Visa Woes!

[peacetraveler22]

Sleepy morning here in my Frankfurt hotel room! It's immediately clear I'm back on European soil as everyone is smoking and the breakfast buffet consisted mostly of deli meats. :)) Tonight I'll return to Moscow, flash my multi-entry visa and we'll be on our way to Eastern Europe! I must say the Russian visa process was quite simple compared to the hell I experienced in getting my visa for Belarus. I first applied for a 90 day tourist visa - DENIED! Then I got a call at the beginning of last week informing me they would grant a 30 day tourist visa, single entry. However, given the close departure date it would be necessary to pay "expedited" fees. I guess it's my own fault for not asking how much these fees were, but when I picked up the visa the cost was $458 USD!  Yes, $458 for a single entry visa. Extortion!! :) I didn't understand what all the fees were and when I tried to ask the Embassy staff to explain they simply said - "this is the cost if you want the visa!" Excellent customer service!

Yes, Americans are mostly visa virgins. We need them for very few countries, but I'm certain this Belarus visa is a complete scam. Denying the visa at first, then forcing people to pay expedited fees at the last minute. We were initially going to be in Belarus only in transit, but will now stop in at least one city. I don't know which one, or even on what day as our schedule is still fluid. Unfortunately, Belarus is not like Russia where Americans can get a multi-entry visa for several years. So we must make the most of this expensive single entry ticket to the country because I will not pay the fees again for another visa.

Russians - the masters of visas! I know you need them for almost every country. What is the most expensive or difficult visa you've obtained? And how hard is it to get a tourist visa to America? Has anyone applied and been denied?