Yuor Questions Answered
Q My partner and I are planning a visit to New York in August. Then, in October, we will travel from Istanbul to Tehran. As we do not have e-passports, each trip will require a visa. These countries are hardly on the best of terms. If we have a visa for an "axis of evil" country, is the "great Satan" likely to refuse us entry, and vice versa? Is it legal to apply for an e-passport for the US trip while retaining the valid old ones for use in Iran? I am reluctant to approach either embassy with the question, in case the query itself provides cause for a refusal. CT, Dublin
You have raised a number of issues here. You do not need an e-passport to enter the US, but your passport must be machine- readable; that is, not handwritten. The Passport Office began issuing biometric e-passports in October 2006 and has been issuing machine-readable passports for more than a decade.
You do not need a visa for entering the US if your stay is for less than three months, as Ireland belongs to the visa-waiver programme.
You need a visa for Turkey, but it can be obtained on arrival in Istanbul. It costs €10, and you should have cash to pay it. The authorities will then put a sticker in your passport.
You need a visa for Iran before you travel. Depending on the length of your stay in New York, apply for the Iranian visa on your return. It could take up to four weeks. You can obtain one from the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 72 Mount Merrion Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin, 01-2885881 or 01-2880252.
We are two active older people who would like to go on an escorted tour with a predominantly Irish group in September or October for 10-12 days. We think seven days is too short and 14 a bit long. Our choice would preferably be Italy, but we are open to other places, provided the weather is warm.
We have been to Rome, Naples and the Amalfi coast. Morocco might also be an option. JO'M, Clare
CIÉ Tours has two trips in September that might appeal. The first is an 11-day in-depth tour of Sicily and Malta,
visiting Mount Etna, Cefalu Cathedral, the Roman villa of Casale and the Valley of the Temples in Sicily. In Malta, there will be time to explore the island and its history. It costs about €2,130 per person.
CIÉ also has a nine-day tour of Morocco in September, visiting Marrakesh, Fez, Casablanca, Erfoud and Ouarzazate, with plenty of opportunities to experience Moroccan culture, from mint-tea ceremonies to belly dancing. Prices are from €1,506 per person.
See www.cietours.ieor call 01-6771871. Your local travel agent should also be able to help you book.
Q Could you suggest somewhere for a short break, of five to seven days, over the New Year? We are potentially a family group of about 10 (all adults) and have a desire to spend the holiday somewhere warm and bright, with access to interesting places to visit.
We would prefer to rent a large house or villa. We don't have a huge budget, so far-flung destinations are not an option. .. U MacC, Dublin
We are limited in places to go to at that time of year that are warm and bright. They can also be costly to get to, as everyone else is escaping the winter, too. Make up your mind quickly and book now. The nearest place for warm and bright with some interesting things to do is the Costa del Sol. The weather will be about eight or 10 degrees warmer than here.
James Villas has two suitable properties for your group: a large house in Mijas, which would cost about €660 per person, and a lovely house in Puerto Banus, from €698 per person sharing, including flights. Details from www.jamesvillas.ie.
Otherwise, it is the Canary Islands, and although you are likely to find a suitable house, from websites such as www.ownersdirect.co.uk and www.holiday-rentals.com, flights are already heavily booked, so it will cost about €400 each to get there. European cities are better value at New Year. Rome, Nice or Paris might make a nice short trip. Hotels can be reasonable value at that time of year, and there will be plenty to see.Can a visa from one country get us refused in another?
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irish-times.ie