To take part in any of our international volunteer programs, all participants must possess the following documents:
A valid passport issued by their respective country of citizenship.
A tourist visa, which usually can be obtained upon arrival in the destination country.
It is important to note that the passport must have a validity period of at least 6 months beyond the anticipated date of return to your home country.
Below is a table providing initial guidance on entry requirements for individuals holding passports from most European Union countries, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.
Country | Short Term | Long Term |
🇦🇱 Albania | < 90 days (within 180 days) ➡ Visa type C | < 1 year ➡ Visa type D for humanitarian activities |
🇦🇷 Argentina | < 90 days ➡ tourist visa upon arrival | > 90 days ➡ extension for 90 supplementary days > 6 months ➡ leave the country to renew your tourist visa |
🇦🇺 Australia | < 3 months within one year ➡
Other nationalities: Visitor visa: 3, 6, or 12 months | > 90 days and < 1 year ➡ Visitor visa (subclass 600) |
🇧🇿 Belize | < 30 days ➡ No visa is required for nationalities on this list for stays of less than a month
Otherwise: a visitor visa is to acquire before entering the territory | > 30 days ➡ ask for a visa extension at the Immigration Department office in Belize City, Belmopan, or one of the outlying districts |
🇧🇴 Bolivia | < 90 days ➡ visa on arrival for 30 days, extendable two times for further 30 days free of charge | > 90 days ➡ custom solution with your volunteer organization |
🇧🇼 Botswana | < 90 days ➡ visas on arrival for most nationalities and valid for 30 days, extendable up to 90 days if requested at the time of entry | > 90 days ➡ custom solution with your volunteer organization |
🇧🇷 Brazil | < 90 days ➡ no visa required, only registration of your trip at your embassy. You can apply for a 90-days-extension to stay up to 180 days | > 90 days ➡ volunteer visa |
🇰🇭 Cambodia | < 60 days ➡ visa on arrival for 30 days, extendable once for a further 30 days | > 60 days ➡ Ordinary (Business) Visa |
🇨🇲 Cameroon | < 30 days ➡ tourist visa | > 30 days and < 90 days ➡ temporary visa |
🇨🇦 Canada | < 180 days ➡ visa waiver via Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), receive approval before departure | > 180 days ➡ custom solution with your volunteer organization |
🇨🇻 Cape Verde | < 30 days ➡ visa waiver EASE registration (online), receive approval before departure | > 30 days ➡ custom solution with your volunteer organization |
🇨🇱 Chile | < 90 days ➡ tourist visa "Tarjeta de Turismo" (tourist card) | > 90 days ➡ short-term visa, also known as a temporary resident visa |
🇨🇳 China | < 30 days tourist visa |
|
🇨🇴 Colombia | < 90 days ➡ visa free entry | < 180 days ➡ extendable once for a further 90 days |
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | < 90 days ➡ tourist visa upon arrival | > 90 days ➡ "border run" ( reenter the country) or provisional visa |
🇭🇷 Croatia | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇨🇺 Cuba | < 30 days ➡ "tourist card" needs to be purchased prior to arrival (90 days for Canadian citizens), extendable once for a further 30 days | > 60 days ➡ custom solution with your volunteer organization |
< 30 days ➡ no visa | > 30 days ➡ fee-based extension requested at the Departamento de Extranjería, Dirección General de Migración | |
🇪🇨 Ecuador | < 90 days within a period of 12 months ➡ no visa | > 90 days ➡ register online for one only extension for 90 supplementary days |
🇪🇬 Egypt | < 30 days ➡ eVisa that is valid for 3 months |
|
🇸🇻 El Salvador | < 90 days ➡ no visa |
|
🇪🇺 European | < 90 days ➡ Schengen short-stay visa
(From November 2023: ETIAS Travel Authorization) |
|
🇫🇯 Fiji | < 4 months ➡ Entry permit by presenting return or onward flight tickets, as well as proof of financial subsistence | > 4 months ➡ 2 months-extension |
🇫🇮 Finland | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇫🇷 France | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇬🇭 Ghana | < 60 days ➡ apply for a tourist visa | < 180 days ➡ enter the country with a tourist visa, which can be extended twice for 60 days each time |
🇬🇷 Greece | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇬🇹 Guatemala | < 90 days ➡ tourist visa on arrival | > 90 days ➡ custom solution with your volunteer organization |
🇭🇺 Hungary | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇮🇳 India | < 60 days ➡ apply for a e-visa | < 180 days ➡ apply for tourist visa < 365 days ➡ apply for employment visa |
🇮🇩 Indonesia (+ Bali) | < 60 days ➡ B211A soci-cultural visa | < 180 days ➡ social-cultural visa extension |
🇮🇪 Ireland | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇮🇱 Israel | < 90 days ➡ free tourist visa on arrival | > 90 days ➡ volunteer visa |
🇮🇹 Italy | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇯🇲 Jamaica | depending on the country ➡ up to 365 days, up to 90 days or up 30 days | extension ➡ up to 180 days |
🇰🇪 Kenya | < 90 days ➡ e-Visa or visa on arrival | < 180 days ➡ extension in Nairobi |
🇱🇦 Laos | < 30 days ➡ tourist visa | > 30 days ➡ visitor visa + extensions |
🇲🇬 Madagascar | < 30 days ➡ tourist visa on arrival < 90 days ➡apply for tourist visa at embassy | > 90 days ➡ apply for 'one-month extendable visa' and extend to long-term visa |
🇲🇼 Malawi | < 90 days ➡ e-Visa |
|
🇲🇾 Malaysia | depending on the country ➡ 30, 60, or 90 days |
|
🇲🇻 Maldives | < 30 days ➡ tourist visa on arrival | < 90 days ➡ enter the country with a tourist visa, which can be extended twice for 30 days each time |
🇲🇽 Mexico | < 180 days ➡ visa on arrival | > 180 days ➡ "border run" ( reenter the country) |
🇲🇳 Mongolia | < 30 days ➡ visa on arrival | > 30 days ➡ custom solution with your volunteer organization |
🇲🇦 Morocco | < 90 days ➡ visa on arrival | > 90 days ➡ custom solution with your volunteer organization |
🇲🇿 Mozambique | <30 days ➡ no visa required | > 30 days ➡ 30 days extension at immigration |
🇳🇦 Namibia | < 90 days ➡ work visa and temporary residence permit | > 90 days ➡ work permit |
🇳🇵 Nepal | < 90 days ➡ visa on arrival | > 90 days ➡ extend up to 150 days per calendar year |
🇳🇿 New Zealand | < 3 months: NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) if you are from the Visa waiver countries (only exception: up to 6 months for British volunteers) | < 9 months: Visitor Visa |
🇳🇮 Nicaragua | < 90 days ➡ visa on arrival | < 120 days ➡ extend visa > 120 days ➡ temporary work permit |
🇵🇦 Panama | < 180 days ➡ visa on arrival | > 180 days ➡ "border run" ( reenter the country after 3 days) |
🇵🇪 Peru | < 90 days ➡ visa on arrival, not extendable | > 90 days ➡ custom solution with your volunteer organization |
🇵🇭 Philippines | < 30 days ➡ visa on arrival | < 60 days ➡ extend visa > 60 days ➡ extend visa at additional costs |
🇵🇹 Portugal | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇷🇴 Romania | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇷🇼 Rwanda | < 30 days ➡ e-Visa | < 90 days ➡ multiple entry e-Visa |
🇸🇨 Seychelles | No visa needed, a valid passport and financial means for the intended duration of stay |
|
🇿🇦 South Africa | < 90 days ➡ tourist visa upon arrival | >90 days ➡ temporary residence visa |
🇪🇸 Spain | c.f. EU | c.f. EU |
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | < 30 days ➡ electronic travel authorization | < 90 days ➡ extend ETA > 90 days ➡ work permit |
🇹🇿 Tanzania | < 90 days ➡ visa on arrival | > 90 days ➡ apply for Residence Permit 'C' in-country |
🇹🇭 Thailand | < 30 days ➡ tourist visa upon arrival | < 90 days ➡ Non-Immigrant Visa “O” |
🇺🇬 Uganda | < 90 days ➡ tourist visa | > 90 days ➡ work permit Class G1 |
< 180 days ➡ no visa |
| |
< 90 days ➡ ESTA | > 90 days ➡ tempory work permit | |
🇻🇳 Vietnam | < 15 days ➡ no visa needed < 30 days ➡ e-Visa | < 90 days ➡ tourist visa |
🇿🇲 Zambia | < 30 days ➡ tourist visa | > 30 days ➡ temporary residence permit |
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | < 30 days ➡ no visa needed | > 30 days ➡ eVisa |
Please keep in mind that while we strive to offer accurate and up-to-date information, we do not provide any assistance or services related to visa applications or processes.
It is important to note that the visa information provided here is subject to change, as immigration policies and regulations can be modified by the respective countries at any time. Therefore, we strongly advise you to verify the latest visa requirements and regulations directly with the embassy or consulate of the destination country before making any travel arrangements.
Useful links for passport holders from...
🇩🇪 Germany ➡ Auswärtiges Amt
🇬🇧 United Kingdom (UK) ➡ gov.uk - foreign travel advice
🇺🇸 United States (USA) ➡ US State Department
We do our best to keep the visa information up to date. However, the shown information does not claim to be legally determinative and represents best practice. In the end, the recommendation of the organization in accordance with national travel regulations is decisive. Also, we are more than happy to give a first orientation on the visa regulation, but Volunteer World is not offering any assistance with visa procedures and is not providing invitation letters. In case you need one, your host organization might be able to help you out with this.
Disclaimer: There are no liability claims against Volunteer World if entry is not possible due to individual visa requirements.