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A visa (short for the Latin ''carta visa'', lit. "the document having been seen") is a document issued by a Country giving an individual permission to formally request entrance to the country during a given period of time and for certain purposes (see below for Caveat s and exceptions) and usually stamped or glued inside of a Passport , or sometimes issued as separate pieces of paper. Many countries require possession of a valid passport and visa as a condition of entry for foreigners, though there exist exemptions (see Below for examples of such schemes). Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter (or exit) a country, and are thus, for some countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an Alien to enter and remain in the country. Some countries require that their citizens, and sometimes foreign travelers, obtain an exit visa in order to be allowed to leave the country. Until 2004, foreign students in Russia were issued only an entry visa on being accepted to University there, and had to obtain an exit visa to return home. This policy has since been changed, and foreign students are now issued multiple entry (and exit) visas. CONDITIONS OF ISSUE Some Visas can be granted on arrival or by prior application at the country's Embassy or Consulate , or sometimes through a specialized travel agency with permission from the issuing country in the country of departure. If there is no embassy or consulate in one's home country, then one would have to travel to a third country (or apply by post) and try to get a visa issued there. The need or absence of need of a visa generally depends on the citizenship of the applicant, the intended duration of the stay, and the activities that the applicant may wish to undertake in the country he visits; these may delineate different formal categories of visas, with different issue conditions. Some, but by no means all, countries have Reciprocal visa regimes: if Country A requires citizens of Country B to have a visa to travel there, then Country B may apply reciprocity and require a visa from citizens of Country A. Likewise, if A allows B's citizens to enter without a visa, B may allow A's citizens to enter without a visa. Examples of such reciprocal visa regimes are between:
A fee may be charged for issuing a visa; these are typically also reciprocal, so if country A charges country B's citizens 50 USD for a visa, country B will often also charge the same amount for country A's visitors. The fee charged may also be at the discretion of each embassy. A similar reciprocity often applies to the duration of the visa (the period in which one is permitted to request entry of the country) and the amount of entries one can attempt with the visa. Expedited processing of the visa application for some countries will generally incur additional charges. This reciprocal fee has gained prominence in recent years with the decision of the United States to charge nationals of various countries a $100 visa processing fee (non-refundable, even if a visa is not issued). A number of countries, including Brazil , Chile , and Turkey have reciprocated. Brazil requires an advance visa before entry into the country, and that a US citizen be fingerprinted and photographed on arrival --matching U.S. requirements for Brazilians and other foreigners. The issuing authority, usually a branch of the country's Foreign Ministry or department (e.g. U.S. State Department ), and typically consular affairs officers, may request appropriate documentation from the applicant. This may include proof that the applicant is able to support himself in the host country (lodging, food), proof that the person hosting the applicant in his or her home really exists and has sufficient room for hosting the applicant, proof that the applicant has obtained health and evacuation insurance, etc. Some countries ask for proof of health status, especially for long-term visas; some countries deny such visas to persons with certain illnesses, such as AIDS . The exact conditions depend on the country and category of visa. Notable examples of countries requiring HIV tests of long-term residents are Russia and Uzbekistan.[http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=311000 However, in Uzbekistan, the HIV test requirement is sometimes not strictly enforced. Developed countries frequently demand strong evidence of intent to return to the home country, if the visa is for a temporary stay, and especially if the applicant is from a developing country, due to immigration concerns. The issuing authority may also require applicants to attest that they have had no Criminal convictions, or that they do not partake in certain activities (like Prostitution or Drug Trafficking ). Some countries will deny visas if the travellers' passports show evidence of citizenship or travel to a country which is not recognized by that country. For example, some countries will not issue visas to nationals of Israel or those whose passports bear evidence of visiting Israel. TYPES OF VISA Types of visas include:
ENTRY AND DURATION PERIOD Visas can also be ''single-entry'', which means the visa is cancelled as soon as the holder leaves the country, ''double-entry'', or ''multiple-entry'', permitting multiple entries into the country with the same visa. Countries may also issue Re-entry Permit s that allow temporarily leaving the country without invalidating the visa. Even a business visa will normally not allow the holder to work in the host country without an additional Work Permit . Once issued, a visa will typically have to be used within a certain period of time. The validity of a visa is not the same as the authorized period of stay in the issuing country. The visa validity usually indicates when the alien can apply for entry to the country. For example, if a visa has been issued January 1st and expires March 30th, and the typical authorized period of stay in a country is 90 days, then the 90-day authorized stay starts on the day the passenger reaches the country, which has to be between January 1st and March 30th. The traveller could therefore stay in the issuing country until July 1st. Once in the country, the validity period of a visa or authorized stay can often be extended for a fee at the discretion of immigration authorities. Overstaying a period of authorized stay given by the immigration officers is considered Illegal Immigration even if the visa validity period isn't over (i.e. for multiple entry visas) and a form of being "out of status" and the offender may be Fine d, prosecuted, Deported , or even Blacklist ed from entering the country again. Entering a country without a valid visa or visa exemption may result in detention and removal (deportation or exclusion) from the country. Undertaking activities that are not authorized by the status of entry (for example, working while possessing a non-worker tourist status) can result in the individual being deemed removable, in common speech an Illegal Alien . Such violation is not a violation of a visa, however despite the common misuse of the phrase, but a violation of status hence the term "out of status." Even having a visa does not guarantee entry to the host country. The border crossing authorities make the final determination to allow entry, and may even cancel a visa at the border if the alien cannot demonstrate to their satisfaction that they will abide by the status their visa grants them. Visa and immigration laws may be very different among countries. As such, aliens are advised to check with the relevant officials for visa and immigration laws governing the countries they wish to enter and eligibility to receive visas or other immigration benefits. VISA EXTENSIONS Many countries have a mechanism to allow the holder of a visa to apply to stay longer in that country. For example, in Denmark a visa holder can apply to the Danish Immigration Service for a Residence Permit after they have arrived in the Country. In the United Kingdom applications can be made to the Border And Immigration Agency . In certain circumstances, it is not possible for the holder of the visa to do this, either because the Country does not have a mechanism to prolong visas or, most likely, because the holder of the visa is using a short stay visa to live in a country. In such cases, the holder often engages in what is known as a visa run; leaving the country for a short period in order to apply for a new visa prior to their return or so that they can be given a fresh permission to stay when they re-enter. VISA REFUSAL A visa may be denied for a number of reasons, including (but not limited to) if the applicant:
VISA EXEMPTION SCHEMES Possession of a valid visa is a condition for entry into many countries, however various exemption schemes do exist. In some cases visa-free entry may be granted to holders of diplomatic passports even as visas are required by normal passport holders (''see: Passport ''). Some countries have Reciprocal agreements such that a visa is not needed under certain conditions, e.g. when the visit is for Tourism and for a relatively short period. One example of this is the Visa Waiver Program of the United States. Such reciprocal agreements may stem from common membership in international organizations or a shared heritage:
Other countries may unilaterally grant visa-free entry to nationals of certain countries in order to facilitate tourism. Visa-free travel between countries also occurs in all cases where passports are not needed for such travel. (''For examples of passport-free travel, see International Travel Without Passports ''.) COMMON VISAS Normally visas are valid for entry only into the country which issued the visa. Countries that are members of Regional Organization s or party to regional agreements may however issue visas valid for entry into some or all of the member states of the organization or agreement:
PREVIOUS COMMON VISA SCHEMES These schemes no longer operate.
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