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Travisa Review

Sunday, February 16th

2025 Travel Visa Service Reviews

Travisa Review 2 Star Rating

Travisa

2 Star Rating
  • 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.

Best Travel Visa Services

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.

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.

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Travel Visa Service FAQ

A travel visa is the documentation that gives you permission to enter a foreign country. Issued by that country and often affixed to a page in your passport, a travel visa can make or break your vacation or business trip if you've done everything correctly or forgotten to do it at all!
You'll want to look that up prior to planning travel. If you're a US citizen, there are many countries that allow you to enter without a travel visa, especially if you're staying for 90 days or less. How is it determined? Largely by the relationship between the US and that country. For example, because the US requires Brazilians to have a travel visa, Brazil "kindly” reciprocates and requires the same for US travelers.
That also varies widely by country. You could spend as little as $20 (Cambodia) or as much as $250 per day (Bhutan).
The most common requirements are an application, several recent passport-sized photographs, and your actual passport. You may also have to supply a detailed travel itinerary, invitation letters from a citizen of your destination country, proof of income/assets or health information such as proof of yellow fever immunization.
Sometimes. While the US requires many travelers to make a personal appearance at a consulate to get an entry visa, most countries don't have the same requirement for US citizens.
The steps required to get an approved travel visa can be tedious and complicated for an inexperienced traveler. And, if you don't live within easy driving distance of a consulate or embassy for your destination country, you could spend a lot of time and money just traveling to get the visa itself. Using travel visa services to apply on your behalf is an affordable, time-saving way to get it done.
Fees vary based on the destination country and the processing timeframe you need. You could spend as little as $39 on a no-rush process for a straightforward visa, or as much as $800+ to get your visa approved in 1-2 days for a more "difficult” location. Obviously the more lead time you have, the less expensive the service will be.
It can be a nail-biting experience, knowing that you have a trip coming up and your passport is...somewhere else. If you're lucky, you're going to a country that offers an eVisa and your passport never has to leave your hands. In that case, you should only need 3-5 days to get your travel visa via email; print your documents and bring them with your passport when you arrive in-country. While most travel visa services offer expedited processing options, many embassies and consulates do not. If time is of the essence, it's a good idea to reach out to a travel visa service right away; they can give you their best estimate as to how long it'll take and the fastest possible way to get your paperwork in order.
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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!

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