Swift Passport Services Blog

Swift Passport Services (SPS) was recently featured on Yahoo! News as we announced that we will be moving into the 1 East Erie Building on June 1st.  SPS is ready to help travelers expedite the Chinese visa application process which can take hours.  With SPS’ services, travelers can simplify the application process by accessing Swifts’ team of visa experts and obtain their China business and tourist visas in minimal time while avoiding long lines at the China Consulate.

To read the full article on Yahoo!, please visit:  http://news.yahoo.com/swift-passport-services-moves-same-building-chicago-china-110405226.html

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), at the end of fiscal year 2010, the balance of reported unpaid federal taxes was about $330 billion.  If the IRS and U.S. Department of State team up, they hope that they can effectively link federal tax debt collection to passport issuance as an approach to help reduce the federal deficit and to increase taxpayer compliance with tax laws.  Americans owing 50K or more should be more concerned than Americans owing smaller amounts of money.

Here is the scoop:  The IRS has proposed new regulations originally reviewed in March 2012 describing the information which must be included with U.S. passport applications. Under the rules, anyone who applies for a U.S. passport, a passport renewal or a green card, must include tax information with the application. Passport and permanent resident applicants must provide a taxpayer identification number (TIN), if they have one. The required information must be submitted with all New Passport, Lost Passport, and adult

We want to hear what you think!  Is the government going too far, or is it OK to limit passport issuance to those who obey the law and pay their taxes?

written by: Laurie Lee of Swift Passport Services

1. Email Swift Passport Services a scan of the information page of your passport, a completed application form, and an orderform indicating how quickly you need the visa 
2. Swift Passport Services will apply for your visa using the items above, and email you an approval letter. 
3. Upon arrival in Vietnam, present your passport, the approval letter, and 2 passport type photos to the visa agent.  You will be charged $25 for a single entry visa, or $50 for a multiple entry visa upon arrival. 

Rio Carnival 2012 is just around the corner: Do I need a Brazil Tourist Visa?

The short answer is yes.

Rio Carnival is considered to be the largest festival in the world with over 2 million celebrants packing the streets for each of the five nights events. The party begins February 17^th with an opening ceremony where the Carnival King (Momo) is crowned buy the Mayor.  Once the King is crowned, a non-stop schedule of events, including the infamous Samba Parade and the Magic Ball, carry on through February 21^st when the festival concludes with the Gay Costume Ball in Rio Scala.

Its been said that everyone should visit Rio’s Carnival at least once in their lifetime.  If this is the year you will be attending, its not too late to make sure you don’t have any trouble acquiring the necessary visa documentation. Even though you are just visiting for Carnival, US citizens are required to obtain a Brazil Visa to enter the country.  

According to the International Trade Administration, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, travel to Brazil is up almost 30% from last year at this time.  This means that the wait time for obtaining a visa on your own is likely increasing.  If Rio is where you want to be this February, then let a third party visa service like Swift Passport Services help you obtain a visa so you don’t miss a moment of the party.  

Below are the basic Requirements for obtaining a Brazil Tourist Visa through Swift Passport Services expedited Brazil Visa processing service.

• Valid Passport

Submit your passport containing two blank facing visa pages. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from date of entry. If you do not have blank visa pages in your passport, Swift Passport can help you obtain extra visa pages or help you renew your passport; contact us for more information.  Please note that the last 2 pages in your passport ARE NOT counted as visa pages, those are amendment pages.

• Completed Brazil Tourist Visa Request Form

Click on the following link https://scedv.serpro.gov.br/frscedv/index.jsp to fill out the online request form.

• One Passport type Photo

Photo Requirements: Photos for your Brazil tourist visa must have been taken in the last 6 months, be 2 inches by 2 inches in size, and have white background. Please face forward in your photo.

• Proof of Residence

A copy of your driver's license or state ID. If you do not have ID, a utility bill with your name and address can be used. Cable and cell phone bills are not accepted.

• Proof of Travel

Copy of your round trip ticket to Brazil, or itinerary from an air carrier or travel agent showing flight information and dates of departure to and from Brazil.

For more information on Rio Carnival 2012, visit www.rio-carnival.net, but be sure to Swift Passport Services to make arrangements to obtain your Brazil Tourist Visa.

FESTA!

By Elizabeth Walder, Esq., Immigration Law Associates, P.C.

 The U.S. Congress created the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery program as a way of broadening the U.S. immigrant population by granting permanent residence to aliens of countries with a low rate of immigration to the U.S.  Unfortunately, those in high-immigration countries must pursue visas through other channels.   

The annual lottery process begins in early October, at the start of the State Department’s fiscal year, and ends the following September.  For fiscal year 2013, entries must be filed between noon on Tuesday October 4, 2011 and noon on Saturday November 5, 2011.  A total of 50,000 diversity visas will be available for qualified and successful applicants.  The DV program is open to some individuals currently in the U.S. as well as those living overseas.  Persons with approved immigrant petitions who are currently waiting for their priority dates to become current may wish to enter the lottery, since this application does not conflict with a pending case and may be processed more quickly.  

After submitting their lottery entries, applicants may check their status online.  An entrant whose number is selected for visa processing must complete the visa application, submit required documents and forms, pay necessary fees, complete a medical examination, and be interviewed by a consular officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate.  Applicants in the U.S. may be interviewed by a USCIS officer after applying for adjustment of status to permanent resident.  Successful DV entrants must be eligible to receive an immigrant visa or adjustment of status by qualifying based on education, work, and other requirements.  The regulations require every DV entrant to have a high school education or its equivalent, or two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years’ training or experience.

Many applicants are unaware that one error on their lottery entry form can lead to disqualification. The digital photograph specifications are very exacting and applications with inacceptable photos will be automatically ejected.  Recently, there has been a notable increase in fraudulent emails and letters sent to DV applicants. The scammers typically pose as the U.S. government, telling applicants that they have been selected for a diversity visa and that payment is now required for visa processing.  These fraudulent communications – which appear entirely genuine – are an attempt to extract payment from unsuspecting DV applicants.

Each year, Immigration Law Associates provides the expert assistance applicants need to enter the DV program. For a small fee, they offer an initial consultation with an experienced immigration attorney who provides a complete DV assessment, including:

•  Eligibility and other considerations for DV applicants, and how the DV aligns with an individual’s overall immigration strategy;
• Preparation and submission of one DV Lottery application, including digital photographs;
• Follow-up consultation for lottery winners and non-winners.
  

For those who are not personally eligible for the lottery, Immigration Law Associates can prepare and file an entry on behalf of a relative or friend abroad.

More questions?  Click here for Diversity Visa FAQs.  Visit Immigration Law Associates at http://immig-chicago.com, or call Elizabeth Walder at 847-763-8500 for more details.

Laurie Lee, Founder and President, Swift Passport Services

By far, the best part of my job is getting people what they need to travel abroad to do amazing things.  It’s great when we get to help someone make a trip that they would have otherwise missed, and we really enjoy the corporate clients who we talk with every week or every day.  Every once in a while though we get a client like OneSight.  These jobs are particularly fun because with our help, people are getting to go all over the world to do something that benefits others and betters the world.  Please read on to learn more about this incredible organization and what they are doing.  We at Swift Passport Services are so impressed with OneSight and are thrilled to be working with them.

Onesight, a Luxottica Foundation (Luxottica= Arnette, Oakley, Ray-Ban, and the list goes on), is a family of charitable vision care programs dedicated to improving vision through outreach, research and education. Since 1988, these charitable efforts have provided free vision care and eyewear to more than seven million people in need around the world and have granted millions of dollars towards optical research and education.

“More than 314 million adults and children worldwide suffer from poor vision because they do not have access to basic vision care and eyewear. To help give the gift of sight to all those in need, OneSight uses the support of its main sponsor Luxottica, one of the world’s largest eyewear manufacturer, designer and distributors, to harness their vast ophthalmic global business structure and expertise to give back to communities worldwide, providing free vision care and eyewear to those who cannot otherwise afford it.”

The Vision of OneSight is a world where primary vision care is a reality for everyone.  OneSight’s trained volunteers from 130 countries worldwide strive to achieve this vision through four program areas: Global Eye Care, Regional Eye Care, Community Eye Care and Preventative Eye Care. 

• Global Eye Care – OneSight volunteers travel to developing countries to hand-deliver much needed, free eye care and eyewear through temporary Optical Clinics.  Swift Passport Services helps OneSight volunteers obtain passports and visas for these trips
  
• Regional Eye Care – OneSight volunteers provide free eye care and new eyewear to those in need in our regions through temporary Optical Clinics and Vision Vans.
  
• Community Eye Care – OneSight volunteers help recipients in our local communities through in-store and outreach programs.
  
• Research & Education – OneSight funds research to address global eye health issues and invests in the next generation of optometric professionals through scholarships and education.

In 2011, OneSight volunteers will give the gift of sight during 15 Global Clinics in seven developing countries including a first time visit to The Gambia.  We would like to thank OneSight for the opportunity to help with their mission and look forward to a prosperous relationship.

Want to help OneSight? Donate your old glasses!  Swift Passport will be having a drive from September 19- October  1.  Send any women’s, children’s, or men’s glasses or sunglasses to Swift Passport Services and we will get them to OneSight for you. 
Ship to: 
Swift Passport Services
1 South Dearborn St. Suite 2100
Chicago, IL 60603

We greatly appreciate your participation and contribution!