2nd December 2016
Henrik Jeppesen – a self-confessed ‘full-time traveller’ who has apparently visited every country in the world – recently outlined the countries that were the hardest to get to and move around in for the indy100.
Here are the top ten locations he found most difficult to travel in:
- Syria: Not only are visas notoriously hard to get hold of here, but they aren’t always enough. Jeppesen recalled struggling to convince the immigration officer of his reasons for visiting the country, despite having the relevant documentation.
- Yeman: When he visited in 2014, he found Yeman incredibly tough to get into due to strict restrictions in light of the political unrest in the country. Given the growing unrest here it’s highly likely that gaining entry is now even more of a challenge.
- Saudi Arabia: Travelling as a tourist in the country is nigh on impossible, so visiting for business purposes is the only way to get in, though you will need a local company to sponsor your visit.
- Libya: Travelling here was very difficult and Jappesen found that he was unable to get a visa through the Libyan embassies. Instead, he approached the foreign press in the country for help.
- Equatorial Guinea: Having failed to obtain a visa through the country’s embassies in Pretoria and Libreville, Jeppesen eventually resorted to personally taking a printed document to the Consulate in Nagos, Nigeria.
- Angola: While obtaining a visa is a struggle, there is a short-term solution for flying visits: get a five day transit visa which is much easier to get hold of.
- Turkmenistan: As with Angola, a transit visa is a possibility to enter the country, however it does also require a visa for the country you are coming from and going to in order to obtain this.
- Eritrea: Only with a letter from a local tour operator was Jeppesen able to get hold of a visa for the country on his arrival.
- Nauru: If you’re wanting to travel here, you’ll first have to go to one of four diplomatic missions in order to get a visa: either in Bangkok, Brisbane, Suva or Taipei.
- Sudan: The final location on the list, it took the traveller two days to get a visa for the country, which he obtained from Egypt at a much cheaper cost and with less paperwork than he faced in Europe.
The differences as a contractor and a tourist
Of course, travelling as a tourist and a contractor will be slightly different. As the latter, commuting will play a bigger role when considering a possible move abroad. So too will the varying tax requirements across borders – something which a number of professionals can find to be a complex minefield of ever-changing legislation.
In order to truly ensure you remain compliant with local laws in your chosen location, it’s vital that you partner with an expert – otherwise you risk facing hefty fines and potential criminal charges.