Airlines adding more fees
Share Del.icio.usDiggTwitterYahoo! BuzzFacebookStumbleUponAirline fees continue to change, with most fees headed up and a few headed down. One thing's for sure, these fees are here to stay, so you need to be informed to avoid being surprised.

Greece: the uprise traveller’s should know about
Greece, or at least Athens, right now is hardly a place for travellers. It’s chaos as the government approves the austerity measures plan to pull themselves out of debt in the coming years. The combination of the stress on the government to cut their spending and buckle down. Add the flaming riots outside the parliament into the equation and Athens is the centre of the world’s attention right now.

Disaster recovery: Lessons learned from a volcano
Like thousands of other travelers, I spent several unplanned days in Europe recently due to the ash cloud spewing from the unpronounceable volcano in Iceland. I joked with friends and colleagues that despite several hundred thousand miles of business travel under my belt, if you asked me to write 50 reasons I would be stuck somewhere for several days, I most likely would not even remotely considered including a volcano on that list.

New Requirements for Indian Visas
Previously, India required all visas applicants provide a copy of their birth certificate. Effective immediately — any birth certificate issued outside the US or India which is not in English must include a NOTARIZED English translation of the birth certificate.

In addition, all applicants for employment visas must now provide a justification letter. This is a letter from the employer in India certifying the applicant is a skilled and qualified professional, technical expert, senior executive or in a managerial position. This letter must also justify as to how those skills are not available locally in India.

Qatar Visas Continue to Be Issued Upon Arrival
The change for Qatar visas that we reported in our last Weekly Update has been postponed. Until further notice, visas for Qatar will continue to be available upon arrival. Although this is the case, CIBT always recommends that visas be obtained in advance of traveling abroad. Significant restrictions often apply for 'on arrival' visas and requirements for entry vary. Check with the local consulate for details and inquire with your airline. Immigration officials can refuse entry to anyone for any reason. To minimize risk of being refused entry and to avoid excessive waiting for an on arrival visa to be issued, CIBT strongly recommends that travelers obtain all visas prior to departure.

US Department of State Considering Increase in Passport Fees
The Department of State is currently considering changes to passport fees. Some of the proposed increases to the Department of State fees include:

• First-time passport: Increase from $100 to $135
• Passport renewal: Increase from $75 to $110
• Additional pages: Increase from $0 to $82
• Expedited service fee will remain at $60

These increases are still under consideration, and we will update you as soon as a final decision is reached.

Important Changes to Iraqi Entry Requirements
Iraqi immigration authorities have recently announced that they will begin to enforce visa requirements for civilian US defense contractors entering and exiting Iraq. Contractors who are planning to travel to Iraq will be required to show evidence of an entry visa upon arrival in Iraq. Contractors who are already in-country will be required to obtain an exit visa in preparation for exiting Iraq. These changes do not affect holders of US military-issued identification.