By:  Paul Buckley

Published: January 17, 2024

The dynamic and evolving nature of the global travel landscape has made the management of visa and immigration processes more crucial and complex. Travel management companies (TMCs) increasingly recognize the strategic importance of partnering with specialized visa and immigration services partner, like CIBTvisas, to navigate this intricate terrain. 

“Visas are not part of the core business of a TMC. The time it takes to research complex visa processes and travel requirements generates little return for a TMC,” explains CIBTvisas Chief Strategy Officer Carsten Ostberg. “Global entry requirements, including visa and immigration rules, are in a contant state of flux. Without dedicated resources and technology, it’s hard for any company to keep up.” 

Here, we discuss five significant benefits TMCs can derive from working with a leading visa services and immigration partner.  

1. Seamless tracking of employees’ visa-application process 

A visa services partner brings expertise and technology to efficiently manage the entire process—from initial application to final approval—to ensure timely updates, regular communication, and proactive problem-solving for TMCs. CIBT is  a true one-stop-shop for everything related to the visa process.  

CIBTvisas can offer TMCs bespoke services and technology to help them keep track of their clients’ visa-application processes. Here’s how: 

Technology platform  

CIBTvisas and similar companies often have proprietary technology platforms that can track the status of visa applications in real time. These platforms can be integrated with the travel management company’s systems, providing a seamless way to monitor the progress of visa applications. 

“The wide usage of digital technology in the visa and immigration industry will greatly drive the efficiency and quality of the work,” said Carsten. “Our company is developing relevant technology to aid and empower our work capability, increase efficiency, and make our service more friendly and convenient to the customers. The automation of the visa form completion, once fully implemented, will enhance our productivity tremendously.” 

Regular updates and notifications 

A visa services partner can provide regular updates and notifications about the status of visa applications, which helps a TMC keep its customers informed and proactively manage any issues or delays.  

Look for a visa services partners that can provide account management, meaning a team or individual is assigned to manage the travel management company’s account to provide personalized updates and support. Consequently, this frees time for travel managers to focus on more strategic initiatives. 

Expert assistance and compliance monitoring 

In case of complex situations or problems that arise during the visa application process, the visa services partner can provide specialist assistance to resolve these issues quickly to avoid delays and ensure clients can travel as planned. 

An effective visa services partnershould also have the ability to monitor compliance with immigration laws and regulations, ensuring all stakeholders avoid potential legal issues and that clients comply with all relevant rules and regulations. 

Scalability 

As the travel management company grows and its needs change, a visa services partner should be able to quickly scale its services to meet these needs. 

By leveraging these tools and services, a travel management company can effectively track the visa application process for its customers, improve its service, and increase customer satisfaction. 

2. Expert assistance in creating and implementing company-wide travel policies 

“All travel policies should contain something on the duty of care, and visas are very related to this,” says Carsten. “Employees can get detained for not having a visa or not having the proper visa. We have seen and lived this. Deportation is the next step and reputational damage to the company is the net result.” 

Partnering with a visa services partner ensures all travel policies account for current immigration regulations, duty of care responsibilities, and potential legal complications. Ignoring the importance of entry requirements can lead to dire consequences for employees, companies, and TMCs, including detention or deportation due to visa non-compliance.  

The first step to creating a company-wide travel policy is understanding the entry requirements of frequently visited countries. Visa services partners can provide this essential information, advising on best practices and legal requirements for visa processing in different countries, which form the basis of a travel policy. 

Visa services partners can also assist in developing policies around visas and immigration, such as application timelines, document requirements, and protocols for dealing with visa-related issues. One smart strategy is providing checklists or guides to ensure clients understand what’s required when preparing for a trip. 

Today, visa services partners offer technology platforms that can be integrated directly into the travel management platform to automate parts of the policy implementation. For instance, when planning a trip, the system could automatically check the entry requirements for the destination country and prompt the traveler to start the visa application process if necessary. 

An essential part of implementing any policy is ensuring compliance. CIBTvisas monitors visa and immigration compliance, provides regular reports, and helps the travel management company ensure its customers follow travel policy. In case of unforeseen circumstances or changes in entry requirements, having a dedicated visa services partner can help swiftly modify travel policies and guide employees through the changes. 

By providing these services, a partner like CIBTvisas, can play a crucial role in helping a travel management company to create and implement effective, comprehensive company-wide travel policies. 

3. A reliable resource for immigration information and questions 

Given the intricacies of global immigration laws, having a dedicated partner for resolving all queries is invaluable. Newland Chase is a wholly owned subsidiary of CIBT focused on global immigration strategy and advisory services for corporations worldwide. Together, the combined group can offer customized guidance, regular training, and dedicated support to TMCs, ensuring they are equipped to handle any immigration-related query or challenge. 

A strong partnership will provide comprehensive information about the immigration rules and requirements of different countries, including nuanced details about visa types, eligibility criteria, application processes, fees, processing times, and more. 

Immigration laws can be complex and frequently change. Visa services partners , like CIBTvisas, stay up-to-date with these changes and can promptly notify travel management companies of any updates that might affect their clients. They can also provide educational training and guidance for travel management companies and travel managers to leverage in the visa application process. These resources can be valuable for travel management companies when addressing client queries or training their staff. 

By serving as a reliable source of information and support, CIBTvisas can play a critical role in helping travel management companies provide high-quality service to their clients. 

4. Insight into the current travel landscape 

“Travel is becoming increasingly more complex,” says Carsten. “The rise of digital nomads, remote workers, and changing immigration laws have made understanding the current travel landscape essential.”  

A visa services partner can provide up-to-date information on travel advisories, immigration regulations, visa requirements, and quarantine measures, even for unusual work circumstances. They can also assist in risk assessment, forecasting, and understanding industry trends, enabling TMCs to plan for the future effectively. 

With a global presence and large customer base, partners like CIBTvisas have the pulse of the latest trends in the travel industry, such as emerging popular destinations, changes in visa policies, or new digital-application processes. By leveraging data from past trends and current conditions, companies like CIBTvisas can offer forecasting services, helping travel management companies anticipate changes in the travel landscape. 

They also have first-hand knowledge of global geopolitics and experience in handling crises, which can help travel management companies assess potential risks associated with travel to specific regions. 

Employing these resources, travel management companies can gain a comprehensive understanding of the current travel landscape, allowing them to guide their clients more effectively. 

5. Enhancing customer experience 

The partnership between a TMC and a visa services partner, like CIBTvisas, results in a superior customer experience. The convenience of a one-stop- shop for all entry requirements needs, including visa processing, saves time and hassle for travel management employees and their clients.  

For example, CIBTvisas has assisted companies and their TMCs organize large global conferences with participants from many countries. They have also worked with TMCs and sports teams, which often have 60-plus people traveling in from an event, and not all from the same country. The complexity of handling multiple visas can be efficiently managed by facilitating conversations between the TMC, its client, and the visa services partner. 

Travel well-informed with CIBTvisas  

The value of partnering with a company like CIBTvisas, extends far beyond simplifying the visa application process. It helps TMCs and their customers stay compliant, keep abreast of the changing travel landscape, create effective company-wide travel policies, enhance customer experience, and ultimately achieve business success.  

If you’re a TMC looking to navigate the complexities of cross-border travel, a partnership with a visa processing provider could be the strategic move you need. Get in touch with CIBTvisas today.