Please visit our Visa Wizard to find out what visa type is appropriate for you.

You can also visit our Frequently Asked Questions   or find out about the  Visa Waiver Program .

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Check the estimated wait time for a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

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Applicants scheduling visa appointments in a location different from their place of residence should check post websites for nonresident wait times.

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U.S. Visas News

Apr 19, 2024 Department of State/AILA Liaison Committee Meeting March 20, 2024

Apr 15, 2024 Visa Information for Nationals of Haiti

Jan 2, 2024 Worldwide Visa Operations: Update

Dec 21, 2023 Important Update on Waivers of the Interview Requirement for Certain Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants

Dec 21, 2023 Department of State to Process Domestic Visa Renewals in Limited Pilot Program

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Customer Lifecycle

From planning to booking and day of travel, be relevant at every stage of the customer lifecycle.

Trip planning

Reduce planning anxiety by delivering personalized travel requirements to customers based on their nationality and destination. Keep travellers in the booking flow and help improve your conversion rate.

Trip booking

Offer eligible customers a seamless way to purchase eVisas, eTAs and ESTAs directly in the booking flow in a single step. Open a new eVisa ancillary revenue stream and improve the customer journey.

Avoid trip disruptions by ensuring your customer is prepared for day of travel. Enable more online check-in opportunities for customers requiring eVisas and ensure there are no surprises during gate checks.

Our products

Build your brand reputation as a trusted source while boosting ancillary revenues and improving the customer experience, evisa ancillary.

Earn ancillary revenue by offering eVisas, eTAs and ESTAs based on your customers' nationality and destination in a single step when they book their travel.

Travel requirements

Ensure customer confidence to travel with personalized information on entry requirements such as visitor visas, passport validity and health documents.

eVisa and eTA status

Unlock online check-in opportunities due to eVisa and eTA requirements and facilitate a contactless airport experience.

Our solutions

You choose how to work with us., get up and running quickly with embeddable widgets, our intuitive api, or white-label webapp..

We have one API that does it all. Our extensive database includes passport and visa requirements, border procedures, health declarations, passenger locator forms, quarantine measures, transit restrictions and vaccination requirements, all in one dashboard.

Embeddable Elements

Embed widgets showing personalized entry requirements as well as international travel requirements on your website, app, travel information hub or manage my booking platform. Perfect for pilot projects.

White-label WebApp

Offer your customers all the information available through the Sherpa API and earn commission on eVisa and eTA sales on the co-branded WebApp managed and deployed by sherpa°. Ideal for teams without development resources.

Enhance your experience

Open a new ancillary revenue stream., partner with us, shift the way you think about travel requirements..

Explore the many ways we can partner together.

“Our customers were frustrated by hard to understand immigration and consulate websites. With Sherpa, we are now able to offer our customers a seamless and hassle free travel experience all on one platform: our website.” ‍   Matthias Knobloch , Condor, International Marketing Manager B2C

“we've had excellent feedback from our travellers as we're able to provide a single touchpoint for all visa requirements across all destinations, and use sherpa as a trusted partner to facilitate visa purchases.  sherpa has given our customers peace of mind , addressing anxiety often associated with travel, further reduced inbound calls to our support staff, and prevented customer service issues on the ground.” ‍ craig nagy, g adventures, technology director, customer systems, “partnering with sherpa˚ gave our global travel brands the important ability to show our customers where they can travel and what to expect when they get there. given our guest safety and wellbeing is paramount for ttc and our brands, this information is vital to our travelers, from day one, and the sherpa˚ team has exceeded our expectations in delivering an excellent way to achieve this. through their exceptional flexibility and quick collaboration, we launched fourteen branded widgets across our portfolio of sites in under one month. i highly commend the sherpa˚ team for their commitment to service while we work together to restore consumer confidence to travel.” ‍ dan christian, global chief digital officer, ttc, why the world’s leading travel brands partner with us, “it’s never been more critical for everyone—from employees to travel managers—to have real-time access to international travel procedures and information. through our partnership with sherpa°, travelers no longer have to search multiple websites or resources for the latest information on international travel restrictions. instead, travelers can quickly learn all the pertinent requirements for international trips while they are booking on the tripactions platform. ‍ the product and implementation teams at sherpa° were great to work with, and most importantly, helped us meet the urgent needs of our travelers at the fast-paced development timelines they’ve come to expect.” ‍ danny finkel, chief travel officer, tripactions, why partner with us, reduce costs, manage risk, grow ancillary revenue, in the news.

Sherpa° secures SOC 2 Type 2 accreditation

Sherpa° powers Kiwi.com with direct eVisa applications

Covid Rules and Restrictions: What You Need to Do and Know to Travel the World

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Our head office is located at Crewe Hall in Cheshire, 5 minutes away from Crewe train station and 10 minutes from Junction 16 of the M6. If you would like to meet us in our offices we are open Monday to Friday 9:00am - 5:30pm. Please contact us to arrange an appointment with one of our dedicated travel visa specialists.

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TravelVisa.com has a network of registered and licensed couriers nationwide that are able to get your passport and visas expedited.

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TravelVisa.com an online travel document and services company. TravelVisa.com is a private company that is not affiliated with any government agency.

What the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Card offers

• How other travel cards compare to the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card
• 3 key benefits cardholders get from the Autograph Journey 

Move Over, Chase Sapphire Preferred. This New Travel Credit Card Is Turning Heads

Wells Fargo's newest card has one key advantage over the gold standard in travel cards.

Holly Johnson

Contributor

Holly Johnson is a credit card expert and writer who covers rewards and loyalty programs, budgeting, and all things personal finance. In addition to writing for publications like Bankrate, CreditCards.com, Forbes Advisor and Investopedia, Johnson owns Club Thrifty and is the co-author of "Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love."

Tiffany Connors

Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a senior editor for CNET Money with a focus on credit cards. Previously, she covered personal finance topics as a writer and editor at The Penny Hoarder. She is passionate about helping people make the best money decisions for themselves and their families. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and has been a writer and editor for publications including the New York Post, Women's Running magazine and Soap Opera Digest. When she isn't working, you can find her enjoying life in St. Petersburg, Florida, with her husband, daughter and a very needy dog.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card * -- Wells Fargo’s latest and best travel card -- recently launched with an impressive set of features. Its competitive rewards, welcome bonus and redemption options take aim at incumbent travel credit cards from Chase, American Express and Capital One.

What gives Wells Fargo’s first foray into the point-transfer space an edge is that you don’t have to book travel in a portal to earn the highest rewards rates. 

Here’s why we think the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey could go toe-to-toe with some of the best travel credit cards, plus three insider tips to help you decide if you should add it to your credit card lineup.

Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect with the Autograph Journey:

• Earn 60,000 welcome bonus rewards points after spending $4,000 in purchases within three months of account opening.
• Earn unlimited 5x points on hotels, 4x points on airlines, 3x points on other travel and dining and 1x on other purchases.
• Receive an annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Other benefits include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside dispatch and cell phone insurance.
• $95 annual fee.

How other travel cards compare to the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

3 key benefits cardholders get from the autograph journey .

Here’s a rundown of four facts we discovered about the Autograph Journey that you should know when deciding whether to apply.

1. You can transfer points with Wells Fargo point-based cards

The launch of the Autograph Journey also marks the first transferable points program from Wells Fargo, which joins other card issuers like Chase and Capital One, which have their own pooling programs .

Autograph Journey will be able to do a points transfer with the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card . This is especially notable since the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers bonus rewards in different categories than the Autograph Journey. 

For example, the Autograph card earns unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans, plus 1x points on other purchases. So you can maximize your point earning across different categories, then transfer your points to your Autograph Journey account to access premium travel redemptions.

2. It offers more options for earning bonus miles on travel than some competitors

The Autograph Journey will offer more flexibility than many travel rewards cards when it comes to earning more points on travel purchases. For example, cardholders earn unlimited 5x points on hotels booked directly with hotel brands and 4x points on airfare booked with airlines. 

This helps the card stand out from other popular travel credit cards that offer the most bonus points only if you book travel through their portals. For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card * and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card * only offer the highest bonus rewards on travel booked through Capital One Travel. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers its highest rate of 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, whereas other travel purchases earn 2x points.

Autograph Journey cardholders also earn a minimum of 3x points on other travel purchases, which could include rental cars, cruises and travel booked through online travel agencies like Expedia and Priceline.

3. The card may grow in value as more transfer partners join

The Autograph Journey Card will earn flexible travel rewards points that transfer to a selection of airline and hotel partners, similar to Amex Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards . While the list of transfer partners is limited, Wells Fargo stated in its initial press release that “more partners will continue to be added throughout the year.”

Points transfers could dramatically change the value proposition of the Autograph Journey, especially if new partners include domestic airlines and popular hotel loyalty programs. 

Wells Fargo point transfers will be available to new cardholders starting on April 4. For now, Wells Fargo transfer partners include the following:

Smart Money Advice on the Topics That Matter to You

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By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe at any time.

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Recommended Articles

After writing about hundreds of credit cards, these two are still my favorite, 6 reasons the chase sapphire preferred should be your next credit card, 3 steps to take when your flight is canceled or delayed, 8 best credit card strategies to maximize earnings in 2024, as a foodie who enjoys a night out on the town, this credit card gives me plenty to savor.

* All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive may impact how products and links appear on our site.

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Find the best credit card for you

Best sole proprietorship business credit cards, these cards can help sole proprietors simplify expense tracking while earning rewards..

As a sole proprietor, there is no legal separation between you and your business. Still, it's beneficial to separate your business and personal expenses to simplify your bookkeeping and taxes .

Sole proprietors can use personal credit cards for business purposes, but it's generally easier to separate expenses with a business credit card . With the right business card, you can earn rewards, finance larger purchases, build your business credit history and take advantage of other business-related benefits.

You have many options if you're a sole proprietor seeking a small business credit card. To help you out, CNBC Select has narrowed down the best business credit cards for sole proprietors in a handful of practical categories. (See  our methodology  for information on how we chose the best sole proprietorship business credit cards.)

• Best for cash back: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
• Best for travel rewards: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
• Best for premium perks: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Best for 0% intro APR: U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
• Best for bad credit: Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card

Best for cash back

Ink business unlimited® credit card.

Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business

Welcome bonus

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

0% for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases; N/A for balance transfers

Regular APR

18.49% - 24.49% variable

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Good/Excellent

Terms apply.

• No annual fee
• Free employee cards
• Simple cash-back program
• Special financing offer for purchases
• 3% fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.

Who's this for? The Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is ideal for sole proprietors who value simplicity because it offers a generous flat cash-back rate on all purchases and has no annual fee.

Standout benefits: All purchases earn at least 1.5% cashback. This allows sole proprietors to focus on what matters to their business instead of spending time navigating a complicated rewards program.

[ Jump to more details ]

Best for travel rewards

Ink business preferred® credit card.

Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in select categories each account anniversary year (travel; shipping purchases; internet, cable and phone services; and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines), 1X point per $1 on all other purchases

Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

21.24% - 26.24% variable

Read our Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card review.

• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase TravelSM
• 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs
• No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
• Generous welcome bonus worth up to $1,000
• $95 annual fee
• No introductory 0% financing offers for purchases or balance transfers

Who's this for? The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is ideal for sole proprietors who want to earn transferable travel rewards, with one of the most valuable welcome bonus offers and useful bonus business spending categories.

Standout benefits: This card has various built-in travel protections and earns  Chase Ultimate Rewards® points , which can be transferred to over a dozen airline and hotel travel loyalty programs. Points can also be redeemed for 1.25 cents apiece toward travel through the  Chase Travel SM  portal .

Best for premium benefits

The business platinum card® from american express.

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Also, earn 1.5X points (that's an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchases at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.

Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership

19.49% - 28.49% variable

Excellent/Good

See rates and fees , terms apply.

• Enroll to receive up to $400 in annual statement credits on Dell purchases (up to $200 semi-annually), up to $360 with Indeed, up to $150 with Adobe and up to $120 on wireless telephone purchases
• Get 35% points back when you use points to purchase all or part of an airline fare, up to 500,000 bonus points back per calendar year
• American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus where available and get up to $189 back per year on your membership when you use your card. (subject to auto-renewal)
• Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your card
• $695 annual fee
• No introductory 0% financing offers

Who's this for? The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best options for sole proprietors who value luxury travel benefits such as airport lounge access and automatic hotel elite status.

Standout benefits: This card offers a long list of travel benefits, including access to over 1,400 airport lounges and an annual airline fee credit of up to $200 for incidentals, like baggage fees and seat upgrades. Cardholders can enroll to receive Hilton Gold status, Marriott Gold status and premium rental car privileges with National, Avis and Hertz. Terms apply.

Best for 0% intro APR

U.s. bank triple cash rewards visa® business card.

Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Rewards Center, 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants, 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases

Earn $500 in cash back. Just spend $4,500 on the account owner's card in the first 150 days of opening your account.

0% for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers

19.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

• $500 welcome bonus offer
• No limit on cash back earned
• Interest-free period for the first 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers
• Annual $100 statement credit for recurring software subscription services
• 3% foreign transaction fee

Who's this for? The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card is a good option for sole proprietors looking for a strong intro APR offer and still want to earn cash back . Typically, cards with longer intro-APR periods like this one offer fewer rewards and other benefits.

Standout benefits: The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card offers new cardmembers a 0% intro APR on both purchases and eligible balance transfers for 15 billing cycles, after that, a variable 19.24% to 28.24% APR applies. There is a balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount you transfer ($5 minimum).

Best for bad credit

Bank of america business advantage unlimited cash rewards secured credit card.

Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases

28.49% variable

4% of each transaction (minimum $0)

Poor/No credit history

• Bad credit may qualify
• Opportunity to transition to an unsecured card for qualified cardholders
• Flexible redemption options
• $1,000 minimum security deposit
• No welcome bonus

Who's this for? If your credit needs work , the Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card can help you build your score while still earning rewards.

Standout benefits: Secured credit cards are designed for people with no credit history or weak credit scores. They typically don't offer many benefits or rewards, but this card is an exception, earning a competitive 1.5% cash back on every purchase. This return matches some of the top unsecured cash-back credit cards.

More on our business credit cards for sole proprietors

Chase ink business unlimited® credit card.

The Ink Business Unlimited card is a rewarding cash-back business card with an unusually generous welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee card.

• 5% cash back on Lyft rides (through Mar. 31, 2025)
• 1.5% cash back on all other purchases

Earn a $750 cash bonus after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months after opening the account.

Notable perks

New Ink Business Unlimited cardholders receive an intro 0% APR on purchases for 12 months (after that, a variable 18.49% to 24.49% APR applies). This is an excellent offer that makes financing important business purchases more affordable.

You can add employee cards for no additional fee and take advantage of benefits such as purchase protection , extended warranty protection , roadside dispatch and travel and emergency assistance services.

If you have an eligible Ultimate-Rewards-earning card, like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card , the cashback earned with this card can be converted into transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.

[ Return to card summary ]

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a popular business rewards card with a reasonable annual fee, excellent rewards rates and useful insurance benefits.

• 5X points on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025)
• 3X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases in these categories each account anniversary year: Shipping , advertising (with select social media sites and search engines), travel, internet, cable and phone services
• 1X points on all other purchases

Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening.

This card has no foreign transaction fees and does not charge extra to add employee cards. It also offers many built-in insurance benefits that apply to certain purchases, including:

• Cell phone protection
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Roadside dispatch
• Purchase protection
• Extended warranty protection
• Rental car insurance (primary)
• Baggage delay insurance
• Lost luggage coverage
• Travel accident insurance
• Trip delay reimbursement
• Travel and emergency assistance services

This is a longer list of travel and purchase protections than many other sub-$100 annual fee cards. 

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium card with an array of benefits that can easily offset its high annual fee (see rates and fees ).

• 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com
• 1.5X points on up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year of eligible purchases in the following categories: U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, software and cloud systems providers, shipping providers and on purchases of $5,000 or more
• 1X points for all other purchases
• Terms apply

Earn 120,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 in qualifying purchases on your card in the first three months of card membership.

$695 (see rates and fees )

The Amex Business Platinum card offers a long list of valuable statement credit offers, including:

• Up to $400 back per year on U.S. Dell purchases (up to $200 back semi-annually)
• Up to $360 back per year on Indeed purchases (up to $90 back quarterly) through Dec. 31, 2024
• Up to $150 back for select Adobe auto-renewing annual business subscriptions through Dec. 31, 2024
• Up to $120 back per year for U.S. wireless telephone service provider purchases
• Up to $200 in airline fee credit per year with one qualifying airline you choose
• Up to $189 back per calendar year for CLEAR Plus
• Up to $100 back for application fees every four years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck

Cardholders enjoy automatic hotel elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy and have access to more airport lounges than any other card, including Amex Centurion Lounges , Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Delta Sky Clubs and Lufthansa lounges.

The card also boasts no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees ) and many insurance coverages including, return protection, trip delay insurance , trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage insurance, extended warranty coverage, rental car insurance, cell phone protection and purchase protection.

The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card packs a lot into a no-annual-fee business card . Not only does it offer a competitive intro APR offer, but it also has a strong welcome bonus and great cash-back rates.

• 5% back on prepaid hotels and rental cars booked through the U.S. Bank Travel Rewards Center
• 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Earn $500 cash back after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first 150 days of account opening.

Cardholders can earn a $100 annual statement credit for recurring software subscriptions. To qualify, you need to make 11 consecutive monthly payments for an eligible software service, such as QuickBooks or FreshBooks .

The Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card is a solid cash-back card in and of itself but shines in comparison to other secured cards.

• 1.5% cash back on all purchases

The required minimum deposit to open this card is $1,000 and your credit line is equal to the amount you deposit. It also has a handful of travel insurance perks including, up to $100,000 in travel accident insurance, lost luggage assistance and emergency ticket replacement.

Can a sole proprietor get a business credit card?

A small business owner who is a sole proprietor is eligible for business credit cards. Many business card applications allow you to use your social security number as your business tax ID and don't require you to have an LLC or other complicated business structure.

Can I use my EIN to get a business credit card?

You can use an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor. However, most business cards for sole proprietors require a personal guarantee, so reviews of your personal credit history and income are part of the application process.

Do business credit card applications verify personal income?

Most small business card applications require you to provide your personal income and social security number. The card issuer can use this information to determine your credit limit and whether you can afford the card's monthly payments.

Bottom line

Sole proprietors are eligible for most types of small business credit cards, including cards that earn cash-back, travel rewards and offer no-interest intro periods. You'll usually need a good to excellent credit score to qualify for the most rewarding cards, but if you have a lower credit score, some of the easiest business credit cards to get only require an average or fair credit score.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every business credit card   article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card   products .  While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See  our methodology  for more information on how we choose the best business credit cards for sole proprietors.

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

Our methodology

To determine which business cards offer the best value for sole proprietors, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of major small business credit cards. We compared each card on a range of features, including the annual fee, rewards, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks, the application process and how easy it is to redeem points.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, click here .

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Britain's Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a US resident

L ONDON (AP) — Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.

Four years after Harry and his American wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, decamped to a villa in Southern California, a travel company he controls filed paperwork this week informing British authorities that he has moved and is now “usually resident” in the United States.

The formal acknowledgment underscores the prince’s increasing estrangement from Britain, after he and Meghan walked away from royal duties to pursue lucrative media deals in America. Since then, Harry has repeatedly criticized the royal family, including allegations of unconscious racism that were included in a Netflix series and the prince’s autobiography, “Spare.”

The paperwork was filed by Travalyst Ltd, a company at least 75% owned by Harry and which was founded in 2020 to “to promote global awareness of the importance of sustainable tourism.” The documentation was received Monday by Companies House, the government agency that oversees the incorporation of U.K. companies.

The filing further separates Harry from his role as one of the king’s counselors of state — members of the royal family who can be deputized to carry out the duties of the monarch if he is unwell or out of the country.

While Harry formally remains a counselor of state, the crown informed Parliament in 2022 that “in practice” only working members of the royal family would be called upon to fill in for the monarch.

Although Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have put down roots in the wealthy enclave of Montecito, where they are raising their young son and daughter, Harry is also facing scrutiny about his U.S. residency.

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has questioned the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to grant Harry a U.S. visa following admissions of drug use that were included in “Spare.”

The foundation, which has asked a judge to force the department to release Harry’s immigration file, argues that the prince either lied on his visa application or was given special treatment because a history of drug use would normally disqualify an applicant from being granted a visa.

• Stand Up for Free Enterprise

U.S. Chamber Letter on H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Renewals

240415 comments h 1 b pilot state final.

Jon Baselice Vice President, Immigration Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

April 16, 2024

April 15, 2024

Jami Thompson Senior Regulatory Coordinator Visa Services Bureau of Consular Affairs U.S. Department of State 

Re:   Notice, Pilot Program to Resume Renewal of H-1B Nonimmigrant Visas in the United States for Certain Qualified Noncitizens (88 Fed. Reg. 88,467-88,470, RIN 1400-AF79, December 21, 2023)

Dear Senior Regulatory Coordinator Thompson: 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce appreciates the opportunity to comment on the above-referenced notice. We were pleased when the State Department announced its intentions to launch this much-anticipated pilot program last February and our members welcomed the publication of the notice that created the program last December. Feedback from member companies has been very positive. When a company’s workers can obtain an H-1B extension without leaving the U.S., it provides both the employer and the employee with additional certainty that business disruptions can be avoided, deliverables can be completed in timely fashion, and companies are in a much better position to meet their business needs.

The Chamber is thankful for the State Department’s engagement with us as it designed the program’s contours and implemented it over the past several months. However, our members have conveyed to us that there are several ways in which this program could be built upon and improved. While we heard from many companies that had employees who have taken advantage of this pilot program, there were many other companies whose employees could not meet the eligibility criteria set forth under the pilot. In addition, several member companies that utilized the pilot informed us that some of the annotations made on their workers’ visas were sources of confusion for their businesses. We urge the State Department to rectify those issues by providing more guidance to the regulated community regarding how these annotations should be interpreted by the companies. Last, but certainly not least, the primacy that companies place upon workforce certainty cannot be understated and we believe it would benefit the State Department, our member companies, and their workers if this pilot program were made into a permanent program and the eligibility requirements were extended to cover several other visa classifications.

The Benefits of Expanding the Pilot Program and Making it Permanent

The Chamber appreciates the methodical approach the State Department took in reinstating domestic visa renewal capabilities for non-diplomatic, nonimmigrant visa holders. The launch of this pilot program represents the first time in roughly two decades that the State Department is performing this type of function for any type of nonimmigrant worker classification. Our members whose employees took advantage of this program understand that the Department’s decision to “start small” with strict eligibility criteria and only 20,000 application slots was driven by a desire to ensure that the program’s rollout was not afflicted by any significant processing hurdles. By that measurement, the rollout of the pilot program during this year has been a success, as the member feedback we’ve received has been overwhelmingly positive.

Nevertheless, there are many ways in which the State Department can build upon its successes and make this program much more beneficial not only to the American business community and the U.S. economy, but also to our nation’s security. The Department should make the pilot program permanent and extend eligibility for domestic visa renewals to applicants in many other classifications before the end of this calendar year. Making this program permanent will ensure that this tool can help the Department make the best use of its limited consular resources over an extended period of time. This is particularly important, considering the processing backlogs that it is currently confronting and the serious national security mission of the Department. Having the ability to redirect processing away from busy consulates will help improve their processing times and provide more consistency in adjudications. More importantly, it will free up consular resources that can be directed towards interviewing and investigating visa applicants that potentially pose a greater threat to the safety of the U.S. than foreign nationals that are already in the country and have oftentimes already undergone background checks on multiple occasions.

In addition to making the program permanent, the Department should expand the eligibility criteria of the current pilot program to include applicants for visas in several other visa classifications beyond the Department’s current limitations. As stated before, we understand the Department’s reasons for limiting eligibility to a subset of H-1B applicants whose visas were issued by Mission Canada or Mission India. However, allowing visa applicants from other countries and in different visa categories who do not pose a security risk to renew their visas in the United States will provide more companies with much-needed additional certainty as it pertains to their business operations. The State Department should expand this pilot program to cover as many visa classifications and as many individual applications as is practical.

Given that the pilot has been operating for only a few months, we can appreciate if the State Department desires to continue its methodical approach regarding any potential program expansion. If that is the case, we recommend that the Department consider the following categories in any future effort to expand the program’s eligibility constraints to the following cohorts of foreign nationals:

• The dependents of all eligible principal H-1B nonimmigrants;
• H-1B nonimmigrants that obtained their prior visa from other countries beside Canada and India, and expanding the issuance date eligibility criteria to cover more individuals, and;
• Nonimmigrants possessing different visas in different classifications, such as F, E, J, L, and O, as well as any dependents and individuals accompanying the principal nonimmigrant to the U.S.

Feedback and Suggestions for Improving Domestic Visa Renewal Operations

As stated above, the Chamber received significant positive feedback from our members on the experience that their companies and their employees had in using the new pilot program. In fact, many of the companies conveyed to us that their employees that utilized the pilot obtained their new visas in a timely fashion. However, there were several suggestions that companies have for the State Department to improve the program’s operations moving forward.

One common refrain we heard from several companies was on the restrictive eligibility criteria preventing their employees from being able to renew their visa domestically. Multiple companies told us that the strict criteria prevented many of their workers from taking advantage of their program. Other businesses cited the inability of the principal nonimmigrant’s dependents to renew their visas domestically as a key factor in their worker’s decision to forego seeking to renew their visa domestically. These issues would be solved by the State Department expanding the program in the manner suggested above.

Another issue that has caused a significant amount of consternation for our members and their workers is the inclusion of an annotation of “not valid until ten days before the petition validity date” being included on the new visa stamp in the foreign national’s passport. Several companies have informed us that their workers spent a significant time worrying over what this meant for their status in the U.S. and whether it would inhibit their ability to return to the U.S. if they needed to travel internationally. The Chamber acknowledges that this language is included in the relevant section of the Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual (“FAM”), but it would behoove the Department to either revisit this section of the FAM or create a Frequently Asked Questions document that can help provide additional guidance to applicants. This additional information will provide individuals with a better understanding of what this annotation means for them and their ability to remain in the U.S., which in turn will help encourage more people to take advantage of the program.

Conclusion ​

We very much appreciate the State Department’s engagement with the Chamber throughout the process of reinstating this domestic visa renewal program. We hope the Department finds our feedback helpful as it seeks to expand the opportunities for hard-working foreign nationals to renew their nonimmigrant visas without having to the leave the U.S. More importantly, we look forward to working with the State Department to expand this pilot program in a manner that enhances business certainty and improves our national security.

Thank you for considering our views.

Jonathan Baselice Vice President, Immigration Policy U.S. Chamber of Commerce

About the authors

Jon baselice.

Jon currently serves as the Vice President of Immigration Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He joined the Chamber in June 2014. He works with Chamber member companies to form Chamber policy positions on various issues and he advocates for sensible immigration policies before Congress and the executive branch agencies.

• Employment Policy
• Immigration

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5 African countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates

Visa applications tend to be the first obstacle people encounter while looking to travel. In Africa, some countries find the process frustrating due to startlingly high rate in which they are denied visas. For context, 70% of the top 10 countries in the world with the highest visa rejection rates into the Schengen region of Europe (which encompasses 29 countries) are African.

• Business Insider Africa presents 5 African countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates.
• This list is courtesy of Henley and Partners.
• African countries account for 7 of the 10 countries in the world with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates.

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One of the groups heavily affected by visa rejections is the entrepreneurs. Hard-working business folks who sometimes, depending on the region they are born in, face forestalling in business growth due to an inability to expand outside of their borders.

This stifling of economic opportunities not only hampers the growth potential of African businesses but also perpetuates a cycle of dependency on domestic markets.

Aside from seeking economic opportunities, some Africans in certain regions looking to travel for vacation, education or just visiting purposes have had their visas rejected.

There is also a sense of isolation when one is denied entry into a foreign region. As a result, concerted efforts must be made by governments to promote visa liberalization, streamline application processes, and combat discriminatory practices.

DON'T MISS THIS: 10 African countries with the weakest passports in Q1 of 2024

This leaves the question of which countries in Africa suffer this complication the most.

According to a recent report by Henley and Partners, ranking the 10 countries in the world with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates, “Africa accounted for seven of the top ten countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates in 2022.”

“Globally, the absolute number of Schengen visa applications decreased from 16.7 million in 2014 to 7.6 million in 2022, representing a decline of almost 9 million applications. In other words, the global number of Schengen visa applications declined by nearly 54.7%,” the report reads.

However, “African visa applicants face more severe restrictions compared to applicants from other regions, resulting in a disproportionately high rejection rate. In 2022, Africa topped the list of rejections with 30% or one in three of all processed applications being turned down, even though it had the lowest number of visa applications per capita,” the report adds.

With that said here are the 5 African countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates.

The other 2 countries on the list are Guinea and Mali, with rejection rates of 40.6% and 39.9% respectively.

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