Travel Visas
A travel visa is an indication that a person is authorized to enter the country which issued the visa, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry.
The authorization may be a document or a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport.
Some countries do not require a travel visa in some situations, such as a result of reciprocal treaty arrangements. The country issuing the visa typically attaches various conditions to the visa, such as the time that the visa is valid, the period that the person may stay in the country, whether the visa is valid for more than one visit, etc.
The possession of a visa is not in itself a guarantee of entry into the country that issued it, and a visa can be revoked at any time.
Some countries also require that their citizens, and sometimes foreign travelers, obtain an exit visa in order to be allowed to leave the country.
Types Of Travel Visa
Each country may have a number of different visa categories with various names. The most common types and names of visas include:
- transit visa, usually valid for 5 days or less, for passing through a country to another destination.
- tourist visa, for a limited period of leisure travel with no business activities allowed.
- business visa, for engaging in business activites in the country. These visas generally preclude permanent employment, for which a work visa would be required.
- temporary work visa, for approved employment in the country of visit. These are generally more difficult to obtain but valid for longer periods of time than a business visa.
- student visa, which allows its holder to study at an institution of higher learning in the issuing country.
- working holiday visa, for individuals traveling between nations offering a working holiday program, allowing young people to undertake temporary work while traveling.
- diplomatic visa (sometimes official visa), is normally only available to bearers of diplomatic passports.
- electronic visa. Applied for over the internet and tied to the passport number. Australia (calling it ETA) and the United States (from 2009, calling it ESTA) have this system, although it is not called visa by the US (since it does not follow the US law about visas).
This is just a basic guide to travel visas. Rules and regulations may change at any time so we advise you to check official information prior to booking a visa or traveling without one.
Official information for UK Citizens is available on the Directgov website (link opens in new window).
Booking A Travel Visa
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