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Tips to Driving In the USA

April 1, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

Driving in the USA can be a wonderful experience if you map out your preferred trip and plan the route you want to ply. This is necessary because USA is a very large country, and to be précise, it is the third largest country in the world with 3.9 million square miles. With a large number of states, you can imagine what driving in the USA experience would be without planning ahead. Hence, map out your trip before you take off in order to be certain that you include different kinds of activities that match the criteria of your interests.

driver

As soon as you have planned and mapped out your preferred trip, here are some major factors you need to consider when driving in the USA.

When you want to start driving in the USA, make sure you maintain a minimum of half tank of gas. In a situation where you have not traveled to US in your life not to talk of driving in the USA, it is particularly imperative not to take for granted that everything will work the same as your home country or the country you are coming from. Therefore, drive with sufficient fuel in your car to avoid fuel shortage at the middle of your tour.

On the other hand, when driving in the USA, plan out what exactly you want to see taking into account exhaustion and timing. As it is likely that timing will blow out due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather or traffic, these will be your biggest hurdles. On the other hand, when driving in the USA, it can be difficult to realize how tired you may become and you don’t want to arrive in a place and spend all your time sleeping rather than doing exploration of attractive places.

Also, make sure you book several nights in order to rest and have enough time to see everything, if there are certain aspects about a town or area that you really want to explore. This will at the same time give you time for other extraordinary events that are on your list.

As part of your driving in the USA plan, you need to consider weather changes particularly with such a huge array of states and depending on the time of the year you will like to take your trip. A dramatic weather change can happen within a few miles which can mean a huge detour that could delay or upset your entire tour.

Without doubt, there are many captivating discoveries you will make when driving in the USA. You will not be disappointed with such different states responsible for everything including some of the most wonderful national parks, theme parks, rainforest areas and snow of the world.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Medical Insurance for Travelers

March 27, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

There are various reasons why people travel abroad. Many people travel abroad for an extended period of time to work, some travel for pleasure, others travel to study abroad or perhaps for business. For whatever reason for your travel, it is quite imperative for you to have urgent medical insurance in order to be protected against any emergency that may occur to your health while traveling abroad. Taking it for granted believing that you cannot have crisis with your health is unrealistic and that is why it is very vital for you to buy urgent medical insurance when traveling abroad.

travel essentials

There are different types of packages when it comes to emergency medical insurance for visitors, travelers and tourists while benefits and coverage depend on what you choose. Therefore, the insurance could cover repatriation, urgent medical care, travel with a bedside companion, ambulances or emergency returning home. On the other hand, you will equally find some insurance that will cover subsistence benefits, emergency allowance, accident protection and urgent dental care.

A lot of companies offer coverage for you as soon as you arrive in Canada or USA, while additional coverage is available by some companies that begin coverage from your home country. If you are on long flight and have a lot of stopovers, this may be an ideal solution. It is not obligatory to complete a medical form when you apply online. Nevertheless, you probably will not be able to find coverage if you suffer from a medical condition for which you have been treated within six months prior to your arrival in Canada. On the other hand, after answering some medical questions, you may be eligible at a higher premium.

Furthermore, if any emergency happened in your home country and you must return all of a sudden, you are eligible to get a refund for any unused portion of the trip. It is therefore important for you to know that you cannot have made a claim if you want to benefit from this. If you had no claims, it is also possible for you to extend the plan for up to two years.

With your urgent medical insurance, you will receive immediate coverage if an accident happened. However, you must wait 2 to 10 days for your claim if it is considered to be a sickness and not an emergency. If you are a seasoned traveler, visitor or tourist, the benefits of urgent medical insurance are obvious.

Filed Under: Visitor Insurance USA

Visa Extension and Refusal

March 22, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

A lot of countries possess a mechanism that will let the holder of a visa apply for a visa extension. For instance, a visa holder can apply to the Danish Immigration Service in Denmark for a Residence Permit following their arrival in the country. On the other hand, applications can make to the UK Border Agency in the United Kingdom. However, either for the reason being that the country does not have a mechanism to prolong visas or most likely for the fact that the holder of the visa is using a short stay visa to live in a particular country, it is not always possible for the holder of the visa to do this in certain circumstances.

Visa Application

The holder of the visa in such cases frequently engages in what is called a visa run, leaving the country for a short duration just before the granted length of stay runs out to start all over again. On the other hand, entry can be denied by immigrations under these circumstances, most especially if done more than once since such acts may signify that the foreigner aspires to reside permanently or work in that country. In addition, several countries may leave limits concerning how long you can stay in the country devoid of a visa, which further creates an obstacle to the visa runs.

Visas in general offers non-citizens permission to enter a particular country and stay there in specified constraints, including a limit on the time spent in that country, a time frame for entry and a prohibition against employment. However, being granted a visa or being in possession of a visa is never in itself an assurance of entry into the country that granted such visa, and a visa can be cancelled at any time.

Application for visa well in advance of the arrival of the applicant in the country of visit gives that country the opportunity of considering the circumstance of the applicant, like reason for applying, financial security as well as details of previous visits to the country. Upon arrival at the border of the country of visit, a visitor may be subjected to undergo and pass health and security checks.

Nevertheless, there are circumstances when your application for visa may be refused or denied. Few of such situations are; that applicant has committed misrepresentation or fraud in his or her home country of application, has a criminal record or pending criminal charges, is considered to be a threat to national security, cannot show that he has strong ties to his current country of residence, intends to reside or work permanently in the country she/he will visit without applying for an immigrant or work visa respectively, does not have a lawful reason for the journey, does not have travel arrangements such as lodging and transport in the destination country, does not have a valid health or travel insurance for the destination and the length of stay, does not have a good moral character or he is applying on excessively short notice.

Other reasons for visa refusal are that; if the applicant has no visible means of sustenance, had his or her previous visa application(s) rejected and cannot justify the reasons for the previous denials, is a citizen of a country to which the destination country is intimidating, has previously visited, or intends to visit, a country to which the destination country is hostile, has a communicable disease like tuberculosis, has previous visa/immigration violations, has a passport that will expire very soon, didn’t use a previously issued visa at all without a legitimate reason, for instance a trip cancellation due to a family emergency) as well as failure to demonstrate intent to return –  for non-immigrants.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Fun Activities in Seattle Washington

March 19, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

The amazing verdant landscape that Seattle has is also worthwhile, even though the city might be known mainly for its rain. Even when you take your children along with you, Seattle is one of the easier large cities in the United States to navigate. Despite the fact that some cities have a reputation for certain popular attractions, other cities are a treasure trove of fantastic lesser known attractions. When you take a trip to Seattle, there are many activities for all ages that you will enjoy. This article will identify some of them.

driving
The Space Needle
The Space Needle is the most excellent attraction in Seattle where you cannot afford to miss any activity. This Seattle attraction is so inspiring that no mere photos can ever express it. Therefore, it is mandatory to take your camera along with you so that you will cover more than enough scenes. There is a revolving restaurant at the top of the Space Needle that serves excellent food and has an especially delicious breakfast.
The Pacific Science Center
This is a large science museum geared in the direction of the young people with its surfeit of hands on investigational displays. Also available are quite a number of remarkable exhibits which are uncommon even for a science museum of that magnitude. You can see butterflies from cocoon to stunning adulthood with the butterfly display that leaves every visitor wondering at the beauty of these frail creatures. The IMAX movie screen in Pacific Science Center is the largest in the United States and it is more than 80 feet wide. In a way an ordinary theater could never do, the IMAX movie screen is able to bring nature to life. Although the theater will display blockbusters like the Toy Story movies, the nature films and underwater features are particularly inspiring.
Seattle Pike Place Market
This is a place for an ultimate shopping experience where nothing can surpass. Seattle Pike Place Market is an outdoor food market, fine dining emporium, shopping mall, clothing boutique and fast food stop among others. All adults and children to this market are always impressed with its fun atmosphere, while they can easily spend the whole day in the market enjoying the attractions.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Why Schengen Visa Application May Be Rejected

March 16, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

There are few genuine reasons why a consulate may reject your application for Schengen visa. This article will highlight these reasons, so that you can guide against them when you are applying for your next Schengen visa.

The number one reason is that, many people just apply for Schengen visa without understanding how it works, whereas, it is quite imperative to know how Schengen visa works. You must understand that you cannot just apply for Schengen visa because this type of visa is not for all countries. You can only apply for Schengen visa to only the 25 member countries that are under the Schengen agreement.

For instance, if you have a Schengen visa being issued by the German Consulate, this means that you have a German Schengen visa. On the other hand, if it is a visa issued by the French Consulate, you are carrying a French Schengen visa on your passport. The rule guiding application for Schengen visa is that, your application must be filed at the consulate of the country that will be your main destination. In a nutshell, define your main destination correctly when applying for Schengen visa so that your application will not be rejected.

Another reason for rejecting Schengen visa application is the failure to attach all the required documents to the application before submission. Remember that the following documents must accompany your application, otherwise it will be rejected by the consulate; 2 filled application forms with 2 passport photographs, proof of income, a copy of your itinerary with established reservation, evidence of health insurance cover for your stay in the Schengen area, valid international passport of which its validity must extend till at least 3 months after the end of the intended journey and a letter from your company giving adequate information concerning your business trip and visa fees, as determined by the Embassy of the country you are going.
Video to help you buy and download insurance letter for Schengen visa

Finally, your application for Schengen visa will be rejected if you fill out wrong or old application forms. For your Schengen visa application to be successful, ensure that you fill out an up-to-date and correct Schengen visa application form, which is available at the official websites of the consulates.

On the other hand, if you fail to fill out your Schengen visa application form correctly and completely, your Schengen visa application will be rejected. Therefore, you must endeavor to answer all questions on the visa application form correctly, giving true and accurate information.

Obtaining a Schengen visa may seem challenging but this process can be a simplified if you can take necessary precautions when filing your application for Schengen visa.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Multiple Entry Schengen Visa

March 11, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

A multiple entry Schengen Visa is the type of visa that will allow you to travel freely for as many times as you want to any of the 25 Schengen countries in the course of the validity of such visa. However, you are not allowed to stay a day above the number of days on the visa granted to you in the country of your visit. Apart from the multiple entry Schengen visa, no other Schengen visa can guarantee you traveling to a few or more countries more than once in the course of the validity of your visa.

While the majority of the Embassies issue single entry Schengen visas which offer you the benefit of entering a Schengen country for one time, only few of them issue multiple entry Schengen visas. Planning your first trip to France and then apply for a Schengen visa through the French Consulate, is the secret to obtaining a multiple entry Schengen visa. You will be granted multiple entry Schengen visa easily in this way, if your application as well as documentations are of the required standard.

There are certain requirements you must fulfill before being granted multiple entry Schengen visa. Hence, if you want to be granted a multiple entry Schengen visa of 3 to 6 months validity, the requirements listed below must be met.

1. You must have sufficient funds in your United Kingdom bank account to cater for all your expenses in the course of your trip.
2. It is mandatory for you to have your UK visa and international passport, which must be valid for a minimum of 9 months, at the end of your journey to France.
3. It is also compulsory for you to be in full time employment in the UK for at least a period of 3 months. This claim must be supported with your last three pay slips and your employment letter. In case you work on part time basis, visa may be granted for one month only. If you are unemployed but have a relative that works in UK who can produce pay slips, bank statement and employment letter, you will be considered.
4. You must support your application for multiple entry Schengen visa application with your annual travel insurance that must cover the duration of the requested visa and a letter from your bank saying that you are eligible for the insurance together with the insurance booklet in a situation where you maintain insurance with your bank. You can look at the sample insurance letter in the video below.

Another tip that will boost your chances of being granted a multiple entry Schengen visa easily is for you to have got one of such visa stamped in your international passport previously.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Tips to Get Schengen Visa

March 5, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

A winning Schengen Visa is quite easy to process if you follow a simple process. Schengen is just a small town located in Luxemburg and it is very close to France and Germany borders. Schengen Visa is a kind of visa being issued under the Schengen treaty terms while Schengen visa came about as a result of a treaty signed by seven European Union countries in June 1985 to end internal border checkpoints and controls.

Over the past years, other countries have joined the treaty and there are 25 Schengen member countries in Europe at present. As a result of the withdrawal of border controls, all the treaty members felt that it is imperative for them to have just one single visa administration. For this reason, Schengen visa was introduced. When you enter the Schengen region, your passport is checked against the database of the offenders who are wanted in the Schengen zone. This is part of the Schengen treaty that covers cooperation involving the treaty nations as well as the computer system.

You can travel to any of these countries, with your Schengen visa; Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Denmark, France, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Latvia, Luxemburg, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland.

If you have the intention of visiting only one particular Schengen country, you need a Schengen visa. All you need to do is to file an application with the Embassy of the country you are visiting. However, you have to file your application at the Embassy of your main destination, if you have the intention of visiting more than one Schengen country. Consequently, you should apply at the Embassy of your first port of entry, in a situation where you plan to visit quite a lot of Schengen countries, but you don’t have a main destination.

There are requirements you must fulfill for your Schengen visa to be granted. Failure to meet all these requirements will make your application for Schengen visa to be rejected. These requirements are:

1.  Proof of income – bank statements or an invitation letter including sponsorship declaration from your relatives or friends who are already in a Schengen country.

2.  A copy of your itinerary with established reservation, airline ticket to be presented at the Embassy before the issuance of Schengen visa.

3.  Evidence of health insurance cover for your stay in the Schengen area> to be presented before being granted visa. Check the video for insurance related questions

4.  2 completely filled application forms with 2 passport photographs .

5.  Valid international passport of which its validity must extend till at least 3 months after the end of the intended journey.

6.  A Letter from your company giving adequate information concerning your business trip.

7.  Visa fees, as determined by the Embassy of the country you are visiting. You can get in touch with the Embassy or Consulate for details.

8.  For Minors who are traveling on their own or together with just one custodian should contact the respective Consulate or Embassy for additional requirements.

Finally, if you abide by the rules guiding Schengen visa application and attach all the documents highlighted above, you will be granted Schengen visa, without doubt. However, if you are still in doubt, you can hire a professional lawyer for further advice. The same lawyer can even process your Schengen visa application for you.

To know about various types of travel visa’s read more.

Filed Under: Travel Tips Tagged With: schengen, visa

How to Use Critical Illness Insurance to Replace Lost Income

February 27, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

It can almost be impossible to get disability insurance, if you are in a high risk job such as a lumberjack while it would be extremely expensive; up to 10 percent of your annual income, if you are fortunate to get an insurance company that will offer you a plan. As a result, how will you design a particular plan that will cover your risks of injury and illness and at the same time offer protection to your lifestyle and family? Creating a split plan with a critical illness insurance policy and injury only disability insurance for major life altering illnesses is one solution.

disability

A great way of getting a type of disability income insurance is to use a critical illness insurance policy to replace lost income. Note that a critical illness insurance policy is in no way a disability policy and it does not cover things like fibromyalgia, pneumonia and chronic cough among others. Disability insurance policy only covers those major injuries and illnesses that can alter your life and keep you out of the job you are doing for many months, if not years. These are stroke, cancer, by-pass surgery, heart attack, MS, spinal damage, Parkinson’s, organ failure and so on.

In a situation where a common disability policy in addition to illness protection comes with a 90 days waiting moment in time, which indicates that your benefits will only begin after 90 days of paying your bills, what are the kinds of illnesses that would keep you off work for that long? However, the most universal kinds would be those illnesses that are incorporated in the list of critical illness insurance. Moreover, critical illness insurance will only pay out at the end of 30 days and not 90 in addition to the fact that all benefits are paid out in lump sum devoid of tax.

A plan that covers two years of gross income is substantial insurance coverage for most people in this situation.

Luckily, a critical illness insurance policy is more often than not less expensive compared to illness protection on a disability insurance policy. You can feel confident that you are insured from things like a car accident, fall, brain injury, cancer and heart diseases among others, taking the premium savings on the injury only disability insurance together with a lower cost critical illness insurance policy.

Filed Under: Visitor Insurance USA

Top Theatres Screening Bollywood Movies

February 26, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

Bollywood movies started as far back as 1913 when Dadasaheb Phalke’s silent movie Raja Harishchandra was screened in the theaters. The success of the film motivated creative people and technicians to think seriously about film creation. Alam Ara was created in the year 1931, with the arrival of talkies in Bollywood cinema which was followed by Kisan Kanya, the first Hindi film color.

In the rocking 1960s, a Bollywood movie actor called Shammi Kapoor danced his way to fame with his Elvis-like looks. The 1970s experienced the rise of this angry man and it is superbly portrayed by Amitabh Bachan. Until the release of Qayamat se Qayamat Tak in 1988, the action genus continued into the mid 1980s and since that time, romantic movies have been well-liked in Bollywood and this can be seen in the Bollywood movies. There are now highly skilled professionals as well as sophisticated equipment in the Bollywood film industry. This development has been helping in making movies get global acclamation.

Therefore, there are a lot of theatres screening Bollywood movies across the globe. Among the notables are:
Vue Entertainment Limited
Vue Entertainment Company is among the top theatres screening Bollywood movies as well as part of a group of companies that jointly form one of the foremost developer and operator of state-of-art cinema.  Vue Entertainment Limited has latest offers like Nectar – The Best of Bollywood, where you can use your Nectar points of at Vue and for each 500 points; you will get a discount of £2.50.

ODEON
The sprawl at ODEON Whiteleys is just only one of its kinds with more than 18 luxury cinema experience from ODEON. Each of the cherished screens has not more than 50 seats and the sprawl gives you the opportunity of enjoying interesting Film and delicious food in the most exclusive cinema setting. ODEON have 26 cinemas in London which included 5 IMAX cinemas screening the latest 3D Bollywood movies and the team there has always been very cooperating in organizing the latest film screenings. With their quality staff, you will have a wonderful time at this theatre.

Cineplex
Also on the list of theatres screening Bollywood movies is Cineplex which is one of the foremost entertainment companies in Canada. The headquarters of Cineplex is located in Toronto, Canada and Cineplex operates one of the most contemporary and fully digitalized motion picture theatre circuits in the world. This top-tier Canadian brand operates many businesses such as food services, theatrical exhibition, gaming, alternative programming, Cineplex Media, the online sale of home entertainment content and Cineplex Digital Solutions. They have 134 theatres as well as 1,449 screens from the British Colombia to Quebec that are serving roughly 70 million guests every year through Galaxy cinema, Colossus, Famous Players, Coliseum, Cinema City, SilverCity and Scotiabank Theatres.

Although there are a lot of theatres screening Bollywood movies around the world, above are top theatres screening Bollywood movies. You can as well use Google to search for theatres screening Bollywood movies in your locality if you have passion for Bollywood movies.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

O and P Athlete and Entertainer Visas – Can a Holder Apply For an Extension of Stay?

February 25, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

Non- immigrant athletes and entertainers that will be visiting the United States are always issued O and P types of visas to enable them take part in athletics or perform in an entertainment. Upon application for O and P types of visas, it always require several months. Fortunately, there is now expedited processing that will allow the entertainer or athlete to make it to the event or competition without delay. Nevertheless, it is advised that you plan ahead to attain your own due to the fact that such visas are not issued overnight.

Sports

As an athlete or entertainer who is the holder of O or P visa, you can file an extension of stay even as you are continuing or completing the event or activity mentioned in the original request after fulfilling some requirements.

Hence, if you want to request for an extension of stay, the employer or sponsor of the even or activity must submit an application for the extension of the validity of the visa worker’s original request and a petition to extend the visa worker’s authorized duration of stay.

On the other hand, if you want to file such petition, you must have being in the U.S. Furthermore, the employer or sponsor will forward the Notice of Action otherwise called Form I – 797 when it is time to submit the application for extension of stay. In addition to this, you must equally complete or and submit Form I – 129 with a statement giving reasons for the request of extension.

Although, it is possible for a visa holder to be qualified for a period of 5 years for a particular request, the total duration of stay must not be more than 10 years. If you are in the category of support personnel, you are qualified to get and extension of additional 1 year to conclude or resume the activity for which you were granted the O or P visa originally.

Filed Under: Travel Tips
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