Visa Fees

Many American travelers ship their passports off to an intermediary company who for $131 secures a visa for the country they are visiting.  It’s a valuable service for people who are traveling for a short period of time and need the security or peace of mind that their entry at the border will be smooth.  Backpackers, on the other hand, live and die by a budget, so if there are commissions to be shaved, backpackers shave away.  Usually, visas can be obtained at a country’s border for about $20 (US currency), give or take (Mozambique was a surprising $80, while Greece was actually free).  There are exceptions like India, Vietnam, and Syria; these have to be mailed in advance, but in most places, it’s pretty easy to show up, fill out the request, and process it at the airport or land border.  Occasionally, a baksheesh “processing fee” (pad my wallet bribe) is added at the land crossings, but not always.  Visa fees are supposed to be standard, but we have found that it’s difficult to get accurate information, so if anyone reading this is traveling right now, here’s what you can expect to pay based on what we paid when we crossed into the following countries:

Turkey: $20

Jordan: 8 Dinars upon exit (aprox $12).  Also note, you are not permitted to cross at the middle border from Israel to Jordan.  You must use the southern or northern border crossings.  The north looks shorter, but the south is quicker and more popular according to a gal at the visitor’s center in Jerusalem.   P.S.  Thank you to the traveler who borrowed me dinars at the border.  I looked for you on the other side, but couldn’t find you to pay you back.

Israel: 101 Shillings upon exit (aprox $27 USD).  Don’t make too many plans before or after leaving.  The border crossing can take a couple of hours as they have more security screening than the US (bomb sniffing, x-ray machines, pat down, questioning, herding through long lines, etc).

Greece: Free!  And it’s quick too.

Egypt: $15 single entry at the airport arrival in Cairo, 51 LE (aprox $11 US) for multiple re-entry at the border in Taba (you must get this if you’re exiting to Israel and returning to Egypt).  When coming into Egypt from Israel, there’s a port fee of 75 LE (Egyptian pounds) which is paid after the border, when you secure transportation from the border.  There is an ATM inside of the Hilton hotel.

Hope that helps!