@Philip *********

I carry a shitty passport but it didn’t stop me from being able to visit more than 50 countries and over 120 destinations, including places most experienced travellers has probably never been to. I have many experiences with visas and immigrations (good and bad). Can’t even write all of them in one comment. If the OP will be happy with my suggestions or listen to my visa stories, I might be able to help her hit her first visa.

Your first travel out of your home country is always the most difficult. Once you have traveled more, and they see your passport pages filled with stamps, they will somehow loosen up. But then again, it still depends where you are heading.

Unfortunately, anywhere in the world (especially the first world countries), if you come from a third or developing country, they will most of the time think you cannot afford tourism visits, worst they suspect you might find jobs/migrate. So visas are quite straight forward, prove (to the best of what you have) that:

1. You are a legitimate tourist. Have enough money for whole duration. Have confirmed accommodation, flights, insurance, tours, etc. Don’t even try staying with a friend.

2. You have a very strong reason you are going back to your home country (employment, business, properties, permanent home, etc)

If you happen to come from first world countries, even if you end up as BEG-PACKER in Asia - like many of them, even in the financial city like Hong Kong, you will still be welcomed with an open arms at the airport, no visa needed - just by looking at skin colour or the passport they carry.

That’s the hard truth, and it’s always painful.

I carry a shitty passport and needs visa sticker (1page) most of the time so changing passport often is a usual thing. It doesn’t matter really. Your entry to a country is on the immigration system, not on your passport.

@Dean *******

how did you skip being taken to a hospital for the 1st day of test?

I landed on the same pop-up, I closed the site and opened it again. Alas, I got into the same pop-up. I just thought maybe the site could trace my IP address. My partner might have used my laptop to apply for the same Thai Pass. So I just ignored and closed the pop-up message. Behind is the application page. Took at least 5mins to finish the process. Have to convert PDF files to JPEG. But I got my pass in 2hrs.

It always depend on the airlines and the immigration officer. Sometimes they ask, sometimes they don’t. Just book a return ticket and cancel it later if you don’t need it. It’s easier than having trouble at the airport.