The most popular and sought-after visitor visas and how to get them.
Traveling abroad need not be confusing if you have all the details worked out. Here, we shall be discussing the common visitor visa types, eligibility, costs involved, as well as the documentation required.
A visitor visa for any country is a kind of nonimmigrant visa permitting you to stay in a specific country for a certain period of time.
Generally, as a temporary visitor in a country, you can either attend short-term business activities, visit family/friends, or go as a tourist. A visitor visa also allows you to visit overseas for medical treatment.
Generally, activities permitted on a visit visa include -
Work or study (unless a short recreational course of study as a hobby etc.) is not allowed while in a country on a temporary visitor visa. If you enter as a tourist/visitor, you will have to apply to get your status changed or switch to another visa category before you can work or study in a foreign country.
Things to know about the visitor visa -
Different kinds of visitor visas are available, depending on the reason behind traveling to a particular country. Each of the countries have their own eligibility criteria and application process.
Visitor visas can be classified based on the reason for travel - tourism, visiting family/friends, business, or transit.
Additionally, the different types of visas available can be as per the number of entries allowed. A visit visa can be - single entry, double entry, or multiple entry.
This type of visa is required by the host country purely for visiting and tourism purposes. Rules and regulations for this type of visa are normally found on the host country’s embassy or consulate website.
This visa is required by those planning to conduct business in the host country. It is useful for businessmen travelling for meetings in regard to negotiations, sales, and/or research purposes.
Issued by the host country to allow the visitor to work legally in the country. The process of issuing this visa also differs from one country to another. Processing time for this visa can take anywhere from 10 days to 3 months.
It is required by some countries emphasizing political security. Transit Visas are required when you land in a country but want to move further within a short period. These visas are generally only good for 3 days at most.
These types of visas fall into all of the above categories. Single-entry means that you can only enter the country once. Double-entry means twice, and the multiple-entry visas allow you to enter as many times as you like during the valid period.
This type of visa is issued to family members living outside the host country. It is recommended to avail this for visiting a citizen or permanent resident of the country you are visiting.
The specific eligibility criteria that you must fulfill will vary from country to country.
Visa to apply for: Visitor visa (subclass 600) Tourist stream (apply outside Australia)
Australia subclass 600 visa lets you visit Australia as a tourist, see family and friends in Australia, or go on a cruise.
Applicants satisfying the following criteria are eligible to apply for the Australia Visitor Visa -
You will need a Canada visitor visa if you plan to travel, do business, visit family and friends, or transit through Canada. Most travelers will require a visitor visa to travel to Canada.
Transiting through a Canadian airport on your way to a final destination might also require a Canada visitor visa.
A Canada visitor visa, an official document showing that the requirements for entering the country have been duly met, is affixed in the passport of the traveler.
The Canada visitor visa can be applied for online or on paper.
The Canada Visitor Visa requires you to meet the following -
Visitor visas for the United States of America come under the ‘B’ visa category. US visitor visas available are - B-1 visa for business, B-2 visa for tourism, and B-1/B-2 visa that combines B-1 and B-2 in a single visa.
You must fulfill these general eligibility criteria for a Visitor Visa of the USA.
Visa to apply for: Standard Visitor visa
US Standard Visitor visa allows you to visit the United Kingdom for business, tourism, study courses (up to six months in duration), and other activities.
Application to be made online, followed by attending an appointment at a Visa Application Center (VAC).
Kinds of UK Standard Visitor visas available -
If you wish to visit the UK, you must fulfill these eligibility criteria to receive the UK Visitor Visa -
With the visitor visa, you can explore New Zealand or enjoy amateur sports, visit friends and family, or take part in any adventure activity. You can also study in New Zealand for up to three months while in the country on a visitor visa.
You will have to meet the following criteria to qualify for the New Zealand Visitor Visa -
As they have all signed the Schengen Agreement, 26 countries in Europe are known as the Schengen countries.
These are - France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Malta, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Greece, Slovakia, Italy, Portugal, Finland, Latvia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Poland, and Norway.
With a Uniform Schengen Visa (USV), you can visit any country in the Schengen Area and stay up to 90 days in every six-month period starting from the date of entry.
Eligibility criteria to be met for being granted a Schengen Visa -
A visitor visa for business purposes, often called simply a business visa, has different eligibility criteria depending on the country. However, there are some documents that will generally be required.
These include -
The tourist/visitor visa processing times vary depending upon the nation which is offering you the visa. It also depends on the applicant’s nationality.
The basic requirements of the Tourist Visa are as follows:
Other documents include:
There is a simple standard procedure to get a visitor visa for most of the countries.
To get the tourist visa, you will have to:
The visitor visa fee varies based on the country. For example,
The visitor visa application processing time normally varies from one country to another.
Some of the most common countries that offer visitor visas:
The different types of visit visas for Australia are as follows:
Visitor visa (subclass 600):
Medical Treatment visa (subclass 602):
The purpose of the medical treatment visa is to allow people of any country to visit Australia. This may be for either of the following purposes:
Investor Retirement visa (subclass 405):
The investor retirement visa is for people who are self-funded retirees without any dependents and who are willing to spend the rest of their lives in Australia.
Special Program visa (subclass 416):
Usually, subclass 416 Australia visa is given in situations where a special program sponsor, which is approved, has sent an invitation to you to participate in that particular program.
The purpose of this visa is for enhancing international relations and the exchange of cultures between the community of Australia and the rest of the world.
Transit visa (subclass 771):
The Transit Visa or the subclass 771 visa is for you and your dependent children while you are on transit through Australia and is valid for up to 72 hours.
There are two ways in which the applicant can apply for the Canadian Visitor Visa. One way is via the online portal, and the other is through the paper-based process.
You can go to Canada as a temporary visitor for visiting family and friends, for holiday, or for business purposes.
The B-1 and B-2 Visas of the USA allows you to travel to the United States of America. While the B-1 Visa is for business purposes, the B 2 Visa is either for a casual trip or medical treatment in the USA.
B-visa holders can engage in the following activities when they are in the US:
The application process for the B-2 visa
The US Tourist Visa (B-1/B-2) is a non-immigrant US Visa. Its validity period ranges from one month to 10 years and allows single, double or multiple entries to the US.
The period of stay which is a maximum of six months is recorded by the Customs and Border Protection officer.
The UK visit visa is an online visa with an appointment at VFS to submit your documents. The process typically takes 3-4 weeks and once the visa is issued you can stay up to six months in the UK.
The UK visit visa is for:
You can stay for up to six months on this visa. You can extend your stay if you have come to the UK for private medical treatment by paying additional charges.
You can also extend your stay if you are in the country to attend an academic program.
The Visitor Visa of New Zealand allows you to visit the country for:
Each county has its own set of requirements and rules to issue you a visitor visa. Our visit visa experts can provide you with the right kind of guidance for securing the visitor visa of the country that you wish to visit.
With a Uniform Schengen Visa (USV), you can visit any country in the Schengen Area and stay up to 90 days in every six-month period starting from the date of entry.
The Schengen Visa allows the visa holder to travel freely within the Schengen Area, without there being any need for additional paperwork.
For example, if you visit Germany on a Schengen visa, you can easily move on to any of the other Schengen countries without getting additional visas.
We can guide you through the visa application process, helping you -
Irrespective of whichever country you wish to visit for whatever reason, we are here to guide you with all the necessary information and shall assist you in the application procedures.
Feel free to reach out to our tourist visa experts on 1800-102-0109 or write your queries related to Visit Visa at info@kansaz.com.
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I am a Cybersecurity person by profession and ever since I immigrated to Canada I helped 100s of people with their questions about immigration and helped review their applications. My vision as an Immigration Consultant is to bring families together on their immigration journey.
Depends upon the country you are visiting. Generally, a visitor visa can only be extended for a limited period, and only for inevitable reasons.
Generally, a tourist visa is given for sightseeing. A visit visa, however, refers to a visa that is given for many purposes, including short-term business meetings, medical treatments, and others.
Most countries nowadays allow you to apply online. You may however have to attend a visa interview in the case of some countries.
Visit visas are dependent on several factors including the ones mentioned below.
Decisions to accept or refuse your visa application are based on the information you provide. Make your visa application well in advance of your travel date.
Don’t make any travel arrangements until your visa is granted.
The visitor visa is typically issued for a period between three months to one year.
Business visas are issued for the following reasons -
However, check out with the country you plan to visit.
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