In the era of Schengen and easy travel within Europe, it’s easy to forget the visa minefield involved in going anywhere slightly more adventurous.

I was recommended a visa agency in London who would receive our passports and do all the too-ing and fro-ing to each Embassy and send them back. Having emailed last Tuesday saying that I couldn’t post the passports until at least Monday this week (as Nige had his away with him), I asked them to reply by last Friday specifying what exactly I would need to send. This was so that we had time to get the two visas and have the passports back with us by 18th Feb ready for the trip to Romania.

Firstly I had to ring to chase a reply on Friday, and I’ve only heard back from them today. This means that we will have lost a week of the precious visa processing time available. AND they had the details incorrect from what I had read myself on the Embassy website. Seeing as I would be paying £35+VAT (EACH per visa) for them to make the arrangements, I had assumed they would actually know what to ask me for! WRONG!

All the Kyrgyzstan Embassy websites state that UK citizens do not need a letter of introduction, yet the agency want me to get one. This will take at least another week, and cost more money. I have asked them to double check that, but as I’ve still not sent them the passports until this is resolved, I might just investigate if we can apply at the Consulates in Bonn. I just need to find a fluent Russian or German speaker…