Currently I am looking for a new role and was contacted by a company to complete a competency test to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process. I thought it pertinent to do some research before proceeding.

I best not identify the company publicly but they have offices in the UK and in USA and offer visa service for almost all visa combinations between passport holders and countries. I put in UK passport with USA Visa and was taken aback. The response I would have expected is ‘Please click link to official website to complete application yourself’ or along those lines.

The answer was that it will take three days and will cost £54……WHAT IS GOING ON? Clicking on the tiny question mark against the cost it does break out the cost of the embassy fee and the companies fee.

I tried again with the Canadian ETA and this costs c$7.00 for five years they were charging £59.

I have written a post about the ESTA – Electronic System for Travel Authorisation and application process before but PLEASE BEWARE – an ESTA costs $21 and an ETA costs c$7 and both are EASY to apply for YOURSELF.