Tips for Obtaining a Business Visa
Obtaining a business visa can be a rather confusing process, and there can sometimes only be one shot at it, so here are some tips to help you efficiently secure your work visa:
Patience is absolutely vital in the visa process We all know at least one person who thinks that the rules don’t apply to them. However, immigration laws apply to everyone equally, and the process will almost always take the same amount of time. In some very exceptional cases, getting a visa on the fast track is possible, but in most cases the visa process must run its set course. Make sure that you plan well ahead, allowing plenty of time for the visa to be granted before it will be needed.
Don’t buy a plane ticket until the visa has already been issued This may sound like obvious advice, but even the most straightforward cases can be delayed. Many clients will book a flight thinking their visa will be issued in ample time, since someone they know had everything work out smoothly. Unfortunately, this person could have a passport expiring within six months, for example, and this would prevent a visa from being granted promptly. The visa, which would have taken 24 hours to secure, now could take six weeks, thanks to renewing a passport.
Visa restrictions last longer than you think Each visa comes with rules and conditions that must be strictly adhered to, even after the employee has arrived in their host country. Their company must continue to track and manage their visa status, and any changes to their role, employment, or their stay being extended beyond their original visa expiration date must be reported to the relevant authorities. A visa ceases to be an issue only after the employee has returned back to their home country.
Be prepared for others to make mistakes It is fairly common for a government employee to misread a form, causing them to reject a perfectly acceptable case, or to forget to sign a box. Whatever you do, don’t panic! Immigration decisions made in error are not uncommon, and there are many procedures in place to correct them. The main thing is that you want to pay a close eye to your entire application procedure, so that if some manager does make a mistake, it is caught and fixed quickly.
Always keep it simple Your business could be rocket science, or even dealing with complex brain surgery, but that should not arbitrarily make securing your work permit more difficult at all. Immigration laws are all the same, regardless of what your company does. While certain details like that are critical to the company, the law is completely blind to them. When dealing with visas, keep it simple, focus only on the specific laws outlined, and only the exact information they’re asking for. Ensure that you are only answering the specific questions asked, and only as they pertain to immigration law. Offering any extraneous explanations, such as how complex your business is, will only confuse the officer charged with dealing with the case. Stay focused on the rules. Hopefully with these tips, you can find yourself passing smoothly through the business visa process.