PASSPORTS AND VISAS 101

Editor's Note: U.S. passports are currently taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

A growing number of Memphis residents are obtaining U.S. passports as international travel grows, especially among employees of large companies with a strong presence in the area.  The Bluff City is best known as an entertainment and tourism center, drawing more than 11 million annual visitors to Elvis Presley’s Graceland, Sun Studios, the Blues Hall of Fame, and live music clubs on Beale Street.  However, Memphis’s diversified economy is also driven by the agribusiness and technology, food and beverage processing, medical devices, transportation, and advanced manufacturing industries.

As Tennessee’s second-largest metropolitan area, Memphis’s economic engine has dri

Azerbaijan – the South Caucasus country at the crossroads of ancient empires that once ruled Eurasia – is coming into its own as a travel destination for visitors from the Miami area. “Having long been overlooked by visitors, Azerbaijan's new easy visas, bargain-value hotels and close-packed range of beautiful landscapes are starting to attract significant flows of tourists, though as yet few of them from Western countries,” Lonely Planet reported. (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/azerbaijan )

Stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Great Caucasus Mountains, the culture of Azerbaijan reflects strong Turkish, Iranian, and Russian influences that span centuries.  The ancient Silk Road trading route that connected Europe and Asia runs through Azerbaijan.  During its long history, parts of the country had been ruled by Iran, Turkey and Russia.  After the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the country gained independence as the Republic of Azerbaijan.  However, since then, an extended border war with neighboring Armenia and conflicts with separatist forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh region have plagued the republic.

Editor's Note: U.S. passports are currently taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

An increasing number of Charlotte residents are obtaining U.S. passports as demand for international travel grows, especially among employees of large companies with a strong presence in the area.  The eighth fastest-growing city in the United States, Charlotte has evolved into a major banking, manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and technology hub.

The “Queen City” is the second largest banking center in the country, trailing only New York City.  Bank of America, the second-largest U.S. bank by assets, and Truist Financial both have their main headquarters in Charlotte, and Wells Fargo’s East Coast operations are based here.  The financial sector emplo

Pakistan, once a popular hippie backpacking destination, is still mostly off the radar for most mainstream tourists.  However, this country should not be overlooked by Chicago area visitors because it offers a variety of attractions, including historic and cultural heritage sites, diverse geographic features, and a growing adventure travel sector for mountain climbers, hikers, and water sports enthusiasts.  Forbes magazine ranked Pakistan as one of its 10 “coolest places on earth” in 2019 and among the top underrated travel destinations in 2020. “Pakistan is blessed with abundant natural and historical riches,” Lonely Planet noted. “Incredible mountain landscapes are set against a backdrop of desert forts and stories of sultans and djinns.  In its cities, ancient bazaars are home to intricately etched copper kitchenware alongside pungent spice racks and steaming tea stalls.” (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/pakistan) The British Backpacker Society has also named Pakistan is the world’s top adventure travel destination, citing its friendly residents and spectacular mountain scenery.

Officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the country boasts several of the most ancient cultures in South Asia.  After 1,000 years of Islamic rule, the region was conquered by Great Britain during the mid- to late 1800s and became part of the British Indian Empire.  During the early Twentieth Century, the Pakistani movement that sought to establish a homeland for India’s Muslim citizens gathered steam.  In 1947, Pakistan gained independence when Britain partitioned present-day Pakistan from India.  The Islamic Republic of Pakistan followed in 1956.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – the second largest country in Africa and fourth most populous – offers Atlanta area tourists and business travelers a range of natural tropical settings, unique wildlife, and cultural diversions not found in other parts of the continent.  From the mountain gorillas in the rainforest along the Congo River to its active mountain volcanoes, the DRC is one of a kind.

Formerly known as Zaire, the DRC (also referred to as Congo-Kinshasa) covers more than 2.3 million square miles—roughly the size of Western Europe.  It borders Angola, Burundi, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, as well as the South Atlantic Ocean.  With more than 96 million residents, the Central African nation is also the largest French-speaking country in the world.

The East African nation of Malawi has gained new attention as an emerging tourist destination for residents of the Charlotte area.  Known as the “Warm Heart of Africa”, the landlocked country lies in the Great Rift Valley and borders Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia.  According to The New York Times, “Most tourists come to Malawi to go on safaris among bulbous baobabs in Liwonde National Park or sunbathe on the sparkling yellow beaches of Lake Malawi, which stretches for two-thirds of the country’s length.” (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/15/travel/rock-climbing-malawi.html). 

During the Victorian Era, missionary Dr. David Livingstone led expeditions throughout Malawi and Central Africa.  After decades as the British protectorate of Nyasaland, the Republic of Malawi became an independent nation in the mid-1960s.  English remains the official language of Malawi and almost 90 percent of its residents are Christian.

Editor's Note: U.S. passports are currently taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

A growing number of Nashville residents are obtaining U.S. passports as international travel grows, especially among employees of large companies with a strong presence in the area.  While “Music City USA” is best known as an entertainment and tourism center, Nashville’s economy is also driven by the health care, supply chain management, supply chain management, and advanced manufacturing industries.

Tennessee has become a major vehicle manufacturing center in recent years, with Nissan North America and General Motors ranking among the Nashville region’s largest employers.  GM and Ford are also building new operations to support electric vehicles.  Dozens

Turkmenistan – one of the most repressive and isolated countries in the world – is also one of the least visited nations for travelers from Atlanta.  However, cautious, adventurous travelers who are not deterred by the difficult process for obtaining a Turkmen visa can enjoy historic, cultural and religious sites, as well as ancient Silk Road trading posts, rare desert wildlife, and resorts on the Caspian Sea.

More than 6.5 million people live in the former Soviet republic, making it one of the most sparsely populated countries in Asia (as a point of reference, the population of the Atlanta metropolitan area is nearly 6.2 million).  Turkmenistan is bordered by Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, and Uzbekistan.  For centuries, Turkmenistan has been a trade thoroughfare, as the ancient Silk Road spans the country.  In recent years, its major international trade activities have revolved around its large oil and natural gas reserves.

Dallas area tourists have been allowed to visit Saudi Arabia ever since the kingdom finally opened the door to leisure travelers in 2019, following decades when most visitors were businesspeople, government officials, Islamic pilgrims, and/or expatriates visiting family members.  The largest nation on the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia’s natural treasures range from the beaches of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to its hot dry deserts, mountain ranges, grasslands, and forests (located in the Asir Mountains).

Editor's Note: U.S. passports are currently taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

Booming foreign investment along the I-85 corridor between Atlanta and Charlotte is driving an uptick in U.S. passport demand among residents of Greenville, SC, which sits at the center of this bustling industrial pathway (https://rebusinessonline.com/event/interface-i-85-industrial-corridor-2023).  Located roughly midway between the Georgia and North Carolina metropolises, Greenville anchors the Upstate South Carolina region, the fourth-largest urban center in the Deep South.

Once known as the “Textile Capital of the World,” Greenville has leveraged its