Turn In Your Passport Application To Win a Free Trip to Chile - Expedited Passports

Do you love wine and travel? If so, here’s a travel contest that’s tailor-made for you: The Wines of Chile Experience. (Via Gadling.)

If you win, you’ll get two free flights to Chile (one for you, one for a guest), as well as five nights of accommodations at a boutique hotel or winery, food and drink, activities and transportation within Chile. The total value of the prize package is “not to exceed $15,000,” so there should be enough of a budget for you to really enjoy yourself!

To enter, you’ll need to visit the “Wines of Chile” Facebook page. The page lists 5 themes: For the Love of Chile; Wine and Stars; Horses and Huasos; Harvest Holiday and Urban Wine Retreat. Upload 5 of your own original photographs, one for each theme. The deadline is November 4th, and on November 5th, the company will select 5 finalists. The finalist whose photos get the most votes from other fans, wins.

If you win, you’ll need to be ready to travel between January 1st and April 30th, 2012. One big step will be turning in your passport application. Don’t wait until the last minute to do this; it takes at least six weeks to process a unexpedited application. With the Department of State’s expedited service, you’ll pay an additional $60 fee but your passport application will still take three weeks to process. The Contest Rules note that

“The Winning Participant and his/her travel companion are responsible for obtaining all necessary documentation (including, but not limited to, valid passport, photo ID, visas, etc.) prior to travel.”

So, if you procrastinate, you might miss out on the trip of a lifetime.

If you are about to leave the country and need to have your passport application processed quickly, don’t despair. You can either travel to one of 24 regional passport agency offices, or use a private expediting company like RushMyPassport. We’ll personally bring your application to the Department of State, so it gets processed in as little as 24 hours!

Put your passport application on the top of the stack- Contact us today!

Japan has come to depend on its tourist industry, but after the earthquake/tsunami one-two punch that leveled parts of the coast and damaged the Fukushima nuclear reactor, the number of foreign visitors dropped by 50-60 percent (via NileGuidance). Since then, the Japanese travel industry has come up with several promotions aimed at combating the negative perception of the country that still lingers even today. For example, in July, a group of Japanese resorts held a contest to send one lucky travel blogger on a tour of the country for free.

Now, the Japan Tourism Agency is seriously considering expanding that idea in a big way, by giving 10,000 foreign tourists free flights into Japan. According to the Daily Mail, the initiative still needs to be approved and funded by the Japanese government. However, as long as the approval process goes smoothly, the program should be up and running by next April.

To get one of the free flights, you will need to fill out an application. Since Japan hopes to use this promotion to create positive word-of-mouth, it is likely that they will consider factors like how well you can write, whether or not you already have a blog and the size of your online audience. Winners will still have to pay for their own accommodations, food, and activities, as well as for transportation within Japan.

Agency spokeswoman Kylie Clark explained to the Daily Mail how Japan hopes to use the free flights to reinvigorate its tourist industry:

“When people visit Japan they fall in love with it. So rather than spend millions on a big advertising campaign, we hope to be able to give away free flights so people can go and experience Japan for themselves and then tell their family, friends and colleagues what a fantastic destination it is for a holiday.”

Of course, to visit Japan you will need a US passport. Applying well in advance is essential here, as processing time ranges from three weeks for the Department of State’s expedited processing to six weeks for normal processing. Should you need it more quickly, you can make an appointment at one of the 24 regional passport agency offices sprinkled throughout the US. Or, you can go the easier route and use a private expediting company like RushMyPassport to deliver your US passport application to the Department of State, for processing in as little as 24 hours.

Need a US passport quickly? Apply with us today!

It’s an unfortunate fact that bad news gets the most airtime. Because of this, when something bad happens in another country, TV news often leaves you with a skewed perspective of the place, turning regional problems into national ones. For example, watching news coverage of the drug violence in Mexico, you could be forgiven for thinking that the entire country is going up in flames. But in reality, the violence is in most cases restricted to specific regions.

The same is true for coverage of Japan. While some areas were definitely devastated by the earthquake and the accompanying tsunami, the rest of the country is open for business. But on the news, all you see is the devastation.

In fact, a group of Japanese resorts is so distressed by the way the country has been portrayed, they are holding a contest to find a travel blogger who is willing to tell the other side of the story (via Jaunted). As the group writes on its Travel Volunteer website,

“Japan as a country was NOT entirely destroyed or irradiated. All other places outside the evacuation zone are totally safe. But the media never mentioned it or that life goes on normally in many parts of Japan. This had severe consequences for many businesses in the travel & tourism industry, so we decided to create this project to promote Japan amongst the world’s travelers and show that it still is a safe & wonderful country to visit.”

The winning travel volunteer gets an all-expenses paid trip to Japan, where he or she will spend 100 days visiting all 47 Japanese prefectures and blogging about his or her experiences. If you’re selected, you can even bring a friend, so long as your friend is also willing to fill out an application form and pay the $5 application fee. (more…)

“We come from the land of the ice and snow, where the midnight sun and the harsh winds blow…” Led Zeppelin, “Immigrant Song”

If you’ve always wanted to visit “the land of the ice and snow,” check out the new contest on the “Faces of Scandinavia” website. (h/t Gadling)

To enter, all you have to do is comment on one of the many personal stories posted on the site. The comment stream is pretty active, so you do have some competition, but in January a winner will be randomly selected from amongst the commenters-and who knows, it could be you!

If you win, you get 2 nights each in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. The prize includes transportation to Scandinavia via Icelandair, and transportation between each city via trains and a cruise. Lodging is also included, naturally.

Unfortunately, the contest’s “blackout dates” pretty much exclude the winner from being able to enjoy the “midnight sun” phenomenon that occurs from around the middle of May to the middle of summer, depending on where you are in Scandinavia. Still, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm are interesting and fun cities no matter when you go-and it’s hard to argue with free!

Of course, if you win, you’ll need a valid passport to go. You’ll want to get your passport application in as soon as possible, as it can take 6 weeks or even longer if you request regular processing. Expedited processing is available but costs an additional $60, and it can still take 3 weeks for you to get your passport in the mail.

The fastest way for you to get your passport application processed is to make an appointment at a US passport agency office or use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. RushMyPassport will deliver your paperwork directly to the Department of State, and can have your passport application processed in as little as 24 hours.

Submit your passport application today!

Wouldn’t you love to get paid to travel? Winners of Finnair’s new “Quality Hunters” contest get to do just that: get paid to fly to Finnair’s destinations and evaluate their experiences. (h/t Jaunted). Here’s how Finnair describes the contest on its website:

Ever dreamed of getting paid to explore the world? Finnair, one of the world’s longest continuously operating airlines, offers you the adventure of a lifetime. We are on a global search for four Quality Hunters; intrepid, outspoken and discerning individuals whose task is to travel to Finnair’s destinations in Europe, Asia and the US for a period of two months in search of quality experiences.

The 4 contest winners will be traveling from October and November 2010. Even if you don’t win the grand prize, if you vote for the top Quality Hunter on the Rethinking Quality blog, you’ll be entered to win free international air tickets from Europe to Asia.

Of course, one of the questions on the online application is whether or not you have a valid passport. If you haven’t been out of the country in a while, you should probably go check your expiration date and see if it’s time to renew your passport.

Passport renewal by mail using the government’s standard service generally takes at least 6 weeks. To renew your passport with expedited service, you should allow at least 3 weeks. 3 weeks is a long time to wait, but it’s better than 6 weeks. Fortunately, if you have a confirmed itinerary that shows you need it sooner, you can either make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office or use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.

RushMyPassport walks you through the application process step-by-step, cutting down on both the frustration of filling out complicated paperwork and the chances of making an error that could delay your application. Then, we hand-deliver your application to the Department of State, cutting the processing time needed to renew your passport to as little as 24 hours.

Time for a renewal? Renew your passport the easy way!

What, exactly, is a “‘honeymoon tester?” Basically, it’s a dream job for any couple that likes to travel.  Here’s the job description, from Runawaybrideandgroom.com:

“Would you be able to sip champagne, while lying in a hammock slung between two palm trees on a white, sandy beach, with your romantically linked partner beside you, without spilling your drink? Well then, you may just have what it takes for the Ultimate Job in Ireland (and probably the world!).”

Sounds like heaven, right? Then hop on over to RunawayBrideandGroom’s website to apply. The Irish travel agency is hiring one lucky couple to spend 6  months testing out luxury honeymoon accommodations in exotic locations like the Maldives, Zanzibar and Thailand.  Not only are all of your (and your significant other’s) travel expenses paid for, Runaway Bride and Groom will also pay you €20,000 to compensate you for all of your “hard work.”

To apply, you and your significant other need to create an 80 second webcast describing why Ireland is an excellent wedding destination and why you and your significant other are the right team for the job.  Entries are due by April 7th.

Travel starts May 10th, 2010, so you should also get your passport application in now, just in case! Typically, it takes at least 6 weeks for your passport application to be processed if you apply for regular service. If you apply for expedited service, you should still allow at least 3 weeks, and that’s cutting it close. Too close for comfort, in my opinion!

If you need your passport sooner, you have two options: making an appointment at the nearest US passport office or using a private passport expediting company to submit your application.  A private passport expediting company is usually the easiest, most convenient way to go, especially if you aren’t located near a US passport agency office.

RushMyPassport will hand-deliver your US passport application to the US Department of State, bumping you up to the “top of the stack” for processing times as low as 24 hours!

Submit your US passport application with us today!

Have you always wanted to be a travel writer? Do you dream of visiting Japan? Rough Guides has a new contest that could help you jump-start your career. Jaunted has the scoop: apparently, they are offering a chance to get training and experience as a professional travel writer for free. If you win the contest, you get a free trip to Tokyo, Japan. While you’re there, you’ll be doing research and writing to update the Rough Guides to Tokyo.

You’ll work with a “writing mentor” and spend 7 days traveling, staying in different hotels and working on the guidebook. Of course, all work and no play makes for a dull vacation. So, after you’re done, you’ll get a 4 day tour to yourself.

You can enter by submitting your best 500 word travel writing sample. You must write about one of the following topics:

• A Journey that Changed Lives
• Responsible Travel
• Adventure in an Unknown Culture
• A Memorable Experience Involving Food in a Foreign Country

To enter, you have to meet 3 qualifications:

• You must be over 18.
• You must not be a professional writer (curses!).
• You must have a valid US passport.
• You must be ready to go in February 2010.

What if you love to travel but don’t have a US passport? No problem-the applications aren’t due until December 21st, so you still have time to apply.

Of course, if you apply with normal processing, it will take at least 6 weeks for you to get your passport back. Expedited service from the government takes about 3 weeks. To get your passport more quickly, of course, you can use a private expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.

An expediting company forwards your application to the US Department of State for much faster processing-anywhere from 24 hours to around a week, depending on the option you choose.

Ready to make your travel writing dream come true? Apply for your US passport today!