Citizens entering a foreign country for temporary travel must often obtain a visitor visa on top of their passport. Not all countries require visitor visas, but for the countries that do, you will be denied entry if you don't have one. Any foreign citizen entering the United States temporarily as a visitor, for business, pleasure or medical treatment must have a visitor visa, with the exception of those countries participating in the Visa Waiver program. U.S. citizens entering the Near East, South Central Asia, some African and East Asian nations require a visa as well. Many countries, like Australia for instance, allow foreign visitors to obtain an Electronic Travel Authority (E.T.A.), which replaces the visa. A visa waiver program is available to citizens of 27 participating countries and has special requirements. Students and temporary workers must apply for a separate visa. Members of the foreign media and journalists cannot use a visitor visa or travel on the visa waiver program. Instead, they must apply for non-immigrant media visa.
A visitor visa is a document that allows foreign citizens to travel in a country. Under the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, all applicants applying for a visa for entry into a foreign country must prove, without a reasonable doubt, that they are visiting the country for pleasure, business purposes or medical procedures only. In order to do this, a paper application form is filled out by the applicant and submitted to the consulate or embassy in the applicants home country. Paper applications must explain the purpose of his trip and demonstrate that he is entering for these and only these purposes. Visa application forms are available for pick up in person or online. Applications function to provide proof that an applicant has sufficient funds to support his stay while traveling and also has the ability to leave once his stay is up. His trip must be limited to a specific time frame that falls within the restrictions of the visa time limits and that he has a residence or other ties to his home country, which bind him to that nation.
Obtaining a visa is not difficult, per say, but it can be a lengthy and time consuming process. It is important to consider how much time you have before you travel in order to get your visa in time. If you are looking to obtain a visa for foreign travel and are between the ages of 14 and 79, you will be required to have an interview at your local embassy. Scheduling interviews can take anywhere from one to 28 days, depending on your location. Along with the interview, you will be required to submit several application forms, present a passport that is valid at least six months beyond the intended length of stay and pay a nominal fee. It can take up to 60 days to have a visa application processed. In most cases, applicants will need to apply at the American Embassy or Consulate in their home country, with some exceptions. Ethiopia, for example, allows visitors to get a temporary visa once they have arrived in the country. Some countries, including all state sponsors of terrorism, require additional forms for male applicants.
Depending on what type of travel you are doing you will be required to apply for a specific visa. In the United States, there are three types of visitor visas. If your are entering for business you need to apply for a B-1 visa and for pleasure or medical treatment, you need a B-2. Foreign press visitors require a media visa and you will need to prove that you qualify for this type of visa through strict requirements. If you are a student and you're moving abroad in order to study, you will need to apply for a student or exchange visa, which will allow for a longer stay and in some countries, will allow you to work under certain restrictions. If applicable, the Visa Waiver program is available to members of 27 participating countries and there is also the option of the E.T.A., which replaces the need for a visa.
Foreign visitors with a visitor visa or traveling on the Visa Waiver program can stay in the United States for 90 days. U.S. visitors and all citizens of Europe fall under the Schengen agreement. Schengen countries, otherwise known as the EU, can travel throughout Europe without a visa for 90 days as well. Many countries in the Middle and Far East can obtain a renewable 30-day visa, while other countries, like Fiji allow its visitors to stay for four months. All nations have varying time limits when it comes to visas and you should make sure to do your research before departing. If you overstay the time limitations of your visa you can be deported and restricted from ever entering the country again.
