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Consulate closures:

                                      The Vietnam Consulates will be closed February 15th,16th,17th and 18th 2010

                                      The China Consulate in San Francisco will be closed February 15th & 16th,2010.

                                      The China Consulate in Los Angeles will be closed February 15th,16th & 17th, 2010.

                                      The India Consulates will be closed February 12th 2010.

                                      The USA Passport Offices will be closed February 15th , 2010.

Peninsula Visa offices will be closed Monday February 15th, 2010 in observance of the President's Day Holiday.

New India visa requirement effective 01-25-2010.    EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. All applicants must submit a photocopy of the birth certificate. You should not send the original birth certificate - we cannot be responsible for original documents. For Non-US born applicants that do not have their birth certificate, provide a copy of a document issued by Government authorities. This document could be an old (not current) passport or a school leaving certificate etc., provided it shows their personal particulars like name, date of birth, parents names, and nationality. (01-25-2010)

For travelers going to Taiwan effective April 1, 2009 India, Vietnam, Philippine, Indonesia and Thailand passport holders may qualify for an "online application for entry permit". Check here to see if you qualify.

February 11, 2009 The Government of Cote d'Ivoire(Ivory Coast)informs that effective February 15, 2009; USA Passport holders will require a visa and it should be obtained at the nearest Ivoirian embassy or consulate prior to travel.

As of December 12, 2008 The Schengen Agreement became operative for Switzerland on December 12, 2008. This means that Switzerland is now issuing visas that are also valid for other Schengen member countries, unless stated otherwise on the visa sticker. However, Swiss diplomatic and consular representations can only accept applications from persons whose main destination is Switzerland.
US green card holders are no longer exempt from the visa obligation for short stays in Switzerland.
Only persons who have a legal residence status in the United States can apply for visas at Swiss representations in the United States (e.g. F1 (I-20), H1B, G1, J1, etc.). Tourists and visitors on B1/B2 visas must apply in their country of residence.

The Republic of China (Taiwan) will now allow the following passport holders to stay in Taiwan for up to 30 days without a visa.  No extensions are possible.
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States.

As of November 17, 2008 A U.S. citizen traveling to Korea does not require a visa for a stay up to 90 days for tour, short term business, provided that he/she has proof of transportation out of the country and sufficient funds for the stay.

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