When planning ahead costs time and money

Polly Morgan and Simon Calder explain how to avoid hassle ÿ and save cash ÿ when visiting a country that requires a visa

Yesterday, Zimbabwe joined a long list of countries that demand a visa from British travellers. Yet from conversations with the Zimbabwe High Commission in London yesterday, it appears that anyone who plans ahead – rather than buying a visa on arrival – will be wasting time and money. You must apply at least a week ahead, says the High Commission, and pay £30. But in the next breath it is revealed that applying on arrival is a hassle-free business that costs only £20. This reflects a widespread trend. Some previously tricky countries, such as Egypt, now allow British travellers to obtain visas at no added cost on arrival. Yet delegates to last month's Association of British Travel Agents convention in Cairo were urged to apply ahead for visas, even though obtaining one on arrival costs one-third less and takes a few seconds.

There are other advantages, too. You avoid the risk with a postal application that your passport goes "missing". But turning up without a visa has risks, too; officials may not apply rules consistently, and some airlines won't carry passengers they fear may be turned back. This could affect the travel plans of Zimbabwe-bound travellers, as airlines may not be fully aware of the new rules. But The Independent sought advice on travel to four destinations –Jordan, Kenya, Tanzania and Egypt – where rules are more established.

Egypt

Many tour operators to Egypt strongly recommend that you spend £15 plus time and effort applying in advance for a visa.In practice, you can simply buy a visa stamp for US$15 (£10, but try to have the correct dollar notes) upon arrival at the airports at Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor and Sharm-el-Sheikh. Before passport control, there are bureaux de change that sell these stamps. If two people are together, one can stand in the passport queue while the other buys stamps. Even so, the Egyptian Embassy (020-7499 2401) suggests you check with the airline first that it will allow you to board without a visa. Travellers intending to arrive by land from Israel may prefer to obtain a visa in advance just in case a worsening political situation toughens attitudes among frontier officials.

If you decide to plan ahead ...

Apply in person at the Egyptian Embassy, 26 South Street, London W1Y 6DD, between 9.30am and 12.30pm, Mon-Fri, or by telephoning the embassy's visa section (020-7235 9777 ext 29) to request an application form. (Or visit www.visaservices.uk.com, where you can download application forms for most countries.

How much does it cost? £15.

How long does it take? About 10 days for postal applications, 24 hours for personal callers.

How long does it last? 3 months.

Jordan

The cost of a tourist visa for British visitors to Jordan is fixed at £11, wherever you apply. According to the tourism board (020-7371 6496, www.see-jordan.com) most visitors opt for visas on arrival, with no difficulty. Stuart Britton, managing director of the long-haul specialist, Somak, concurs – with one caveat. "If you're crossing from Israel, get a visa in advance."

If you decide to plan ahead ...

Visit the embassy at 6 Upper Phillimore Gardens, London W8 7HB (020-7937 3685), Mon-Fri, 9.30am-noon, to make a personal application. Or download an application form from www.jordanembassy.org and send it, with a passport-sized photograph, to the embassy.

How much does it cost? £11

How long does it take? Personal applications are usually handled the same day; postal applications take 10 working days.

How long does it last? 3 months.

Kenya

"No problems getting a visa on arrival; very quick, very efficient," says Mr Britton of Somak. The visa fee is US$50 or £35, and you should take the right money. Travellers who arrive at Nairobi or Mombasa airport without a visa or a ticket out of the country may be required to pay a £250 deposit.

If you decide to plan ahead ...

Apply in person at the Kenyan High Commission, 45 Portland Place, London W1N 4AS (020-7636 2371/5), Mon-Fri, 9.30am- noon. Or download a form from the website www.kenyahighcommission.com and apply by post.

How much does it cost? £35.

How long does it take? One to three weeks by post, three working days for personal applications.

How long does it last? 3 months

Tanzania

The Tanzanian High Commission (020-7499 8951, www.tanzania-online.gov.uk) strongly recommends you apply in advance, as priority in issuing visas on arrival is given to travellers who could not apply outside Tanzania, usually because their home country has no Tanzanian embassy or high commission. This could mean a long wait. In addition, reports have been received of immigration officials creating problems. A spokesman for the tour operator Tanzanian Odyssey (020-7471 8780, www.tanzaniaodyssey.com) says whether or not you are granted a visa – and how much you pay – can be up to the attitude of the officials.

Mr Britton of Somak agrees that getting a visa in advance is a good plan, especially if you are crossing the land frontier from Kenya. "The regulations seem to change according to the day of the week," he says. Tanzania's High Commission in London can be unreliable, so Mr Britton suggests you "stump up a little extra and go through an agency". For travellers heading only to Zanzibar, problems getting visas on arrival at the airport are rare.

If you decide to plan ahead ...

Apply in person at the Tanzanian High Commission, 43 Hertford Street, London, W1Y 7DB (personal visa section 020-7408 4063; postal visa section 020-7408 4078), from 10am-12.30pm Monday-Friday. Or visit www.tanzania-online.gov.uk where you can download a form and apply by post.

How much does it cost? £38.

How long does it take? A week by post, 24 hours for personal applications.

How long does it last? 3 months.