1. How to Extend a Tourist Visa
Tourist visas permit travelers to explore foreign countries for the sole purposes of entertainment and discovery. Tourist visas do not allow foreign travelers to work, study or
operate businesses while on foreign soil. Since these visas are issued for enjoyment purposes, tourist visas always include an expiration date that must be strictly adhered to in
order to avoid penalties and deportation. If you intend to extend your tourist visa, you must do so before your tourist visa expires, and the visa extension application must be
submitted according to the country’s specific guidelines.
Step 1
Check your passport to ensure its dates are valid and will continue to be valid throughout the extended stay. Check your money to ensure you can afford your expenses while
on foreign soil. Make copies of financial documents to include with your visa extension application. Choose supporting documents such as current bank statements, sponsorship
letters and current credit card statements.
Step 2
Ask your sponsor to contact the country’s visa consulate or department of travel to initiate your visa extension if you are in Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mauritania,
Bhutan or Saudi Arabia. Provide your sponsor with your supporting documents, passport and signed visa forms.
Step 3
Contact the visa consulate or department of travel directly, if you are not in a sponsorship-required country. Discuss the visa extension requirements with the representative to
determine if your supporting documents, such as income and identification, meet the country's specific requirements, as they can vary.
Step 4
Complete your visa extension application and include your supporting documents, passport and visa application fees with the submission. Submit the documents at least a few
weeks before your visa expires, because it often takes several weeks to receive approval.
Step 5
Never expect your tourist visa extension application to be approved, because each country reserves the right to deny visa application and extensions without explanation.
Anticipate denials and complications with your visa extension application if you are submitting the application in a country that requires visa approvals prior to arrival, such as in
most African countries, Afghanistan, Armenia, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen, to name a few. Always check with the country's
consulate or department of travel if you have questions.
Step 6
Address any questions you may have about the visa extension process to the visiting country’s visa officials to ensure that you receive accurate responses. Be prepared to
leave the country by the expiration of your current tourist visa, if your visa extension application is not approved as planned.