Planning an International Holiday? Watch Out for These Bizarre Visa Questions
For many, international travel is a dream. But that dream often comes with the painstakingly slow—and sometimes bizarre—process of securing a visa. While the paperwork is usually dull and bureaucratic, some of the questions found on visa forms are so unusual that they leave applicants puzzled and even laughing.
From inquiries about the number of wives one intends to travel with, to questions about moustaches, nuclear engineering, or even the side of the bed a spouse sleeps on, visa forms around the world have produced some eyebrow-raising moments. Here are ten of the most unusual examples.
Middle East: How many wives do you intend to bring?
In line with local traditions, one Middle Eastern country asked male applicants how many wives they intended to bring along. Perfectly normal within cultural context, but an unexpected shock for foreign travellers.
United States: What side of the bed does your wife sleep on?
The US is infamous for detailed visa processes, but some questions border on the surreal. One asked if applicants had ever participated in Nazi persecutions between 1933–1945, while another strangely domestic question was: “What side of the bed does your wife sleep on?” Equally curious were inquiries about organ transplants and family ties to terrorism—highlighting America’s exhaustive background checks.
Mexico: Describe your moustache
At one point, Mexican visa forms asked applicants to describe their facial hair—options included bushy, scanty, or clipped. Whether meant for identification or a relic of the moustache-heavy 1970s remains unclear.
Australia: Have you been to a farm in the past six weeks?
Though it sounds odd, this question is grounded in biosecurity. With strict measures to protect crops and livestock, even a trace of foreign soil could be deemed risky.
United Kingdom: Have you ever committed war crimes?
UK student visa applicants are asked whether they’ve ever been involved in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide. A heavy question for someone planning to study literature or physics. Some applicants were also puzzled by vague prompts like “Name three things about…” or quirky queries on aristocratic status.
In true Jane Austen style, England asks its visa applicants if they are noblemen, aristocrats or members of the royal family. Whether the question is part of protocol, diplomacy or simple curiosity remains a mystery.
South Korea: Would you like your visa waived?
A more lighthearted question, South Korea once asked applicants if they wanted their visa fee waived—part of a policy to attract more tourists, particularly from China.
Canada: How did your previous relationship end?
Canadian forms once asked applicants to explain how their previous relationships ended. Likely aimed at verifying the authenticity of current marriages, it forced applicants to revisit personal heartbreaks while filling out paperwork.
Congo: Have you visited a traditional healer recently?
To address public health concerns, Congo asks if applicants have visited a traditional healer within the last two weeks. The concern likely stems from risks associated with non-standard medical practices.
Japan: Have you ever been a member of a mafia organization?
Japan’s visa application bluntly asks whether applicants have ties to mafia groups—an attempt to identify potential Yakuza or organized crime links.
Russia: Do you have nuclear engineering skills?
Perhaps the most cinematic, Russian visa forms ask if applicants have skills in chemical, biological, or nuclear engineering. It might sound like a Bond movie script, but it’s rooted in national security.
