Hi all,

Looking for recent first-hand experiences (2024–2026). My trip is in August 2026.

My situation

• Indian passport (ordinary)
• First trip to the US
• Flying India → IST → SFO on Turkish Airlines
• Return SFO → India is on a different airline and a separate ticket/PNR
• Long layover in Istanbul. I want to clear immigration, leave the airport, stay overnight at a hotel (already booked), and return for my flight.
• I'll apply for the Turkey e-Visa (regular electronic visa from evisa.gov.tr, printed on plain paper—not a consular sticker visa).
• Supporting document is a valid multiple-entry US B1 visa, but it's brand new. Never used, no US entry stamp, no CBP admission yet.

What's confusing me

The e-Visa FAQ says:

Previously used or unused single-entry visas are accepted as long as their validity date covers your entry date to TürkiyeI can't tell whether this means:

• only unused single-entry visas are accepted, or
• used or unused visas are accepted, and they're just mentioning the single-entry case. A valid multiple-entry US visa should qualify too.

The Turkish MFA/Embassy pages simply say a valid US/UK/Schengen/Ireland visa or residence permit is enough, without saying it must have been used. But I've seen posts claiming the supporting visa needs to be stamped/previously used, so I'm looking for real experiences rather than interpretations.

Questions

• Has anyone entered Türkiye on an e-Visa using a fresh, unused US B1/B2 visa? Any issues at IST immigration?
• Did anyone have problems at Indian check-in with Turkish Airlines because they had a one-way outbound and a separate return ticket?
• Has anyone used the standard printed e-Visa PDF to leave the airport during a layover and stay at a hotel? Did immigration accept it without asking for a consular sticker?
• Any denied boarding or denied entry stories from someone in a similar situation?

I've already gone through the official e-Visa site, the Turkish Embassy New Delhi information, and plenty of TripAdvisor/FlyerTalk threads. I'm just hoping to hear from people who've actually done this recently.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,
I’m getting conflicting information about Japan’s Temporary Visitor (single-entry, 15-day) visa, so I’m hoping someone who has actually traveled on a 15-day visa can help.
My itinerary is:
Depart India: 11 Nov 2026
Arrive in Japan: 12 Nov 2026 at around 12:30 PM
My question is: What is the last day I’m legally allowed to stay in Japan?
Should my return flight depart Japan on:
26 Nov 2026, or
27 Nov 2026?
I’ve seen people say the day you land is counted as Day 0, while others say it’s Day 1. I even emailed the Japanese Embassy in India but haven’t received a response yet.
If you’ve traveled on a 15-day Temporary Visitor visa or know the official rule, I’d really appreciate your guidance. Thanks!

I have an Indian passport, and a Canadian PR, and I am traveling in Africa for almost two months starting mid Sept (visiting 10 countries). I have all my flights and hotels booked, and after 3 tries, I am giving up on South Africa and pivoting to Rwanda. I have traveled to 30+ countries and I have had to apply for many visas and SA experience was one of the more frustrating ones.

Every single time, the reasoning provided was around bank statements. The first time, I shared my US bank account statements (Wealthfront), and they complained that it wasn't verified. The second time, it was a stamped 3 month consolidated statement from my Canadian bank (TD). They got back with, "During the processing of your application it was discovered that you submitted an invalid Bank statement and you therefore do not qualify for a visitors Visa in terms of Section 11 of the Immigration Act.". The third time, I printed the official month-by-month statements, and got them stamped by the bank and independently notarized. I got the same copy-pasted response as the second attempt.

My passport expires in May 2027 so I can't apply for the eTA which has an arbitrary 19 month passport validity requirement. It's been frustrating but moving on! Just wanted to share this as a caveat -- unless you can get the eTA, the visa process can't quite be trusted. All this because I can't make them believe I have $1k saved to sustain myself for a week. It'll be quite the weird con to pay for a dozen flights, and then what, run away to SA? Sigh!

The "invalid" statement in question. I shared 3 pages (Apr through June), each with the stamp and notary seal like this one.

M20 started earing from 19 made approx 3 lakh last year and currenly i made 45k monthly should I apply for japanese visa as i don't hve itr ? I hve saving of 2 lakhs is it worth to apply,And self sponsoring my trip or should I look for diff country to travel

I live in Mumbai and am planning to apply for turkey visa.
My sister lives and works in Delhi but her passport has a Mumbai address. She's accompanying me. We are both from mumbai only.

Does she need to apply from Delhi, or i can apply in Mumbai with my visa in Mumbai as we are going together? My agent said she will need to apply from delhi but its not making sense to me.

Hi, I'm an Indian passport holder and a UAE resident. I plan to travel to Montenegro and Albania end of August using my UK evisa, which j have used to travel to the UK. So does Montenegro and Albania accept the UK evisa by providing them a share code at immigration. I'm.getting mixed responses and hence my question

Has anyone experienced this with France / VFS Bangalore?

I paid for courier delivery, but the tracking now says:

"Processed application reference number is ready for collection from the Visa Application Center during working hours."

VFS also asked me to collect the passport in person.

If you've had this exact situation:

• Was your visa approved or refused?
• Had you also paid for courier?
• If it was refused, did you reapply ? If yes, what changed ?

I'm not asking anyone to predict my outcome. I'm just looking for people who have actually gone through the same process.

Thank you !

I just posted my visa application. I have to say I found this to be the most cumbersome and unclear visa process yet(and very arcaic imo). The website I found disorganised and there were different sources stating different requirements (a link to a pdf and just a web page)

Embassy staff on the phone said I should have it in 6 weeks and that after 10 days I could have my passport back, just add photocopies.

What have your experience been with the lead times?

Did they request any clarification on documents? (as appose to just outright rejecting applications?)

Hi
I am applying for japan visa in august in mumbai. Is noc from the employer enough or do we need to submit certificate of employment as well? I will be submitting salary slips and itr. What details should be mentioned in noc? Any help would be appreciated. TIA

Hi everyone,
I’ll be studying in London on a UK Student Visa for the next year and am planning to apply for a multiple-entry Schengen visa.
My tentative itinerary includes:
Spain (Ibiza, Barcelona, Madrid)
France (Paris)
Netherlands (Amsterdam)
Belgium (Brussels)
Germany (Berlin)
Czechia (Prague)
Austria (Vienna, Salzburg)
Hungary (Budapest)
Switzerland (Interlaken, Lucerne)
Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice)
Portugal (Lisbon, Porto)
Greece (Santorini, Athens)
A few questions:
Which country’s embassy would you recommend applying through?
Has anyone applied through Atlys from the UK? How was your experience?
Which countries generally have smoother processing for UK Student Visa holders?
Any tips to maximize the chances of getting a long-validity multiple-entry visa?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your recent experiences.
Thanks!

I am 33 y/o M. Married, and have a kid but planning to travel solo. Working at my father's bicycle parts manufacturing company with him since I was 20. Take a salary of 75000 inr per month. But the business is registered on my father's name. I can arrange for salary slips and NOC from my father. My bank has approx 6 lakhs average balance but statement is only 4 months old as i opened a new bank. Have ITRs of last 3 years with approx 7-8 lakhs every year.

How should i procced? Should i take NOC from my father? Use his letterhead for my cover letter? Submit his GST? And what all personal docs do i need to attach?

Please guide. TIA.