What is a visa?
A visa is a travel document that allows you to enter a foreign country for a certain period of time. In most cases, you will need to apply for a visa at an embassy, consulate, or online before you travel. In some cases, you can get a visa on arrival. A visa is usually affixed to your passport and states how long you can stay. For security reasons, most countries require foreigners to obtain a visa.
Track who is entering the country and stop illegal immigration. Visas are also used as a defense to prevent security threats from entering the country.
What does a visa look like?
A visa is a sticker in your passport that contains your name, photo, and the number of days you can stay in a particular country.
In some cases, visas are also issued as a separate document and are not attached to your passport. B. An electronic visa that must be printed. Types of visas by purpose
Common visa types by purpose of travel are:
- tourist visa. A tourist visa is an entry permit issued for recreational purposes. Tourist visas are short-term, usually valid for three months, and you cannot work on a tourist visa. As long as the embassy/consulate issues the visa, there is usually no limit to how many times you can apply for a tourist visa for the same country. You can travel freely.
- transit visa. A transit visa allows you to transit through certain countries when traveling to a third destination country. For example, if you have an Indian passport and are traveling to Canada, but want to make a stopover in a Schengen country during your trip, you need a Schengen transit visa. Usually this type of visa is issued in 24-96 hours, but sometimes from 10 days he is issued in 2 weeks, depending on the country of transit. You must apply for a transit visa before traveling. Transit visas are not issued at the airport.
- medical visa. You can apply for a medical visa to receive medical care abroad. A medical visa is issued for a short period of time due to the duration of the medical procedure and the patient’s recovery time. To qualify for this type of visa, you will need to provide proof of your condition from a doctor and prove that you have found a hospital and doctor in your destination country for the necessary procedures.
- working holiday visa. A working holiday visa is a short-stay visa that combines a tourist visa and a work visa. The purpose of this visa is to allow you to explore a foreign country as if you were on vacation while working to financially support your travel. Most countries have restrictions on the type of work you can do and the hours you can work. Working holiday visas are usually valid for one or two years and he can only apply once (except for working holiday visas for Australia). In most cases, you must be between the ages of 18 and 30 to be eligible for work and vacation visas.
- student visa. Student visas are issued for educational purposes and are usually valid for the duration of the student’s studies. As a result, student visas are valid for one to four years or longer, depending on the student’s field of study. You cannot work abroad on a student visa unless the country in which you are studying allows it.
- work visa. If you want to find a job abroad, you will need to apply for a work visa. Work visas are usually issued for long-term purposes of one to four years, depending on the employment contract. In most cases, a work visa serves as a route to permanent residence permit.
- family reunion visa. A family reunification visa is issued if the spouse lives and works in another country. This visa allows you to stay temporarily (or permanently) in the country where your partner is working. Family visas are usually issued to minor children of you or your spouse.
- investment visa. Obtaining an investment visa allows you to become a resident of a foreign country if you wish to make a large investment. The investments required may vary (startups, fixed income, sovereign wealth funds, etc.), but the result should be the same.
Positive economic impact and/or employment opportunities. In some countries, it is also possible to obtain a visa when purchasing real estate. - official visa. An official visa allows you to conduct diplomatic activities abroad as a representative of your country. Some of the most commonly issued official permits are diplomatic visas, but some countries also offer service and courtesy visas. refugee or asylum visa. If you are persecuted in your home country for religious, racial or political reasons, you can apply for a refugee or asylum seeker visa. Each country issues its own visas to accept people with refugee status.
- Visa for digital nomads. To be eligible for a Digital Nomad visa, you must meet the Digital Nomad definition. This definition varies by country, but generally refers to someone who can work remotely for corporate or individual clients. To apply for this type of visa, you will need to find a country that has a digital nomad immigration program.
- retirement visa. Retirement visas are issued to foreigners who wish to retire outside their home country. It is issued only to persons who have reached retirement age and is issued in the form of a residence permit. As a rule, authorities require proof of sufficient funds to support one’s livelihood.
- Pilgrim visa. Pilgrim visas are issued to people wishing to embark on religious travel in another country. An example of a pilgrim visa is the Hajj visa issued by Saudi Arabia to Muslims wishing to complete the sacred journey of Hajj in Mecca. These types of visas are usually issued to groups rather than individuals and are only valid for the time it takes to complete the pilgrimage.
