Visa requirements, costs, and notes for every country we entered.
Notes on visas, costs, and border crossings — collected from the road in 2001 and 2002. Every visa was different. Some cost a few dollars, some required photos and patience, some surprised us at the airport. These are the actual experiences and amounts paid at the time.
Many of these requirements have changed since. Always check current visa rules before you travel.
| Country | Visa / Departure Tax | Kirk in $ | Maren in $ | Total Cost | Country Issued | Length | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Visa | 45 $ | 0 $ | 45 $ | Turkey | 3 Months | On the Border |
| Syria | Visa | 100 $ | 60 $ | 160 $ | Istanbul Turkey | 15 Days | Consulate in Istanbul (Next day pickup) |
| Lebanon | Visa | 17 $ | 17 $ | 34 $ | Lebanon | 15 Days (30 Day costs more, 2 day visa free) | On the Border with Syria |
| Syria | Visa | 16 $ | 8 $ | 24 $ | Syria | 3 Day Visa | On the Border with Syria to get back in |
| Jordan | Visa | 14 $ | 14 $ | 28 $ | Jordan | 15 Days | On the Border with Syria |
| Jordan | Dep. Tax | 5.7 $ | 5.7 $ | 11.4 $ | Jordan | On the Border with Israel | |
| Israel | Dep. Tax | 16 $ | 16 $ | 32 $ | Israel | On the Border with Jordan | |
| Jordan | Visa | 14 $ | 14 $ | 28 $ | Jordan | 15 Days | On the Border with Israel |
| Jordan | Dep. Tax | 8.5 $ | 8.5 $ | 17 $ | Jordan | On the Border with Egypt | |
| Egypt | Visa | 15 $ | 15 $ | 30 $ | Egypt | 30 Days | At the Port after ferry crossing from Egypt |
| Eritrea | Visa | 26 $ | 31 $ | 57 $ | Cairo Egypt | 30 Days | Embassy in Cairo Egypt (Next day pickup, good for one Month) |
| Saudi Arabia | Transit Visa | Did not get. | |||||
| Ethiopia | Visa | 70 $ | 63 $ | 133 $ | Cairo Egypt | Maren = 30 day single entry (Germans) Kirk = 2 year multi entry visa (USA) | Embassy in Cairo Egypt (Next day pickup) |
| Eritrea | Dep. Tax | 15 $ | 15 $ | 30 $ | Asmara Eritrea | Airport | |
| Djibouti | Visa | 40 $ | 40 $ | 80 $ | Asmara Eritrea | Open Tuesday to Friday | Embassy in Asmara |
| Kenya | Visa | 50 $ | 50 $ | 100 $ | Moyale Kenya | Holiday Visa | On the border with Ethiopia |
| Uganda | Visa | 20 $ | 20 § | 40 $ | Nairobi Kenya | Student Visa | Get Visa on the same day |
| Rwanda | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | Rusumo | no visa required for US and German Citizens | They just stamp your passport at the border. No Problems. |
| Tanzania | Visa | 53 $ | 21 $ | 74 $ | Kampala Uganda | 3 Month Visa | Usually takes 2 Hours. Can ask for same day |
| Tanzania | Sea Port Departure Tax | 5 $ | 5 $ | 10 $ | Dar es Salaam Tanzania | Sea Port Departure Tax to Zanzibar | included in price of ticket |
| Malawi | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | Songwe | no visa required for US and German Citizens | They stamp passport at border |
| Zambia | Visa | 25 $ | 25 $ | 50 $ | Chipata | 3 month Visa | on the border w/Malawi |
| Zambia | Reentry Visa | 1.3 $ | 1.3 $ | 2.6 $ | Victoria Falls | 7 Day Reentry Visa | Border W/ Zimbabwe |
| Zimbabwe | Visa | 30 $ | 30 $ | 60 $ | Victoria Falls | 30 Day Single Entry Visa | Border w/ Zambia |
| Botswana | Visa | 0 $ | 0$ | 0 $ | Kasane / Mohembo | 30 Day Visa | Free |
| Namibia | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | Ngoma / Buitekop | 30 Day Visa | Free |
| South Africa | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | border with Namibia | 60 Day Visa | Free |
| India | Visa | 75 $ | 50 $ | 125 $ | Johannesburg South Africa | 6 month Visa Multiple Entry | Sent from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Takes up to 5 workdays for non residents |
| Nepal | Visa | 30 $ | 30 $ | 60 $ | Sunauli Nepal | 60 Days Single Entry | At Border crossing, border open 24 Hrs. Have to wake up border guards. |
| China | Visa | 33 $ | 33 $ | 66 $ | Kathmandu Nepal | 30 Day | Takes 5 working days to get, can get it faster if one pays more. |
| Hong Kong | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | Shenzhen | 30 Day | Free |
| Vietnam | Visa | 40 $ | 40 $ | 80 $ | Hong Kong China | 30 Day | Takes 3 working days, cheaper if you have a personal invitation from the government to Vietnam |
| China | Visa | 20 $ | 20 $ | 40 $ | Hong Kong China | 30 Day | If you leave China and going to Hong Kong, you have to get another Chinese Visa unless you have a multiple Visa |
| China | Dep. Tax | 1.2 $ | 1.2 $ | 2.4 $ | Pingxiang China | On the Spot | Departure Management Fee So make sure you have 10 Yuan a head when you are leaving this border crossing. Kind of a suspicious tax |
| Cambodia | Visa | 30 $ | 30 $ | 60 $ | Ho Chi Min City Vietnam | 30 Day | Drop off morning pickup afternoon, Same day pickup |
| Laos | Visa | 23 $ | 23 $ | 46 $ | Bangkok Thailand | 15 Day | 1 Day Urgent Visa. Tourist office organizes it, cheaper than doing it ourselves. 3 day waiting period is cheaper |
| Thailand | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | Nong KhaiThailand | 30 Day | Free for most westerners |
| Thailand | Dep. Tax | .25 $ | .25 $ | .50 $ | Nong Khai Thailand | On the Spot | Exit Stamp Fee |
| Laos | Entr. Tax | .25 $ | .25 $ | .50 $ | Nong Khai Laos | On the Spot | Entrance Stamp Fee |
| Laos | Dep. Tax | .35 $ | .35 $ | .70 $ | Huay Xai | On the Spot | Dep. Stamp Fee |
| Thailand | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | Chiang Khong Thailand | 30 Day | Free for most westerners |
| Malaysia | Visa | 0 $ | 0$ | 0 $ | Bukit Kayu Hitam | 30 Day | Free for most Westerners |
| Singapore | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | Singapore | 14 Days German / 30 Days USA | Free for most Westerners |
| Indonesia | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | Bali | 60 Days | Get it at the Airport |
| Australia | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | Bali | 3 Month | Electronic Visa / Travel agent did it for free |
| New Zealand | Visa | 0 $ | 0 $ | 0 $ | |||
| USA | Visa | 0 $ | 45 $ | 45 $ | Sydney Australia | 10 Year | While we are leaving overland |
| New Zealand | Dep. Tax | 9.5 $ | 9.5 $ | 19 $ | Auckland NZ | 22 NZ$ per Person | |
| USA | Entr. Tax | 0 $ | 6 $ | 6 $ | Between Vancouver and Seattle Crossing | Entrance Tax crossing over land | |
| Mexico | Tourist Card | 22 $ | 22$ | 44 $ | Chetumal Mexico (Border w/ Belize) | 180 Days | We should of got it on arrival. They ripped us off a dollar |