with apologies to Winnie the Pooh
Our aim is Greece, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Australia.
Yes, I know, Tibet is part of China. Just that it has different approvals and permissions.
An early part of the planning is Visas.
A very simple "risk assessment" suggests there are three "critical issues" to be resolved with appropriate strategies:-
| Possible Problem | Strategy | ||
| Iran Visa refusal | Apply while still in UK through iranianvisa.com for issue in Paris. Outcome known while still in UK to, if necessary, allow Russia and Kazakhstan visa applications in UK, before confirming China route with Navo Tours and application for China visa. | ||
| Iranian visa refused. Plan B activated. | |||
| Turkmenistan closed | Unlikely! (Famous last words ... it was closed for a short period last year during elections). Remain informed. If necessary return to Turkey. Backtrack as far as necessary to obtain Russia and Kazakhstan visas. Or simply wait until its open. | ||
| Tibet closed | Karakoram Highway is a nice alternative. Apply for Pakistan visa while in UK. Attempt to apply in Australia for issue in UK. Otherwise courier passports and application to Australia. | ||
| Remain informed. Frequent communication with Navo Tours. | |||
| Application for China Visa in Ankara will rely on the best information available at the time. |
Alternate routes are:- Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and/or China, Pakistan, India, Nepal, India and/or China, Laos, SE Asia.
To make life difficult the sequence of aquiring visas is different to the driving sequence. There's also validity from issue date to entry date (usually 90 days but it varies).
Planning is made more difficult by the use of our own vehicle. Simply, it isn't as easy as hopping on a plane when things go a little wrong "Beam me up Scotty" isn't a viable risk mitigation strategy!!!! Even swimming is difficult for the truck in land locked countries...
After many, many, iterations (and crankiness at complexity) over several days the below plan was devised. Surprisingly, it turns out the first visa to be applied for is Pakistan which we hope to not need.
While this level of planning may seem like a bit of overkill it allows us to more easily discuss and decide. There's even a remote chance that it will save us some pain along the way by providing a bit of flexibility. And of course it all seems glaringly obvious now the thinking has been done!
Late departure from UK is compensated for by not having to pick up Iran visa in Paris (1 week).
| Application Sequence | Status | Application Time | Cost | Detail | |||||
| Iran | applied
13/2/13
first refusal 19/3/13 refusal took a long time slowing other plans. Re-applied at no cost but little hope! |
7-10 days | EUR35 | Get authorisation code from www.iranianvisa.com | |||||
| Authorisation code valid for 3 months. | |||||||||
| Entry within 90 days of stamp in passport | |||||||||
| Visa for 30 days. | |||||||||
| 7 days | EUR70 | Visa issue in Paris. Iranian New Year Holidays March 20-24 and April 1-2. Consulate open mornings.. | |||||||
| Turkey | Visa on Arrival | ||||||||
| China | Application in Ankara refused as we are not Turkish residents. | Navo Tours | |||||||
| Application in Istanbul accepted through agent. 8 days. Only 30 days, valid for 3 months from date of issue. | 2-3 days | Apply in Ankara or Istanbul | |||||||
| Probably needed as support for Uzbekistan Visa | |||||||||
| Kyrgyzstan | No visa required. 30/60/90 day stay (on arrival). | ||||||||
| Uzbekistan | Not required following Iran Visa refusal | 10-14 days email | US$55 | Letter of Intro from Stan Tours. | |||||
| Up to 10 days | US$60 + USD20 | Apply in Ankara.Pay cash at HSBC bank in nearby row of shops into nominated bank account. Hopefully Ankara and explore Cappadocia while application processed. | |||||||
| Online form at http://evisa.mfa.uz/evisa_en/ requires printer | |||||||||
| Registration | US$20 | Required with OVIR (Office of Visas and Registration). Hopefully through hotels, if not police stations. Can take a couple of days with passport surrendered. Registration for "every day accounted for" checked on exit. Difficult to get a sense of how rigourous the exit check is. | |||||||
| Turkmenistan | Not required following Iran Visa refusal | 1 day | US$55 | 3-5 day Transit Visa. No LOI. Needs Uzbekistan Visa | |||||
| Pick up in Mashad | |||||||||
| Do Shahid St. off Dah-e-Dey Sq (next to Afghan Embassy) - Pay in $ | |||||||||
| 8:30 – 12:00. Closed Friday. Tourists can only apply Tuesdays and Wednesdays. | |||||||||
| US$20 | Help from Vali (homestay) US$20 Provide details 14 days ahead email vali32 at imamreza.net | ||||||||
| Malakoshoaraye Bahar 38, No. 277, Mashad | |||||||||
| Nepal | 30 days on arrival. Extended in Pokhara (1 hour at immigration). | Visa on Arrival | |||||||
| India | Warning
- we messed up. Unlike all other countries Indian visas are valid
for (3 month) period of stay from date of issue not date of entry.
Used agent in Pokhara. Estimate 10 days. 8,000Nrps each. No covering letter.
|
1 day | Kathmandhu. | ||||||
| First time took 16 days as the copies of second passports (Ali Aus/NZ, me Aus/UK) were mislaid. | Complete online form at http://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/ | ||||||||
| Address is one in Nepal | |||||||||
| Print it out and sign. May need covering letter? | |||||||||
| Single entry only available. Applied second time (to get to Myanmar) within 5 days of leaving India. Took 10 days. | 7 days | 4150Rps | Indian Visa Service Centre (IVSC) (outsourced to Nepal SBI Bank) | ||||||
| House No.296, Kapurdhara Marg, Kathmandu | |||||||||
| Pay 4150 rps, return in 5 working days | |||||||||
| Photocopies of your passport ID page and Nepal visa | |||||||||
| from travel agency next door. | |||||||||
| Contingency for Tibet Closure Required | |||||||||
| Pakistan | Applied
in Australia 18/3/2013
Received at Australia address 25/3/2013 |
7 days + Courier | A$70 | Requires application in home country. May be possible to apply in Australia issue in UK. | |||||
| Valid for 6 months from date of issue. | |||||||||
| We'll apply before returning to UK and hopefully have it issued as we pass by London | |||||||||
| http://www.pakistan.org.au/ Single entry visa A$70, payable by postal order, certified bank cheque, or bank draft to High Commission for Pakistan Canberra | |||||||||
| Fallback, only required for no Iran Visa | |||||||||
| Georgia | No visa required. Long stays available. | ||||||||
| Russia | Invite
requested from ISC Travel (same as journery out of Aus). No
response. 7 days wasted.
Invitation from http://www.visatorussia.com/ issued instantly. Application posted in Australia 9/4/2013 Received at Australia address 19/4/2013 Passports consolidated with Carnet and other documents posted to UK 19/4/2013 |
7 days | $220 plus postage $50 + $30 | May be possible in UK. Through
http://ru.vfsglobal.co.uk
Russia Visa Application Centre in London: 15-27 Gee Street, London EC1V 3RD Since Aus passports already in Aus after Pakistan application then apply for Russia Visas in Australia. |
|||||
| No apparent limit between issue and entry? | |||||||||
| Kazakhstan | Applied in Ankara with UK/NZ passports before learning China consulate in Ankara wouldn't talk to us. | 7 days | Valid 3 months from date of issue (?). | ||||||
| Simple process. Fill in the form, make deposit at bank at bottom of hill, return with deposit slip, return 2 days later for passport return. | No letter of intro needed for Aus, UK, or NZ (and lots of other countries) | ||||||||
| Hotel booking confirmation required (fax not email?) Advice is use booking.com | |||||||||
| Registration within 5 days of entry (local office of Ministry of Internal Affairs). | |||||||||
| Conflicting advice from visa agencies in UK (one says only invitation required but apply in country of residence, another says hotel booking required but apply in UK). Best advice seems apply in Ankara. Can be concurrent with China Visa. | |||||||||
| Mongolia | Not required. | 5 days | St. Lapina-11, Irkutsk, Phone +7-3952-342145 | ||||||
| Fallback, only required if enter Pakistan | |||||||||
| India (in Pakistan) | Not required. | 10 days | Gerrys (again) Mon-Fri Application 9am-1pm, Collection 10am-4pm PKRupees | ||||||
| LG - 411, Deen\'s Trade Center, Islamia Road, Sadar Cantt., Peshawar. | |||||||||
| or 14-B Sadiq Plaza, Opposite Meraj Hotel, G-9 Markaz, Karachi Company, Islamabad, | |||||||||
| or 20, Ex American Centre Building, Opp Ganga Ram Hospital, Queens Road, Lahore. | |||||||||
| Call Center # 0900 31111 For mobile callers: 8111 | |||||||||
| May need covering letter explaining plans and why applying outside own country. | |||||||||
While in Nepal in October 2013 we met people who knew of organised "convoys" of overlanders across Myanmar. This would conveniently allow us to ship to Australia from Kuala Lumpur (instead of Chennai in India).
The Myanmar requirements are for tourist guide plus "man from ministry" plus itineraries, etc.
There seem to be "express trips" of about 7 days aimed at getting from India to Thailand (or the other way) at minimal cost. We opted for the 14 day version with Joern Schlage. This would be his second year of escorting one group one way, then another group the other way.
Contact is joern.schlag at web.de Cost was around a couple of thousand Euros per vehicle plus about $30 per person extras plus food and excursion expenses.
Meeting point was Moreh in Manapur, India in February 2014. The date was delayed a bit as it got nearer. Too late for our first India visa. We opted to tour north west India, return to Pokhara to apply for a second India visa then travel to Moreh through Assam, Nagaland and Manapur.
A recent change meant no permits were required for those parts of north east India.
When we entered Thailand by road in 2011 we discovered that visa on arrival was 15 days only (30 days by air). We decided to apply for Thai visas before arrival. We also heard that the rules had changed in November 2013 and 30 days was available on arrival but couldn't confirm.
| Application Sequence | Status | Application Time | Cost | Detail | ||||
| Myanmar | Simple process of complete form and return in 2 days. No special requirements. | 2 days | US$20 | Myanmar Consulate Kathmandu. | ||||
| Thailand | Three copies of form, copy of bank statement. Deposit 3,000Nrps at a branch of Bank of Kathmandu. Visa issued in 2 days. No time period for stay, given 60 days on arrival. | 2 days | 3,000Nrps + 50Nrps bank fee. | Thai Consulate Kathmandu. |