Often asked: What A Visa?

A visa is an official document that allows the bearer to legally enter a foreign country. The visa is usually stamped or glued into the bearer’s passport. There are several different types of visas, each of which afford the bearer different rights in the host country.

What is the purpose of a visa?

What is the purpose of a visa? A visa allows a nonimmigrant to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (airport, for example) and present themselves to a U.S. Immigration Inspector.

What is the difference between a passport and a visa?

The main difference between a visa and a passport is that a visa is an endorsement placed within a passport that grants the holder official permission to enter, leave or stay in a country for a specified time period. Depending on where you are traveling, a visa can be valid for single or multiple visits.

What does getting a visa mean?

Having a U.S. visa allows you to travel to a port of entry, airport or land border crossing, and request permission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector to enter the United States.

Who needs a visa?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.

How much are visas?

The application fee for the most common nonimmigrant visa types is US$160. This includes tourist, business, student, and exchange visas. Most petition-based visas, such as work and religious visas, are US$190. K visas cost US$265 and the fee amount for E visas is US$205.

How long does visa last?

No more than a year at first, usually six months. You can apply for extensions of stay in six-month increments if your reasons are consistent with the terms and conditions of your original status.

Can you travel without a visa?

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries* to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

Is a green card and a visa the same?

Green cards are technically a type of visa that allows for permanent residence. Green cards are issued after arrival in the United States. To qualify for a green card, the applicant must have an immigrant visa already, and applications are made to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Can a visa expire?

A visa is only an entry document and can expire while you are in the U.S. There is no issue if your visa expires while you are legally present in the U.S. As long as your status is still valid and you continue to follow all immigration regulations, you can continue to remain in the U.S. even if your visa has expired.

What countries are visa free?

There are currently 40 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program:

• Andorra (1991)
• Australia (1996)
• Austria (1991)
• Belgium (1991)
• Brunei (1993)
• Chile (2014)
• Croatia (2021)
• Czech Republic (2008)

Do you need a visa if you have a passport?

Americans can travel to most European, Caribbean, and Central and South American countries without a visa, along with many other popular tourism destinations. Countries that U.S. passport holders need visas to enter include Russia, India, China, Vietnam, Turkey, and more, and others require e-visas to visit.

Where can I travel without visa?

No Visa Required

• Aruba.
• Belize.
• British Virgin Islands.
• Cayman Islands.
• Dominican Republic (tourist card required)
• Indonesia.
• Kazakhstan.
• Kiribati (up to 28 days)

How do I get a visa?

Typically, you’ll fill out visa application forms online, print and mail them in, or hand deliver them to the nation’s local consulate. After processing your documents, the consulate will mail you a visa that attaches into your passport. On average, the process takes anywhere from two weeks to two months.