Moving abroad, legally
Official sources, finished documents
Invitation letters, affidavits of support and arrival notices: which paper you need, what the official source says, and a document you can finish. Not legal advice.
- One paper at a time What the form asks for and who signs it, with a link to the government page.
- A document you can finish A filled example and a cover letter you can adapt.
- Checked, with a date Every fact links to an official source and shows when it was verified.
Posts
- ESTA approved? Officers still decide on arrival
Approved ESTA doesn't settle whether you enter the US. CBP officers decide when you arrive. What an ESTA does, and what you check before…
- Singapore arrival card: free, within 3 days
Going to Singapore? The SG Arrival Card is free, and you submit it within 3 days before you land. It isn't a visa. Anyone charging you for…
- New Zealand: NZD $1,000 a month to show
New Zealand visitors: at least NZD $1,000 a month, or NZD $400 if your accommodation is paid. Here's how to count it for your trip.
- Korea K-ETA: 10,000 KRW, apply before boarding
Korea K-ETA: 10,000 KRW, and the fee isn't refunded if you're denied. Get it before you board, not at the airport.
- Canada visitor visa: CAN$100 per person
Canada visitor visa: CAN$100 per person, or CAN$500 maximum for a family of 5 or more applying together. What goes in your cover letter.
- Layers on your computer and phone
Work with documents, chats and this channel in the Layers app: Word and Excel files open right on your computer, even offline. Mac:…
- UK visitor visa: £135, apply up to 3 months ahead
UK Standard Visitor visa: £135, usually up to 6 months, and the earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel. If a relative pays,…
- Hosting a guest in Italy: written notice within 48 hours
Hosting a foreign relative in Italy? Family counts too: you must notify the local public security authority in writing within 48 hours.…
- Canada eTA: CAN$7 on the official page
Flying to or through Canada visa-free? Your eTA costs CAN$7 on the official Government of Canada page. You need a valid passport, a card…
- UK ETA: £20 per person, babies included
Visiting the UK without a visa? You likely need an ETA: £20, for stays up to 6 months — and every traveller needs one, babies included.
- ETIAS isn't live yet — don't pay anyone for it
ETIAS is not live yet. The EU says no applications are being collected — any site taking money for an ETIAS today is not the official one.
- EES: fingerprints and a face scan instead of passport stamps
No more passport stamps at the Schengen border: since April 10, 2026 the EES registers your fingerprints and face instead. What to expect…
- Three forms of Schengen visa
Single entry, multiple entry or airport transit — three forms of Schengen visa. Ask for the one that matches your trip.
- Holiday travel: the 6-month application window
Christmas trip to Europe? Six months before is the earliest you can apply — for late December travel, that window opened in June.
- Schengen visa: 15 days to decide
Schengen visa decisions normally take 15 days. Apply at least 15 days before travel — and no earlier than 6 months.
- Schengen short stay: 90 days in any 180
Schengen short-stay rule: up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Count back 180 days from each day you plan to be there.
- Schengen visa documents, and when you need a sponsor letter
Someone else is paying for your Schengen trip? The application asks for evidence of financial means — a sponsor letter with their documents…
- Schengen visa: the application window
Planning a Schengen trip for spring 2027? You can apply up to 6 months ahead and at least 15 days before you travel. Processing is normally…
- Inviting someone from the Philippines to Japan? The Embassy lists its own forms, including the Letter of Guarantee. Our page links to those…