| 05/28/2010
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
Memorial Day
Friendly reminder - All passport offices and virtually every embassy/consulate
are closed Monday. FedEx/UPS/USPS will not be delivering Monday.
If you have applicants leaving before Wednesday, make sure to tell
your expeditor that you need Saturday delivery!
UK Visa Priority Service
As previously mentioned in my last email, the UK Embassy will be
implementing a new program for expedited visas called "UKBA
Priority Service" (UKBA = United Kingdom Border Agency).
These new services will take effect from 1st June 2010. In essence
this means the following:
· Beginning June 1, 2010 all UK visa applications delivered
in person or via third party expeditors must be accompanied with
a priority service receipt.
· The visa section will attempt to process Priority Service
applications within 48 hours.
· Priority Service does not guarantee processing times,
nor the outcome of the visa application.
· Non Priority Service applications must be mailed to the
designated visa section where they will be processed as regular
applications with processing time averaging 2-3 weeks.
· Priority Service is available for all visa categories
with the exception of Settlement applications. All settlement applications
must be mailed in to the visa section.
To purchase a Priority Service, the applicant will have to visit
a separate web site and pay an additional fee of $150 via credit
card. Once payment has been made, a Priority Service receipt will
be provided which must be included with the application.
This new service goes into effect Tuesday, June 1, however the
ability to purchase Priority Service will not be online until 8:00am
EST on June 1 meaning it cannot be purchased at this time. There
will be no grace period. The link to Priority Service will be made
available through our web site as soon as it goes live Tuesday morning.
In short, UK visas just went up $150 and a separate online transaction
needs to be completed.
India Visa Updates
In the past few weeks there have been some minor changes to India
visa requirements, however the most notable is changes to applicants
of India origin. The new rules state that any applicant born in
or previously or currently having Indian citizenship (who are now
citizens of another country), must renounce their citizenship in
order to obtain an Indian visa. If the applicant has previously
renounced their citizenship, they must supply a Certificate of Renunciation
issued by a Consulate of India or an Indian Passport that contains
a stamp that specifically renounces the citizenship.
Renunciation of citizenship requires
· The completion in duplicate of a one page form
· A payment of $175
· Copy of the US Naturalization Certificate (if currently
US citizen). For minors who were not issued naturalization certificates,
the parents must write a statement that the minors citizenship was
obtained through the parents, and provide a copy of the parents
naturalization certificate. (Note: We have not been able to obtain
information on what to do if both parents are deceased).
· Most recent Indian passport that was issued in India AND,
if applicable, most recent passport issued outside of India. In
both cases, applicant must provide photocopies of the first three
pages of the passport and the last two pages of the passport.
India has indicated that the renunciation process will delay visa
processing times, however we have not seen this. Applicants renouncing
their citizenship and applying for a visa have been falling into
the general processing times for visas.
Also of note, for tourist visas, persons of Indian origin, his/her
spouse and dependent children will be granted only an Entry visa
and should not apply for a Tourist visa. Business travelers would
still apply for a business visa.
A Bit of a Heart Warmer
Brian McGrory, The Boston Globe
Friday May 28, 2010
A woman by the name of Colleen MacRae had her purse snatched in
the Somerville Home Depot in the middle of April. This happened
just a few weeks before she was due to travel to Ethiopia with her
husband to pick up the daughter they had planned to adopt.
Her purse contained her passport, her monthly T pass, some expensive
medications, and a few hundred dollars in gift checks that were
going to be applied to her costly flight. The MacRaes are not wealthy
people, not in the monetary sense, and she began to wonder if the
adoption was meant to be.
MacRae was adopted herself, works at a nonprofit that facilitates
adoptions, and already has a 4-year-old daughter adopted from India
named Adaya. She spent hours in the Home Depot parking lot searching
under cars for the remnants of her bag — to no avail.
Her plight was chronicled in this space on April 14, which is when
readers stepped in. The mail began arriving immediately. People
sent dozens of letters containing thousands of dollars — enough
to cover flights to Ethiopia and the required 10-day stay in the
country.
The MacRaes received a $5 bill from a girl named Tess who said
she was also adopted. They got a $500 check with a Post-It saying,
“Don’t send a thank you note. Just do what you need
to do.’’ They got another check from a man who said
his wife’s purse was stolen the same day.
“It was wonderful," MacRae said. “It makes you
feel like people have your back. We have faith in society. We’ve
been knocked around recently, and it hasn’t always felt like
that.’’
The MBTA’s general manager, Richard Davey, reached out and
replaced her commuter rail pass. The MBTA Police used information
from her missing T pass to obtain surveillance photos of a man using
it, though Somerville police have yet to make an arrest.
Mark Harris, who runs [the Boston office of] It’s Easy Passport
and Visa Services, helped her obtain a new passport in a snap, free
of charge. When MacRae faced travel alerts to Ethiopia because of
last week’s elections, she got help on Beacon Hill and Capitol
Hill.
The bottom line: Colleen and Scott MacRae arrived home last week
with 22-month-old Anya. The young girl is facing some minor medical
issues and adjusting to life outside of an orphanage, which is a
polite way of saying it’s probably the kind of mayhem that
can try even the most patient of souls.
“She has the biggest, widest smile, and is the happiest character
that’s ever lived, but life in the orphanage had minimal supervision,’’
Colleen MacRae said. “She is happy."
04/12/2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I know after the volcano experience the last thing people need
is more new alerts clogging up their in-box, however I felt that
some of the information provided here was urgent enough that an
email was warranted.
India Updates
Meetings have been held this week on behalf of the Indian Embassy
in Washington DC and New York reviewing processes and discussing
regulation enforcement in relation to visa applications. The following
points were brought to our attention and are effective immediately:
1) "All Non-US citizens have a minimum processing time of one
to two weeks, and some cases may take longer." - This rule
has actually existed for a while and we have not seen any delay
with most non-US citizens. Although I believe that non-US citizen
applications will still be processed in normal timeframes, prepare
for the possibility of delays becoming more common.
2) "With regards to Birth Certificates, any that do not originate
from the US or India must be translated into English and must be
notarized." Photocopies of birth certificates are now required
for submission of all India visa applications.
3) "All employment applications [this does not include business
visas] must include a Justification Letter; A letter from the employer
in India certifying that applicant is a skilled and qualified professional,
technical expert, senior executive or in a managerial position.
This letter should also justify as to how those kinds of skills
are not available in India."
4) "Processing of visa requests by Pakistani nationals as well
as persons of Pakistani origin takes a minimum of 6 weeks. It can
take longer as the matter is examined by the concerned authorities
in India."
5) "For Sri Lankan nationals and those of Sri Lankan origin,
the visa process takes time. You may rest assured that we will,
on our own, pursue your case."
China Updates
In the past, China has not required itineraries. Recently they have
started requesting them more often, and in almost all cases for
same day or next day processing.
Brazil Updates
The Brazilian embassy and consulate offices are often rejecting
applications for which the passport is not signed. This generally
occurs when a passport renewal and Brazil visa application are sent
in together. In most cases, the renewed passport will need to be
returned to the applicant for signature and returned to your expediting
company for processing.
US Passport Price Increase
We are still anticipating the previously mentioned increase in US
passport pricing across the board. There have been a few key dates
which have passed when we expected an official release, however
it is a near certainty that the release will occur within the next
60 days. It is assumed that the State Department is holding off
to let those anticipating summer travel apply under the current
pricing matrix.
Puerto Rico Birth Certificates
The Puerto Rican government passed a law in December that will invalidate
all Puerto Rican birth certificates starting July 1, 2010. Although
this is somewhat old news, apparently the word has not gotten out
very well so I mention it only to ensure that all travel managers
are aware of this and the affect it may have on Puerto Rican born
employees. The Department of State is currently accepting Puerto
Rican birth certificates for passport services and will do so until
further policy is announced. The new law does not affect individuals
who currently have United States passports.
04/12/2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Qatar
Although apparently not directly related to recent "incidents",
US citizens (as well as many other nationalities) will no longer
be able to obtain visas upon entry as of May 1, 2010 .
US Passport Pricing
I have spoken twice regarding the fee increase for US Passports.
We are very surprised this has not been made official yet but are
still expecting the increase to go into effect in the near future.
03/19/2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Special Request
I have submitted a proposal to provide an education session as an
industry expert on the topic of passports, visas and the expediting
industry at the upcoming NBTA convention in Houston. Any support
for my proposal forwarded to Paula Pagano of NBTA (ppagano@nbta.org)
would be appreciated.
US Passport Fee Increase
As mentioned previously, I can now virtually confirm the fee for
new passports will be increased in the near future. It is expected
that this will occur on or about April 1 and I will be sending out
an email as soon as it is posted by the US State Dept.
India Visa Updates
After all the headaches of the recent rule changes with India, things
seem to be pretty stable. Here are a few things to keep in mind
and a change to confernece visas:
- US citizen business travelers may only apply for 1 and 5 year
visas. The online application still allows them to select 1 and
10 year visas, however these will not be accepted. US citizen
tourists may only apply for 5 and 10 year visas.
- For business visas, the application, business cover letter
from the US and the invitation letter from India must all specifically
request the same visa. For instance, if the application request
a 1 year and the business cover letter requests a 5 year, the
application will be rejected. A common problem is the invitation
letter may only request a "multiple entry visa" without
specifying a validity. This will also not be accepted.
- Non-US citizens will only be issued 6 month visas, however,
this is not an option through the online application (they must
select one year) and the business cover letter and invite must
request a 1 year visa. I know this sounds contradictory, but that
is how it must be done.
- Non-US citizen applications have been taking longer to process.
Although there is no technical rule about this, experience has
shown that non-US citizen applications are taking anywhere from
2 to 5 days longer to process.
- For applicants applying for conferences visas, a new rule as
been implemented (which in my opinion is a bit overkill and will
be difficult to fulfill). The following items are now required:
Ministry of Home Affairs Clearance: A clearance letter from the
Ministry of Home Affairs.
Ministry of External Affairs Clearance: A clearance letter from
the Ministry of External Affairs.
State Government/UT Clearance: A clearance letter from the State
Government/Union Territories.
Nodal Ministry Clearance: A clearance letter from the Ministry
that holds jurisdiction over the conference.
Example, an education conference needs a clearance letter from
the Ministry of Education.
In the case that the conference/seminar/workshop is being
organized in India by private companies the applicant should apply
for the shortest duration Business visa available [one year].
If approved, a 3 month single entry Business visa will be granted.
03/01/2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
US Passport Price Increase
Plans have been floating around for the past few weeks for the US
State Department to increase the cost of US passports and it looks
like the increases will pass and begin being implemented within
the next few weeks with a complex fee structure as follows. Please
note in particular the adding visa pages pricing as this is dramatic.
New, Mutilated, Lost/Stolen Replacement, Name Change
Currently: $75 base, $60 expedite, $25 Acceptance Agent fee
Total Current Expedite fee: $160
Proposed: $110 base, $60 expedite, $25 Acceptance Agent fee
Total Proposed Expedite fee: $195
Renewals
Currently: $75 base, $60 expedite
Total Current Expedite fee: $135
Proposed: $110 base, $60 expedite
Total Proposed Expedite fee: $170
Adding Pages
Currently: $0 base, $60 expedite
Total Current Expedite fee: $60
Proposed: $82 base, $60 expedite
Total Proposed Expedite fee: $142
Again, we are expecting these new fee structures to be implemented
within the next few weeks. It is expected, as it has always been
in the past, that there will be some grace period (usually less
than 2 weeks) during which applications dated prior to the fee increase
will be accepted with the lower payment.
02/05/2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Weather Delays
A large scale snow storm will be hitting Washington, DC around noon
today through the weekend. As anyone who knows DC well knows, the
entire city shuts down from the lightest flurries. Embassies are
already alerting expediting services of probable early closures.
This make it difficult or in some cases impossible to retrieve completed
passports or visas today as most Embassies and the US State Dept
provide pickup times ranging from 2-5pm. If you have travelers departing
this weekend or Monday waiting on completed applications, be prepared
to re-schedule flights for Tuesday afternoon or later. Your Account
Managers will keep you informed of any urgent issues that arise
from this delay as soon as we know.
This storm should not affect New York or any other major processing
centers, however may cause shipping delays for Saturday delivery
shipments originating from other parts of the country as FedEx and
UPS funnel most shipments through their hubs in Memphis, TN and
Louisville, KY respectively.
Online Reference: The Weather Channel
02/02/2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
India
As we all know, India has made some changes to their requirements
and many of those changes were coming fast and furious and changing
daily. After a few weeks of craziness, things seem to have settled
down. I have provided a link to a PDF which covers the basic changes
that have been implemented. Some jurisdictions have increased processing
times up to two weeks. Although things have settled down and we
don't expect any more changes soon, please do be sure to check with
me (or your expediter) prior to submitting any India applications
just in case there are last minute changes. Some other requirements
have been added including a questionnaire for all applicants (in
my attachment) as well as for current/former Indian, Pakistani,
and Bangladeshi nationals.
This information was prepared on Tuesday, February 02, 2010.
Link: February
2 India Updates Overview
For up-to-date entry requirements, please visit http://www.itseasy.com/india
Brazil
Recent changes in processing requirements, times and consistency
with the Brazilian Embassy and Consulates nationally seem to be
calming down. Although processing times are still longer than they
once were, in most cases the Embassy and Consulate offices have
developed more consistent processing (with the exception of the
Boston Consulate which is still a bit erratic). The online visa
application program is more stable and the general user experience
has been improved a bit - there are still Macintosh platform compatibility
issues which we doubt will be resolved any time in the near future.
As mentioned in a previous email, as of early January, Brazil is
removing the requirement that the applicant must enter Brazil within
90 days of the visa issuance (for visas valid for longer than 90
days). In the past, if the visa was not used within 90 days of issuance,
it expired. Although the rule has changed, we have still seen visas
issued with this requirement listed. Please check your completed
visa - If it reads, "First Entry Within 90 Days," then
the rule may still be in effect for your visa.
Brazil will be opening a new Consulate in Hartford, CT. This will
affect both New York and Boston jurisdictions as Connecticut will
become its own jurisdiction. We have also received confirmation
that Rhode Island will transition from the Boston to Connecticut
jurisdiction. We do not suspect any other states will fall under
the Connecticut jurisdiction.
This information was prepared on Tuesday, February 02, 2010.
For up-to-date entry requirements, please visit http://www.itseasy.com/brazil
Turkey
Retraction - In a previous email, I stated that all travelers must
obtain visas upon entry. To be more accurate, this applies to general
tourist or business visas. As with almost all countries, travelers
planning to stay in Turkey for long periods of time (generally more
than 30 consecutive days or more than 180 days per year, consecutive
or non-consecutive) or travelers planning visits for reasons other
than tourism or business, such as technical installations, reporting,
employment, etc., must obtain visas in advance. In addition, Turkey
does offer a long term, multiple entry visa for up to 5 years which
offers the same privileges the visas issued upon arrival provide,
however these visas will rarely be issued within the US unless a
strong justification can be made for the need.
01/14/2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
US Passports
2009 proved to be a surprisingly busy year for the US State Department's
Bureau of Consular Affairs, the Passport Services Directorate. The
downward trend in the US economy has increased business travel to
South America, the Middle East and Asia in search of opportunity.
The complete implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
(WHTI) program spurred a large increase in vacation travel related
passport applications as well. All told, expediting industry numbers
proved strong preventing price increases expected but not implemented
by most expediting firms.
Despite increased numbers and the expectation of increased demand
in the coming year, The US State Dept has again not increased availability
for expediting companies and in some cases has limited the industry
more. Each US Passport Office location sets their own policy, requirements
and appointment availability for registered expediting firms. Although
expediting firms on their own and through industry associations
have lobbied for increases in volume, the US State Department continues
to restrict firms from growth therefore inhibiting the industry's
ability to serve its clients. On behalf of ItsEasy and all other
major firms in the industry, we ask for you to take a moment to
send us written support on company letterhead for the passport expediting
industry to receive an increase in allocation in an effort to prove
to the US State Department the value of our industry to you and
your travelers.
International Visas
Last year proved volatile in the issuance of travel visas throughout
the world. 2010 is so far continuing this trend, and we don't expect
this to be over any time soon. Complications of terrorist activities,
restructuring and dramatic changes in foreign policy with the new
administration seem to be at the root of most of the changes. Here
is a re-cap of some of the changes that have transpired and some
projections of what is to come with some of the most popular travel
destinations:
China
Speaking from an expeditor stance, China visas are the most requested
visa of any destination making up an estimated 35% of all visa applications
processed through third party firms. The H1N1 virus caused great
concern to the Chinese government and in their desire to gain control
over potential outbreaks lead to great delays in visa processing.
Additional forms requiring information about applicants travel within
the last 6 months, additional invitation letters and proof of health
insurance became common requirements or requests for a period of
time. Travelers were examined, detained, and in some cases quarantined
for up to two weeks. Fortunately, most of these policies disappeared
as quickly as they had appeared and everything returned to normal.
China has often fluctuated its visa pricing and issuance polices
making certain visas available or issuing shorter duration visas
than requested. For the past few years, pricing has stabilized,
however it is expected a modification may be forth-coming as the
value of the US dollar has declined over the recent past. China
also currently charges the same fee for single, double or multiple
entry visas with increases for faster processing. It is expected
that pricing may be modified to fit the entry request. For 2010,
the two-year multi entry visa will continue to be available for
business applicants and it is recommended that all apply for it.
The Embassy may issue a shorter term visa, however since it is the
same cost there is no reason not to. It does not require any additional
documentation and will not delay processing.
Does China require an invitation for business visa applicants? A
very popular question with an unusual response. Expediting firms
process applications in many different cities including DC, New
York, Chicago, Houston and more. The Chinese Embassy in Washington,
DC does requires either a Business Cover Letter (BCL) from the US
based company OR a letter of invitation from the host company in
China. However, the Chinese consulate offices in New York and some
other cities require both documents. This lack of uniformity is
somewhat of an anomaly in this industry as consulate offices generally
follow the procedures set by the Embassy. The short answer is that
if you have both, send them, if not, don't worry about it. The documents
provided will simply dictate possible processing locations.
India
The second most popular travel destination requiring a visa for
business travel is India. As most are probably familiar with by
now, the Indian Embassy outsourced the collection of visa applications
to an outsourcing firm three years ago. Although not groundbreaking,
this was the first major example of visa application outsourcing
in the US. Applications are provided directly or via expeditors
to the outsourcing firm who in turn proofs the applications and
then provides them to the Embassy and consulate offices for visa
issuance. The passports are then returned to the outsourcing firm
and then to the applicant or expediting firms. This process created
considerable frustration during its initial implementation but has
become a much smoother and more efficient process.
Just when everything was going smoothly, India decided to change
the rules and is limiting the ability to enter India within two
months of a previous visit without approved consent from the Embassy
- this has again created a frustrating scenario because the process
and reasons for approval/denial are unclear and inconsistent. Like
most of the new process growing pains with India, we suspect this
one will smooth over soon, however there is a clear expectation
that more new policies are to come which may again cause disruption
in visa processing. As the specifics of his rule are complex, if
you would like details, please let me know and I will provide you
a follow up on this topic.
On January 14, 2010, the Indian Embassy imposed another new requirement:
"There is a new requirement that is in effect immediately.
This will apply to all citizenships and for any application completed
with a date of January 15, 2010 or later. Copy of Birth Certificate
or School Diploma: A photocopy of the birth certificate or school
diploma. You should not submit the original birth certificate or
diploma."
Brazil
The poster child for visa processing inconsistency and delays for
2009. After a few years of dependable and quick processing by the
Brazilian Embassy and consulate offices the decision was made to
implement a new application procedure involving the requirement
for applications to be completed online then printed with 2-D bar
codes. This process allows the visa adjudicator to scan the bar
code to input the applicants data as opposed to typing it in by
hand (a process being adopted by the US State Department as well)
in order to save time and speed up processing as well as provide
more accurate records for the Brazilian government. Unfortunately,
the only word that conveys the implementation of this new program
is "debacle". The online application has been plagued
with bugs and browser/platform compatibility issues. Although it
has gotten better over the past few months, the system still fails
complete or goes offline during normal business hours and the user
experience is poor and confusing.
As if the front end of this program weren't bad enough, the back
end is apparently even worse. The process also requires more work
for the visa adjudicators as they now must scan photos into the
database and print complex and specific visa stickers for each applicant.
As such, new appointment programs have been implemented to limit
the amount of applications being submitted, backlogs are huge, processing
times have skyrocketed and working with the Embassy or consulates
has become very difficult. To make matters worse, Brazil is what
is known as a "jurisdictional consulate" meaning that
applicants must apply in the physical jurisdiction in which they
live. Some of these jurisdictions are seeing processing times of
up to 45 days. Average processing times have gone from 4-5 days
to 6-20 days. This is an expeditor's nightmare as acquiring updates
on pending applications from these consulates is difficult if not
impossible and often turns into a waiting game. It's getting a little
better, but it has a long way to go.
Rio de Janeiro has recently been chosen to host the 2016 Olympic
games. Sounds like a long time away, but as this event will incur
the highest number of Brazil visas ever issued within a reasonably
short period of time, expect a lot of upcoming "maintenance"
(read: trial and error) with their new systems.
Also of note, this week Brazil has removed the requirement that
the applicant must travel to Brazil within 90 days of the issuance
of the visa. Previously, if the applicant did not travel to Brazil
within 90 days of issuance, the visa became invalid no matter what
the validity stated.
Saudi Arabia
In the past, Saudi has always been one of the more difficult visas
to process. Recently they have become more streamlined and easier
to work with. Recently they implemented an online supplementary
form which must be completed and submitted with the visa application.
This program tends to be very inconsistent and frequently offline.
The applicant must upload a photo which meets their requirements
which is very difficult unless you have quality graphics manipulation
software and compression programs as the image must be around 3kb.
ItsEasy completes this form for most of its clients as a courtesy.
It is expected that this program will be improved over the next
year.
Pakistan
Over the past few weeks, we have experienced delays in the issuance
of Pakistani visas. The following excerpt from an RTT News article
sheds a bit of light:
"The United States has expressed concern at the continued delay
by Pakistani authorities in issuing and extending visas for hundreds
of its officials and contractors, thereby stalling Washington's
plans to strengthen its aid workers and Embassy staff in the Islamic
country.
The move appears to be an attempt to forestall the planned expansion
of the US Embassy to 800 from the present 500 in the next 18 months,
growth, US officials say, is necessary to fully utilize the expanded
American assistance.
Last month the State Department said the issue was being taken up
at the highest level and calling the visa issue a "very serious
issue" that could hamper aid programs and further strain a
critical alliance in the fight against Islamic extremism."
Turkey
Turkish visas are now only available upon arrival in Turkey for
all nationalities traveling for tourist or business purposes. Proof
of departure and a cash only payment of $20 USD or equivalent are
required.
Argentina
As of December 20, 2009, the Government of Argentina will begin
charging American Citizens visiting Argentina for business or tourism
an entry fee of $131 U.S. dollars. The fee will be collected only
at Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport. Once paid, the fee
permits multiple entries into Argentina for ten years. Americans
may pay in dollars, by credit card, or with travelers checks.
ItsEasy News
ItsEasy's Registered User program is heating up - Our services are
excellent, our dedicated account managers are the best in the business,
our web site is well designed and easier to use than the competition
and our corporate pricing is very aggressive. That said, the reason
most corporate clients are flocking to ItsEasy is the Registered
User program. Username and password protected for each corporate
or travel agent client, the program gives travel managers access
to real time data on all of their pending and completed applications
including expected completion dates, FedEx tracking numbers, the
ability to print receipts and more. Reviewed as an "after-sale"
feature, based on word of mouth and response, the Registered User
program is now becoming our go-to sales tool. More features will
be added in the coming year based on suggestions from current clients
- we're building this tool to suit your needs.
Passport Renewal Reminder - NBTA Convention
- August 24, 2009: After a year of development and beta testing,
ItsEasy releases Passport Renewal Reminder. As part of the Registered
Users suite of features, Passport Renewal Reminder allows travel
managers to input traveler names, passport expiration dates and
contacts and receive automated emails beginning nine months before
the passport expires. This allows ample time for the passport to
be renewed at the lowest possible costs and avoids last minute emergencies.
Since its release, the program has received notoriety in nearly
a dozen printed publications and hundreds of web based news sites.
True 24/7 Support - Corporate Account
Managers, although dedicated, do need to sleep from time to time.
Fortunately, ItsEasy is the only passport and visa expeditor with
real people that answer calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Who else is going to help your travelers fill in a China visa application
at two in the morning. Who else is going to pick up the phone when
one of your travelers loses his passport in New Delhi at 4:30pm
local time? You might not need us in the middle of the night a lot,
but it sure is nice to know we're there.
In Conclusion - Expeditors fill a vital
role in Business Travel. It's a small amount of spend but a wide
array of requirements and processes that can prevent trips from
happening or cause tremendous amounts of last minute stress. Keeping
track of all these changes is difficult and as your partner, look
to us to help fill in the voids of knowledge when it comes to passport
and visa requirements. If there is anything I can do you for you,
please let me know.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mark Harris
Business Development
It's Easy - Passport & Visa Services
111 Devonshire St. #740
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 1-617-422-0222
Fax: 1-617-422-0006
Email: mharris@itseasy.com
Online: www.itseasy.com
|