Everything You Need to Know About Tourist Visas
All Articles

Everything You Need to Know About Tourist Visas

Depending on where you travel with Rustic Pathways, you may be required to get a visa ahead of time. If you haven’t done that, the time to start is NOW!

For students traveling with US passports

Contact G3 Visas, our partner for U.S. passport holders. They will happily help you through the process of getting your visa. If you would like to attempt to manage the visa acquisition process yourself, please visit the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website to get started.

Here’s how it works:

  • Enter your destination country in the search bar in the middle of the page
  • Click on the Entry, Exit & Visa Requirements tab below “Quick Facts”
  • Follow the instructions for obtaining a visa—for most countries, that means clicking through to its embassy or consular website

Some countries allow you to buy a visa when you arrive in country, but we recommend getting one ahead of time. In most cases, it takes just a few weeks and why hassle when you land if you don’t have to? Many countries now allow you to apply online, but some still process visas by mail.

Those U.S. State Department country pages are also great resources about where you’re visiting. They include practical information like safety and security, health, and local laws that you should know.

For students NOT traveling with US passports

Contact CIBT Visas, our partner for international travelers. On their website, you simply enter the nationality on your passport, and they let you know if you will require a visa to travel to your chosen Rustic Pathways destination. If so, CIBT provides you with the support you need to process that visa.

For students visiting the USA from another country

Review the US State Department’s requirements for obtaining a visa. The Visa Waiver Program allows visitors from many countries to enter the United States without a visa.

If you still have questions about how to get a visa, contact your Personal Travel Advisor, shoot us an email at rustic@rusticpathways.com, or call us at 800.321.4353.


If you’re thinking about traveling over spring break or summer and need help choosing between programs, click below to request a call from one of our global program experts. 

About the Author

Jack Weinstein

Content Production Manager

Jack has spent his professional career as a writer and editor. Before joining Rustic, he worked as a journalist in Kansas and Colorado, taught English in Swaziland, and transitioned to marketing roles in the Boston and New York startup worlds. Jack is excited to channel his love of storytelling and his appreciation for education as Rustic’s Content Production Manager. When not working, Jack is either watching baseball or planning his next adventure. Jack and his wife, Blythe, live in Brooklyn.