Get rid of Visa’s? Good idea or not?
I don’t know about you, but I am the type of person who absolutely hates doing any “paperwork”.
Paperwork is basically when you have to spend time filling out forms and applications for anything. I even hate the small stuff like in airports, you know, like when they give you those stupid little cards to fill out and put your name and passport number on. I always forget my passport and Visa numbers, and it takes me an extra 15 minutes of frustration to find everything. It almost ruins my whole trip! (Don’t worry, I already know I’m a baby)
I wish we could just go places without making such a big deal about it. I mean, we all share the same planet, so why can’t we just travel around whenever we want, wherever we want, and stay as long as we want?
Think of how much money we all waste in tax dollars hiring these people who look at Visas, make the laws, and deal with any parts of the whole thing.
I can “sort of” understand why we can’t just open up all the borders and let people go wherever they want, live wherever they want, and work wherever they want, but in many ways, I just think the current system is absolutely pathetic and it’s hurting all citizens.
I’d love to know where you live (Which country and city) and what your honest thoughts on this are. Please share in the comments. Would you be afraid that too many people would just come to your country? Would you like this “No Visa” world? What changes would you like to see and why, to the VISA situation and travel rules in this world?
How about this? We set up a global system where people could pay about $5000 bucks to get a “lifelong world VISA”. That money would go to health insurance and things like that. It would also stop millions of super poor people from just moving into any city and totally changing the way the city works. $5000 USD is enough money to “deter” or discourage certain people from abusing this free travel capability.
Here’s another question: Why do you think countries will not agree with this idea? (We know they won’t change anything!) Who benefits from the current system of almost forcing people to stay in the country they were born in? Why make travel, working, and even living in other countries such a pain in the ass?
Love to hear your thoughts 
Don’t be shy! Share your views below…
Oh ya, and See you in the VIP 
October 18th, 2013 at 9:35 am
Hello Andy. I am from Bulgaria and I have traveled in many countries. For the first time I was 24 years old and went to Germany. This was one of my biggest nightmares. Why. At that time Bulgaria was a Communist country and go to another country had to have a lot of money and strong nerves. I want to say that at this time in Bulgaria people work for less money compared to the Deutschmark. First I was going an interview for a visa. Many people. 2 days I waited in line to enter …. Imagine what it’s. Everyone push, pressure, shouts and whatnot. Then one day paperwork. And then followed that which you said Andy, at customs. Fill in here please, please open this bag and all those annoying things. I really hate them. After communism fell and Bulgaria is a member of Europe things are much better, but again those annoying customs quarrels remain. it’s a good idea to be able to pay off for lifelong world VISA .For me the problem is one. Divided people and conquer them. Andy many fanatics and crazy people in this world who want to have it. No sense to list them. Everything is about money, war, and a bunch of stupid things to a rich country or a person. Andy politicians and other things like religion, faith, turned people against one another. White against black Muslims against Christians. And who needs that? I would like to be able to travel the world without a visa without a bunch of documents, but it can not change unless people change their value system.
October 18th, 2013 at 4:48 pm
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October 18th, 2013 at 8:33 pm
Hi guys,
I have been following you for almost 3 years(quite a long time).
I’m from Brazil and currently living on Malaysia, i agree with you when it comes to “paperwork” and also agree with Ivan Kolev points.
Let’s take USA for example, so many procedures to go in there due security reasons.
Their politicians would never agree with this “world without borders”.
Cheers
Adj
October 18th, 2013 at 11:57 pm
Hello Andy,
It’s my first time to write a comment here.
I love your blog, everytime these contents are so interesting.
I’m from Japan, living in Australia now. As Japan had a devastating earthquake in 2011, I came here for the sake of starting a new life. Australia is so beautiful country having a great nature also a friendly culture. I am enjoying living here. But one problem I have is, a Visa..
Currently the Australian goverment have decided not to accept many immegrants to protect the citizen workers, so that it is now so difficult to get a regident visa in Australia. Just a few years ago, Australia was the one of the country which was easy to accept immegrants for obtaining foreign workers but now, it doesn’t.
For example, paying money for the Goverment is increased gramatically. Previously the immegrates paid for example $300 (for a whole family) to apply for a visa, but then now we have to pay $900 for each person. That’s a nightmare for having a big family. Even if they paid that money, if there was a tiny small mistake on the paperworks, they would be refused their application. (I know the Japanese government is doing the same things.)
I am currently applying for a regident visa. I’d already paid for the Goverment, plas paid $16000 to enter an univercity to get some skills and left more $16000 needed to pay.. Oops, sorry for talking about just money money..
So, I totally agree with your opinion and idea. Such a wonderful world if we didn’t have any border lines. I disagree with the system of the world now we living in. I feel that these system bring great venefits just only for one parcent people in the world having a huge power. The other whole world people are living and working for them to give the more power and money. I wish the people who realized this unfair & weird world don’t follow the curret system any more, and live in more freely.
Sorry the messy comment.
Love all.
Kumi xx
October 19th, 2013 at 5:42 am
Hi!
I’m from Philippines and currently working in Saudi Arabia. For me I am not agree for the idea of “borderless world”. We must be documented when we entering to any country for our security and protection as well as record purposes so that when something happen to you or you are being abuse by someone in that place authority can easily trace it and they can take immediate appropriate action.
Furthermore, you will not see all these disadvantages if you are a normal citizen, in government point of view they have to think a lot of things to protect the country and the citizens as well as their own interest.
In addition, if you will think only of your own benefits like going to western reach country to have a good job and salary I will think the same, why we have to suffer of queuing to the embassy and filling up all these papers and waiting for so long and sometimes might disapprove, this is how painful it is. That’s why people come up to think why they are implementing such things, why countries don’t implement world without borders?
October 19th, 2013 at 7:07 am
Hi. Very interestinh question) In my opinion the word “no Visa” – the best!!! BUT if all countries will remove the borders almost all people from Central Asia will go to Europe and America, believe me. we want to go to different country but it is dvery difficult!!! I live in Uzbekistan and really want to go to Czech and I can say it is not my goal it is like a dream because I know that is difficult to get Visa. I think when countries make borders they try to protect their interests resourses and so on.
October 19th, 2013 at 7:35 am
Hi there!
I was born in Japan and now live in Japan.
Actually, I’m also the person who is very lazy to do paper works cause it seems boring for me always.
When it comes to No-VISA world, I’ve got complicated opinions.
I think it might be a good idea to be able to any countries without being bothered by such a stupid paper works but in some ways it’ll be a little dangerous. If there’s no VISA system in the world, terrorist can easily get into a country and do a lotta harm on the world.
So I don’t know what is the best way.
I always love to read your blog cause they broden my way of thinking by reading your blog and also other people’s opinion !
Thx a lot and see ya soon:)
October 19th, 2013 at 9:05 am
Hello
I’m from Iran and I work and live here. as an Iranian I am a prisoner in my country. as you might know what conditions we are dealing with here, with all those bad backgrounds that other countries got from our government that are mostly around issues like nuclear weapons, terrorism,… it actually makes every borders and paper works double. traveling to other countries and getting visa is just by luck and of course you need to pay a lot of money to tourist centers for getting that visa for you. recently one of my friends couldn’t get the visa to the united states just in order to attend his daughter’s wedding …
for me having a border-less world is just a dream:)
October 19th, 2013 at 10:02 am
BTW, Americans and Canadians can simply turn up on most countries airports and get a 30 day free entry. No paper work involved. Such issues like paper work stuff is involved for poor countries. The developed world is all about money so poor people stand no chance of getting a visa. There is also an issue of terrorists slipping through without any security checkups.
I would like to visit Toronto, Canada but I am single and I am from Pakistan, I am going to be refused.
China is like a brother country for us not just a friend. However, when you look at visa requirements of Chinese visa (I would like to visit Shanghai one day)they tell Pakistanis to join a group tour. Even getting a tourist visa by joining a group tour is 50-50.
As I said, the whole world is all about money. So only rich people can travel, spend money there and benefit local country’s economy.
With an advent of internet and sites like youtube I have already traveled through many international cities from my home. I traveled cities like Singapore, Dubai and Bangkok in person so i can say with full conviction that youtube videos are the real thing and provide you real experience of traveling.
I would rather save my money and keep it for rainy days for my later life.
October 19th, 2013 at 12:42 pm
On my way back to my country after visiting India , Emirates Airlines included , to have some rest, a free hotel for one night in Dubai. Good news I thought !! what I didn´t know is that to get into Dubai I had to pay fifty dollars . A bummer. People from bordering countries come in large quantities to Argentina, the problem is that the already stressed out Public Health System has to take care of them making things worst for the native people and immigrants as well. I don´t think that itis a wise idea to have the door wide open for everybody to get into . Restrictions must apply.
October 19th, 2013 at 1:26 pm
Hey guys!
I am writing from Haiti (my homeland) and I have visited other countries like the USA, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic… and I think it’s just a utopia.
Anyway, let’s keep dreaming as long as dreaming doesn’t hurt. In fact, a boderless world would be the greatest. However, it wouldn’t be so with the current inhabitants of the planet earth, unless they would get cleaned out of all kinds crime abilities and desires to hurt others, jealousy, hates, greediness… and all that jazz.
Otherwise, no country on earth, rich or poor, would concur in such idea.
October 19th, 2013 at 2:12 pm
Hi, I am from Iran and now living and stuying in America. Multiple visa is just for 2 years, so I can not back to my country to vist my family unless geting a new visa. That is aweful cuz there is no embassy of America in my country I should travel to Ankara or Dubai to get Visa, so I stucked here to finish my studying and it s realy wierd.
About job I am not permitted to work here unless in the campes of university it s not good but that is the law.
I love your website and learing English I am thanksful of you.
October 19th, 2013 at 4:34 pm
Hello guys,I’m greeting you from Romania.
Here, during the communist years (1950-1989) it used to be almost impossible to travel or leave the country as a romanian because the draconian commies laws. We have not been travelling abroad for more then 40 years. Well, I’m just saying that as a freaky fact, but ….
I think that the main reason regarding the fact that the RICH countries have so many restrictions for the poor ones is the OWN PROTECTION necessity of the country.
Just think about that, if there wouldn’t be any requirement in using Visas, every one would come in USA. It might sound pretty funny for you, but the economical system needs to be sustained by proper “dudes”. You should try to take some trips into poorer countries, like Egypt, Mexico, Romania, and instead of noticing the pleasant parts of these places, try to see how that people thinks and how they act in certain situations.
Allowing anyone entry in a country is like inviting foreign people into your house, because the Visas is supposed to block one certain kind of people, that’s why rich countries like Switzerland, Australia or USA have so many restrictions about foreigners. That’s all I think.
PS: sorry for eventual mistakes, my english sucks (I’m romanian and I’m only 17, I learn english on my own)
PSS: this blog gave me the opportunity to tell you that you are my nr 1 source as an natural english material. I really like your voices, guys, my american accent really got better after listening to your podcasts everyday.
Greetings and hope to get a message from you, Alex
October 19th, 2013 at 8:50 pm
hi dear friends,i am from Iran.i am agree with u two brothers.world without visa will make it easier to travel and even work and live more comfortable for some people. i have lived in Lebanon for 4 years and it was really hard to do paperwork all the time for traveling to my own country.for sure there will be problems for governments and they are not agree with us and they say it is not logic,because some countries are famous and well known for some reasons and most people prefer to live there.and other countries will be left with less population in comparison..anyway we say our ideas no matter if no one cares about them.:)
October 19th, 2013 at 11:31 pm
Hi guys!
I’m originally from Bangladesh but immigrated to Canada in 2009 to reunite with my other family members. I understand the difficulty of doing “paperworks”. It is quite a time consuming and tedious work, specially when you’re filling out those immigration forms, where one mistake can prolong your application to a great extent. I’ll be really happy to see if all countries of the world make a “NO Visa” rule for all of us. We will be able to go and live anywhere in the world without any restrictions. Just imagine how wonderful that would be!
Perhaps Canada is the only country which welcomes thousands of immigrants each year. This is why Canadian cities are so diverse and vibrant in culture. As many newcomers are coming in the country each year population is increasing rapidly as well as other problems. However, newcomers are also bringing in new skills and culture which is boosting Canadian economy.
I agree that it would be a wonderful idea to get a “lifelong visa” for 5000 bucks, but in reality no country’s government will allow it. This is because if people move so freely from one place to another our government will lose tax money. They will lose man power and talent of people. Obviously, people will move to a place where there is vast opportunity and high standard of living rather than stuck in an under developed or third-world country. This will create huge imbalance in many areas such as economic and environmental.
I think the the visa system is good, but it should not be such a pain in the ass!
October 21st, 2013 at 7:36 am
Hi
I enjoyed reading this blog.
I am from Japan, from Osaka.
Yes, I agree with you that paperwork is so bothering.
I hate doing paperwork on airplane when I travel abroad.
Yes it kind of ruins my excitement of the trip lol
But when it comes to world visa, I am really concerned about it.
I think that Japan is relatively safer and less crime country than any other country. If anyone can come to and too many people come to and live in our country, I would be afraid of safety. (I know, we are having natural disasters,,,) but other than that, I believe human-caused crimes are relatively lesser.
October 22nd, 2013 at 4:27 am
Hi,
I really enjoy reading your nice blog.
I am from Afghanistan, Kabul.
I 100% agree with you I hate paperwork specially in airports, let me tell you and all the governments around the world please allow Afghanistan people wherever they want to live because they are weary of war and Murder
October 27th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Hi! I leave in Poland. My country belonges to the European Union! We have no boarders around almost all of the Europe, I dont need a visa to travel to such a beautiful countries like UK, France, Spain, Italy etc… just need my ID cart and can go whenever and wherever I want;) love the european system without visa! It makes my life easier and traveling is so enjoyable without all the paper work! So I am with you guys – no more visas;)
January 3rd, 2014 at 7:09 pm
Hello guys, i am Merve from Turkey.
My country is not a member of European Union but we still can get visas such as schengen,US and etc. with less paperwork.Turks think that there is too much paperwork to get visas but if we compare our country to other countries (developing & underdeveloped) we can actually say that there is no paperwork