What is a visa?
A visa, from the Latin charta visa, meaning “paper that has been seen”, is a conditional authorization granted by a territory to a foreigner, allowing them to enter, remain within, or leave that territory.
Visas may include limits on the duration of stay, areas within the country the traveler may enter, permitted entry dates, the number of visits allowed, or whether a person may work in the country. A visa is usually linked to a request for permission to enter a territory, but the final entry decision is normally made by an immigration officer at the port of entry.
- Historically, immigration officials could permit or reject visitors at frontiers. When entry was permitted, the official could issue a visa stamp in the passport.
- Today, travelers often apply in advance through a consular office, by post, through an online system, or with a visa service provider.
- Modern visas may appear as a passport sticker, entry stamp, separate printed approval, or electronic authorization.
- Some countries allow short visits without a visa, while others require pre-approval, visa on arrival, embassy visas, transit visas, or special entry permits.
Visa history
In western Europe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, passports and visas were not always necessary for movement between countries. Faster rail travel and larger passenger flows later made systematic passport and visa controls more common. After World War I, passports and visas became widely used as formal travel documents.
Long before the modern system, passports and visas were often treated as similar travel permissions. In today’s travel system, the passport is normally the primary identity document, while the visa is a separate authorization attached to a specific travel purpose and destination.
Conditions for issuing a visa
Some visas are granted on arrival, while others must be requested before travel through an embassy, consulate, official online system, or authorized visa service specialist. These services may help travelers check forms, supporting documents and submission requirements.
The need for a visa usually depends on the traveler’s citizenship, destination, length of stay and intended activities. Tourism, business meetings, transit, study, work, residence and diplomatic travel may each require different visa categories and conditions.
Before applying, check these details
Types of visas online
Each country may use different names and categories for visas. The most common types include short-stay visas, long-stay visas, immigrant visas, official visas, visas on arrival and transit visas.
Short-stay or visitor visas
For tourism, family visits, events, short business meetings or other temporary visits.
Read about short-stay visasLong-stay visas
For longer stays such as extended visits, study, temporary work or residence-linked travel.
Read about long-stay visasImmigrant visas
For people intending to settle permanently or obtain resident status in the issuing country.
Read about immigrant visasOfficial visas
For government officials, diplomatic personnel and people representing official institutions.
Read about official visasOn-arrival visas
Issued at a port of entry. This is different from visa-free travel because the traveler still obtains a visa before immigration clearance.
Read about visas on arrivalTransit visas
For passing through a country on the way to another destination. Validity may range from hours to several days.
Read about transit visas
