The full form of VISA is Visitors International Stay Admission. VISA is considered one of the most important documents when one travels to another country. VISA stands for charter visa, Latin for “document that has been seen”. It is a document issued in the form of a stamp marked in the passport of a person who wants to visit another country.
It is a permit granted by the government of a country to a person to visit and stay in the country for a certain period of time. In addition to a visa, approval from the country’s immigration officials is also required to enter the country at the port of entry. VISAS can be of different types based on the purpose of travel, some common types of VISA are tourist VISA, student VISA, employee VISA, medical VISA, etc. Tourist VISA is required when one wants to visit a country for the purpose of tourism, eg sightseeing, recreation or meeting with relatives and friends.
A student visa is required if the student wants to study at a university in another country. An employment VISA is required if a person wants to work in a country and a medical VIS is required if a person is seeking medical treatment in a hospital in that country.
What are the different types of visas?
As you have seen, a visa is a travel “document” that is required to enter and leave a country. Nowadays, you simply get your passport stamped with a visa instead of a physical document, but sometimes you’ll see both.
All visas go hand in hand with your passport; you can consider your passport as a “visa holder”.
There are two overarching visa categories that apply to any country:
- Non-immigrant visa (meaning you don’t become a citizen of the country)
- Immigrant visa (you become a citizen of the country)
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get an Indian visa?
If you are applying for a non-tourist visa, we recommend that you apply 3 to 4 weeks before your travel date. While the visa itself may only take a few days to process, it’s always a good idea to add as much time as possible in case there are any issues during the process.
A tourist visa (eTV) can be applied for 3-4 days in advance. The electronic visa is processed within 72 hours of submitting the application and making the payment online.
Can I apply for an Indian visa at the airport?
No, it is not possible to apply for a visa to India at the airport. Eligible citizens traveling for recreational/tourism purposes have the option to apply for an Indian ETA visa online prior to departure to India.
What is an e-Tourist Visa (eTV)?
e-Tourist Visa is a completely online application for which no help from intermediary/agents etc. is required. However, its validity is 30 days and it is valid for single entry into India only.
E-Tourist visa allows visa on arrival only for arrivals and departures from airports in Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum and Varanasi .
If you are arriving or departing by land, sea or any other airport or port of entry, apply for a traditional Indian visa.
6 What activities are allowed on tourist visas?
A tourist visa can be granted to a foreigner whose sole purpose of visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, occasional visit to friends or relatives, participation in short term yoga program etc. and no other purpose/activity.
For more information visit http://mha1.nic.in/pdfs/MaterialTV_02062016_01
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