Generally speaking there are five broad types of visas:
Transit Visas short term (from hours to a week or so) permits that allow the holder to pass through the country to another destination. Some countries even require them for passengers passing through airports.
Visitor Visas issued for tourists, business travelers including athletes and artists, those seeking medical treatment, and refugees. Their validity varies by country, but three to six months is common.
Long-stay Visas issued for students or business people visiting for extended periods of time. In the US these include H-1B visas for foreign employees. Some countries, e.g., the US, require journalists to petition for long-stay visas. Residence and asylum cases typically fall into this category as well.
Immigrant Visas issued to those intending to immigrate to the issuing country. These include spousal and partner visas as well as a more limited fiancée visa. In the US the latter is valid for four months or until the wedding whichever comes first. If you’re traveling on government business you can request an Official Visa. Diplomatic passport holders receive a diplomatic visa or a courtesy visa.
Other limits may also apply to visas. Single-entry visas expire as soon as the holder leaves. Multiple-entry visas remain valid for their duration regardless of entries and exits. Some countries require re-entry permits allowing visa holders to leave without invalidating their visa. Overstaying a visa or failure to follow other restrictions places the holder “out of status.” Penalties may include fines, deportation, and blacklisting from future entry.
Most visas are issued by applying to an embassy, consular office, or other diplomatic mission. These are usually physically stamped into the passport and can take many weeks to obtain. Some countries are moving to an electronic visa application. This may not be faster to process, but it avoids the need to submit a passport for a stamp. Some countries issue visas on arrival. By convention arrival visas are also given to victims of emergencies or disasters, e.g., disruption of transport.
Today’s map illustrates visa requirements for holders of US passports. The map comes courtesy of Wikipedia, specifically: “Visa requirements for United States citizens” by Camoka4. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons
Here are a few interesting (at least to me) facts about passports:
- The word “passport” comes from the need for a document to pass through a city’s gate (porte). They were not required to enter cities by sea because ports were considered open, but were required to pass through the city and travel inland.
- The advent of large rail networks in Europe increased international travel overwhelming enforcement officials. For all practical purposes, the generation prior to WW1 traveled throughout Europe without a passport.
- Turkey’s passports cost ~$250. Swaziland’s costs ~$3.75.
- Passports from the UK, Sweden, and Finland allow visa free entry into the most countries (173).
- The Vatican issues passports. The Pope’s is always #1. I don’t know what number the Pope Emeritus (formerly Benedict XVI) uses.
- Since all UK passports are issued in the name of the Queen, Queen Elizabeth does not need a passport. All other members of the royal family need one.
- Many countries incorporate watermarks, holograms, and chips as security features. The Canadian (Fireworks) and Norwegian (Northern lights) passports include hidden images only visible under UV light.
- The Finnish passport doubles as a flipbook of a moose walking. Link to Finnish Passport Video
- The US issued its first passport (designed by Franklin) in the 18th century.
- Passports are typically issued in the national language along with English and French, although some countries don’t include French. US passports include English, French & Spanish.
- Bonus Visa fact. Azerbaijan doesn’t issue visas to anyone who’s visited Armenia or is of Armenian ancestry – regardless of citizenship.
As always thanks for reading.
Armen