8 Countries that don't roll out the welcome mat to tourists.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Some are not a surprise like Saudi Arabia , but Brazil?
I went to Brazil many moons ago and it didn't seem hard to get a visa.
Guess times have changed.



BUDGET TRAVEL TIPS
DO NOT ENTER: 8 Countries That Don't Roll Out the Welcome Mat
Some places are just a downright hassle to visit.
We'd never suggest you cross them off your list just because you have to jump
through some bureaucratic hoops, but here's what you need to know before you go!
By Fran Golden, Wednesday, Feb 26, 2014, 6:00 PM


http://www.budgettravel.com/feature/...t,7963/?page=1

BRAZIL
Apply at least a month in advance.
Fee: $160
Why Go: Rio de Janeiro being named site of the 2014 World Cup, the 2016 Olympics, and the Christ the Redeemer Statue making the list of New 7 Wonders of the World has helped boost Brazil's status as a must-do tourism destination in recent years—as if the giant party that is Carnival in Rio, the rain forests of the Amazon, the amazing Iguazú Falls, and one of the world's most beautiful cable car rides weren't enough.

Why It's Complicated: When it comes to visas, Brazil has a process made confusing by the fact that each of its consular and visa-services offices around the U.S. can set their own rules (you have to go to the office that covers the jurisdiction where you live—the list is on the embassy's website). For instance, the Los Angeles office, according to Habimana, has been known to ask married travelers making a solo trip to São Paulo to provide a letter from their spouse saying it's OK for them to make the journey. That rule doesn't apply in Atlanta, but the Atlanta office is known as one of the slowest—Habimana has seen visa processing take up to 24 working days there.

What to Do: First, call your consular office to find out what their specific requirements are for procuring a visa. Then give yourself at least a month to go through the process. The Brazilian visa is also among the priciest—$160, plus $20 if you don't present your application in person.



SAUDI ARABIA
At least two weeks in advance, if you can get one at all…
Fee: from $500 for a hajj (religious tourism) visa
Why Go: The holy Muslim cities of Mecca, to which all able Muslims must undertake a pilgrimage, and Medina are the country's big tourist calling cards. There are other sights of interest, too, including the ancient elaborately carved tombs of Madain Saleh, Saudi Arabia's version of Petra (as in Jordan, the temples at Madain Saleh were carved by the Nabataeans).

Why It's Complicated: But good luck going to see these amazing sites—Saudi Arabia discourages visits by U.S. citizens and is not currently issuing standard tourist visas. For those lucky enough to get approved, the rules are strict: female travelers under the age of 30 must travel with their husband or brother, or with a group—it is only OK for men and women to travel together if they can prove they are married or are part of a larger group.

What to Do: The embassy will occasionally make an exception for religious tourism, but you must apply through a licensed U.S. travel agency representing the consulate, and the prices are high (from $500 to $600 per visa if you're approved). If you are visiting as a business traveler, you need to have an invitation from a local company you are doing business with and visas can take months to process. Women visitors traveling alone need to be met by sponsors at the airport or may face delays in entering the country, according to the U.S. State Department. And overstaying your welcome is also not looked upon kindly—go beyond the dates on your visa, and you may face a fine of at least $2,667 and incarceration.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

There is also an autonomous peninsula in Greece with a big concentration of historic monasteries that is run by a local governing body made up of the leaders of the monasteries who control its border and issue documentation on who can visit. This peninsula was given autonomy and turned over to monastic control by the Byzantine Empire centuries ago, and that autonomy was subsequently recognized by the Ottoman Empire, the Kingdom of Greece, and now Republic of Greece. The original grant of autonomy, still in effect, specifies that no female humans nor female domestic animals are allowed on the peninsula. To visit one must apply to the governing board of the peninsula and get travel documents from them. Only men can apply, and there are numerical limits on the number of visitors allowed in at any time. At prime seasons like summer, there are generally more applications than spaces, and in those circumstances, there are religious priorities, Orthodox Christians first, then other Christians, then other religions. For those staying overnight, there are few places to stay except in the monasteries themselves, although several towns exist within the enclave. All of the monasteries take in visitors, offered both beds and meals, but sometimes the monastic meals are rather plain as are the accomodations. In some, non-Orthodox visitors must take their meals at different times than the monks and at others they eat together.

I have never been, but one of my employees was in a group touring Greece and the male members obtained travel documents to visit the peninsula for a couple of days, but due to some delays in their drive to Greece, they had to cut out that part of the trip.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

The original grant of autonomy, still in effect, specifies that no female humans nor female domestic animals are allowed on the peninsula.

I guess I know one place I won't be visiting any time soon.

What are they afraid of anyway?
And what are they doing with only men, exercising their religious liberties?

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Gay monks ?

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Gay monks ?

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Gay monks ?

Where monks are men and goats are nervous.

[jerrry94087 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jerrry94087]

The author of the article didn't do his homework. Turkmenistan must be on the top of the list of not welcoming countries. It is very difficult to get a visa, everyone applying with usual reasons (tourism, stopping by, visiting family) gets denied. You have to make this elaborate excuse: make visas and buy tickets for two surrounding countries, and then claim that you have to go through Turkmenistan to get from country A to country B. Only this works. Weird indeed.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

You would have to research why the Byzantine Emporer who made the grant of autonomy put in that provision.

The group of medieval Greek monasteries I found really interesting were the so-called ''perched monasteries'', all on top of hills, in the center of the country. There are six or eight you can visit in a small area, and no restrictions like on the peninsula.

I guess I know one place I won't be visiting any time soon.

What are they afraid of anyway?
And what are they doing with only men, exercising their religious liberties?

[CarolF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarolF]

Guess times have changed.

Times do change. Always useful to have a number of passports.

[somerville Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close somerville]

Some of these countries make it difficult for US citizens, because we make it difficult for their citizens to get visas to visit here. A number of years ago, I had to make three trips to the Russian Embassy in Washington to get a visa for my sister. They only accepted money orders and cashiers checks - no cash or credit cards. When I left after my third trip with the visa, an older Russian sitting in the back of the waiting area made the following comment to me: "You make it difficult for us, we make it difficult for you."

[jerrry94087 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jerrry94087]

Some of these countries make it difficult for US citizens, because we make it difficult for their citizens to get visas to visit here. A number of years ago, I had to make three trips to the Russian Embassy in Washington to get a visa for my sister. They only accepted money orders and cashiers checks - no cash or credit cards. When I left after my third trip with the visa, an older Russian sitting in the back of the waiting area made the following comment to me: "You make it difficult for us, we make it difficult for you."

They all make this excuse. However, US makes it difficult in order to prevent an influx of illegals from this country, so it is a very practical thing to do. For them, however, the main reason is a revenge, which is a very unpractical thing.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

You would have to research why the Byzantine Emporer who made the grant of autonomy put in that provision.

The group of medieval Greek monasteries I found really interesting were the so-called ''perched monasteries'', all on top of hills, in the center of the country. There are six or eight you can visit in a small area, and no restrictions like on the peninsula.

I think I've seen my share of pretty monasteries and convents in Spain.
I doubt I'm missing much by not seeing their secret society monastery.
Theresa of Avila was more my speed anyway.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Times do change. Always useful to have a number of passports.

Yeah some feel that way.
I'm sure our secret ops agents have many, but I'm not interested in playing dual citizen with any other country.
As much as I love to travel, there is no place like home for me.
If I'm not welcome as an American then I really am not interested in visiting.
I can spend my dollars where they are welcome instead like in Oz.

Some of these countries make it difficult for US citizens, because we make it difficult for their citizens to get visas to visit here. A number of years ago, I had to make three trips to the Russian Embassy in Washington to get a visa for my sister. They only accepted money orders and cashiers checks - no cash or credit cards. When I left after my third trip with the visa, an older Russian sitting in the back of the waiting area made the following comment to me: "You make it difficult for us, we make it difficult for you."

Won't be difficult, we just won't go.
At least most of us won't go.
I've always wanted to see Russia but I'm not dying to see it.
If I'm welcome and it's not a mission to visit, I will, if not then no big loss IMO.
I have the Travel Channel.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Times do change. Always useful to have a number of passports.

My wife has three passports, two from European countries and her US passport. I wish I could do that. I looked into the practicalities of taking one of those citizenships as a spouse, but one required me to live there for a year or so and the other had tax consequences, so neither worked out.

For those of German descent, the German citizenship laws allow descendants of anyone who was a German citizen on a given date in the late 1800s to claim German citizenship, and there are exceptions for Germans whose ancestors settled in eastern Europe, some even back to the 14th century, to claim German citizenship. Since my German ancestors came to America in the 1740s, unfortunately I do not qualify for that either.

I had a political aquaintance in Washington, DC who was a Knight of Malta (or more technically, the Order of St. John of Jerusalem) and he had been issued a passport (in fact a diplomatic passport) of the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. Since the Knights of Malta are recognized by ~50 countries (including the Republic of Malta) as a sovereign non-territorial state, he was able to use that passport to enter many countries, although it did not work for the US, and had the passport stamps to prove it. It also allowed him to use the diplomatic lines at airport immigration, which is very useful to avoid lines. I know the knights of Malta only accept Catholics, and I am not a Catholic, so that is not even an option for another passport.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

For those of German descent, the German citizenship laws allow descendants of anyone who was a German citizen on a given date in the late 1800s to claim German citizenship, and there are exceptions for Germans whose ancestors settled in eastern Europe, some even back to the 14th century, to claim German citizenship. Since my German ancestors came to America in the 1740s, unfortunately I do not qualify for that either.

My mother's family was among the Germans who settled in the Ukraine in the 18th century. When the family left Russia, shortly before the Revolution, they relocated in a town in North Dakota that was populated by German emigres from the Ukraine. Might I then qualify for German citizenship?