The United States has immigration reciprocity agreements with foreign countries that facilitate travel, or create massive bottlenecks. There is the relatively common reciprocal stance based on mutual disrespect. I applied for a visa for Brazil and the frustrating, bureaucratic process left me shaking my head in disbelief.
I want to go to Rio de Janeiro (one of my favorite city’s in the world) not to Mars!
Application form – check. Three months Bank statements – check. Drivers license, passport, official letter, hotel details, flight itinerary, personal statement etc, etc, etc. You get the picture.
Will take 45 business days to process the application if the papers are in order, or the clock starts all over again! All this for a 6 day trip in the spring.
No fault of the Brazilian people here. Good hard working folks with a zest for the good life. I also respect the need to protect borders and having immigration policies that make sense. However, creating a bureaucratic nightmare for the sake of reciprocal defiance is bad business. And then we wonder why the global economy stalls.
About Hemant Rustogi