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By Henrik Jeppesen, Contributor
10. Nauru
This is the only country in the Pacific I needed a visa for. It is one of the smallest countries in the world and perhaps the least visited. The visa can be obtained at one of their few consulates or by receiving an approval letter by e-mail. I had a hard time as they don’t like journalists, and being a blogger I was worried they would see me as one.
9. Sudan
by: sidelife flickr – Courtesy: Trip.com
This would probably be a difficult visa with many requirements in Europe, but the trick for me was to get it in Southern Egypt in the city of Aswan. I was able to get it in just 2 days and by paying just $50. Based on reports from other travelers, this wasn’t easy. They were not convinced I was going to Sudan as a tourist, and they told me to go to Cairo instead, but I finally managed to get it in time before traveling to Sudan.
8. Turkmenistan
by: Mehran Memar – Courtesy: Trip.com
This Central Asian country is called “The North Korea of Central Asia” by some countries. The capital is like stepping into a theme park. You have to see it to believe it. Visiting isn’t so easy. You can do it cheaply by getting a short-term transit visa, but then you need to have visas for the country you are going to. Instead, I took the other option of booking through a tour operator that then sends you an approval letter so you can board the plane and get your visa on arrival.
7. Eritrea
by: D-Stanley flickr – Courtesy: Trip.com
This was a bit similar to Turkmenistan. It was my last country to visit, and again with an approval letter from a local tour operator. I tried at their embassy in Cairo but was told it would only be possible to obtain it in my home country. It’s a long process to get the visa, so make sure to contact a tour operator well in advance if you go for this option.
6. Equatorial Guinea
by: Embassy of Equatorial Guinea flickr – Courtesy: Trip.com
This small African country is building a new city and future capital on the mainland of the country, instead of their current capital of Malabo (located on an island in the Atlantic Ocean.) It’s a fascinating country, but such a difficult country to visit for Europeans; Americans don’t need a visa. I first wasted my time at their embassy in Pretoria, despite the fact that they said they would try and help me. Then I wasted a week in Libreville, Gabon where I was told I would get my visa, but they didn’t keep their word. Then my lucky day happened in Lagos, Nigeria. I went there with a A4 paper about myself and my project, and the ambassador decided to help me. It was one of the best days in my travels.
5. Angola
by: D-Stanley flickr – Courtesy: Trip.com
A difficult country to visit, but the loophole is to get a transit visa for 5 days which is not only for overland travel but also for flying. I got it in Sao Tomé, but they didn’t understand much English and I had a hard time explaining my intentions for visiting the country. I actually didn’t think I would get it, so I was extremely delighted when I saw the visa in my passport.
4. Saudi Arabia
by: Wajahat Mahmood flickr – Courtesy: Trip.com
It’s said that there is no tourist visa as such for non-Muslims, so I had to go for business purposes. I managed to get Radisson Hotels to sponsor me, and had a great time. I was first denied at their embassy in London as I needed to have a registered company sponsor. Then the papers had to be changed and I tried again in Copenhagen: I just wrote the name of my website as company and it was approved. Riyadh and Jeddah feel similar to Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai.
3. Libya
by: Rafa http://www.micamara.es flickr – Courtesy: Trip.com
None of the Libyan embassies were able to help me with a visa, so I contacted Danish journalist, Rasmus Tantholdt, who helped me when I entered Syria. He gave me the contact of the foreign media responsible in Libya. Within around 20 minutes of contacting him, he had already guaranteed me a visa and called the airline to offer me a complimentary ticket. Fantastic help. In Libya, he took excellent care of me and took me to a press conference where I met the Prime Minister.
2. Yemen
by: Mehran Memar – Courtesy: Trip.com
It’s one of the best countries in the world to travel, but currently almost impossible due to war. I managed to visit in 2014 while it was still possible through a local tour operator.
1. Syria
by: Baxter Jackson – Courtesy: Trip.com
I went to Syria in December 2015 after months of research. Rasmus Tantholdt (the Danish journalist who helped me get into Libya) has reported from Syria for the past years, and I decided to ask for his advice on how to get a visa. He told his fixer about me, and the fixer then told his friend, the Syrian ambassador to North Korea, about me. After a lot of e-mails I picked up a visa at their embassy in Pretoria, but having a visa isn’t always enough to get into the country. I flew into Beirut where my contact picked me up and took me to the border. The immigration officer wouldn’t believe I was in Syria as a tourist, but after a long talk with my contact they stamped me in.
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Source: gogobot.com