 Visa -- Basic Intro
What is a visa?
A Visa is the remark, annotation or seal of approval on a legal and valid passport or other travel credentials of a foreign or domestic citizen, which is issued by the international representative of a sovereign government, an Embassy or Consulate. It is a necessary legal requirement indicating that you are permitted to enter and exit that country's frontier, also we may say, the visa is an annotating-like proof of legal entry.
Function of visa
A Visa is a measure adopted by a sovereign state to maintain the country's sovereignty, dignity, security and protection. It is an important method for a sovereign state to implement the vetting and supervision of visitors. If a country's citizen wishes to go abroad for travel, emigration, business, to study and so on, the visa is the must have credential other than a passport or its equivalent, or you can not enter your target country.
Visa Types
Based on different reasons of entering or departing the country, visas are generally divided into 6 categories: The departure visa, the entry visa, visa for leaving first and then reentering, visa for entering first and then leaving, again-entry visa and the transit visa.
Some countries (regions), according to different purposes for entry,classify the visa into many kinds like the diplomatic, official, immigrant, non- immigrant, courteous reception, tourist, work, study and business visas as well as the household visa and so on.
At present, most countries of the world mainly have the three kinds of visa: the diplomatic, official and ordinary visa.
Now, there are four categories of visa are issued in China: the diplomatic, courteous reception, official business and standard visa.
Visa Code
In order to be advantageous in both recognition and management, according to different purposes of visa applicants, some countries use different letters as the visa code marked on the issued visa.
The most visa codes are issued in the United States, of which there are over 18 codes for non-immigrant visas. China also has many codes for different visas, which respectively are only issued to specifically targeted individuals and groups.
Period of Validity
The period of validity is an extremely important condition of a visa, which is imprinted on all visas issued by all sovereign states in the world. In other words, there are no visas without a marked period of validity. The period of validity indicates that the visa is only valid for a limited period of time, if that time limit is exceeded, the visa will have expired. Therefore, the applicants, who apply for visas to various countries (regions), should fix the visa's period of validity in their mind after obtaining the visa, and leave for your target country within its period of validity.
Different counties have different way of expressing the period of validity. Mostly they use "valid until¡", "validity", "from¡to¡" or "within¡month(s)" which is entered in Arabic numerals.
Duration of Visa
The duration of a visa refers to the time you are permitted to stay in your target country (region) and are expressed on the visa page as "duration of (each) stay ¡days", "from¡to¡" or "with stay of ¡ days", which is also completed in Arabic numerals.
Valid Times of Visa
Within the period of validity or the duration of visa, valid times refers to how many times you may enter or leave your target country.
Visa Issuing Date
The issuing date of a visa is the date upon which your visa is issued by the appointed official body so that the period of validity and duration of a visa can be documented and precisely controlled. This is also a very important date that you should bear in mind. Remember that an expired visa is not valid for the purposes of travel.
Signature and Seal on Visa
Almost all visas issued by most countries in the world are signed with a handwriting signature and/or the seal of the officials concerned as a file in some related official departments. This is also a vital and necessary procedure and of great help in distinguishing whether the visa has been faked or is genuine.
Content of Visa
All countries have formulated special rules and stipulations applying much attention to visas; with some countries guaranteeing the visa holder support by legal systems and special organizations.
Different countries have differing form and style to visa content, but generally, the necessary and basic content are contained on all issuers visas, including the visa type, the visa code, the purpose of entry/departure/transit within the country, visa duration, valid times, visa issuing department, visa issuing location, signatures and seals by officials, issuing date and the visa expense. Some countries also attach a photo of the visa holder, which must be consistent with the passport photo; some others also emboss the printing and incorporate an anti-faking trademark.
Visa Plus
Not all the content can be included within a fixed form of visa. Some other information, such as port of entry and departure, increase or reduction in the number of children accompanying with and so on are additional extras marked on the visa, and this is the content of visa plus.
The special-purpose visa plus seal and the handwritten signature of the principal holder are required when dealing with the procedure of visa plus. The content of visa plus is generally for the situations below:
(1) People who accompany with
(2) Visa extension
(3) Increase or reduction of people on a group visa
Issuing Organizations
All the countries in the world have their own special organizations visa for issuing. Generally speaking, the organizations for issuing the passport and visa are the same one for a country. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassies/consulates or the specially-authorized organizations stationed abroad are all the legitimate organs for issuing the visa. The immigration offices or police stations also are the visa issuing organizations in some countries.
The official responsibility of the visa issuing organizations is to issue the visa; simultaneously they have the authority to cancel or refuse a visa issue, or announce the invalidity of all visas issued.
Distinguishing Genuine from Fake
After you are issued a legitimate and valid visa, you can finalize everything for your oversea trip (such as purchasing the airline tickets and confirming the seat on the plane), then you are on your way. But nowadays, there are more and more agencies which are providing the services of visa handling for their customers. If you get the visa by consigning these visa agencies, in this way, the first important thing that you should do is ensure it is genuine and not a forged visa. The following methods are offered for your reference:
1. Go the visa issuing organizations and ask the authorized official to distinguish;
2. Make comparison with others who have applied for the same visa as yours;
3. Carefully inspect the content of the visa word by word.
Generally, a fake visa is quite rough with illegible handwriting, signature and a blurred seal; even they make a mistake on the attachment to the visa page itself. In ordinary circumstances, the visa is fixed on the visa page.
Visa on Arrival
If the applicant can not directly obtain the visa in his own country, upon arrival at the port of his target country by holding a passport and the entry permit issued by his own country, a visa will be issued. However, the applicants should pay great attention on this point as there are only a few countries that will issue this kind of visa (visa on arrival). Before your departure, you should check whether your chosen destination issues visa on arrival or not, only then can you go on your way.
Require for visa application
For the visa application; the applicant should hold his valid passport or other available travel credentials. Generally, the required period of validity of the passport should be at least 6 months longer than the visa's period of validity, or the procedures of your visa application will not be accepted.
The photo of the applicant is often attached to the visa. Some are pasted together with visa; some are pasted on visa application form. More photos should be prepared and they must be consistent with those in your passport.
Transit Visa
After you obtain the entry visa to your target country, if passing through a third country via any transportation vehicle, a transit visa is required. Some countries stipulated that if the duration of stay doesn't exceed 24 hours or other defined period of time when passing through here as the transit country, no visa is required (but going out from the airport is not allowed). But some countries stipulated that no matter how long you will stay or whether you leave the airport or not, a transit visa must be obtained. As with other visas, the transit visa also stipulates the period of validity and duration.
Transit Visa Application
Should you apply for transit visa, you must go to the embassies or consulates of the transit country (you have to pass through) stationed in your own country to handle the application procedures. Remember that you should bring the credentials materials including the valid passport, the valid visa to your target country, the international air ticket and your photos. The applicant should submit all these materials and fill in the required application form. Then, generally after three to five days, you should obtain the transit visa. Some countries may provide a same day service so that you can obtain the transit visa immediately after you submit the application form.
Visa in Paper Form
Visa on a separate document, and not affixed to a passport is another kind of visa form but has the same function and validity as a visa in a passport. What is different is that this visa is on a special-purpose paper outside the passport, which must be used in conjunction with the passport. The photos on both of the two should be consistent with each other.
Countertendency Visa
The countertendency visa issued by immigration organizations or departments who are responsible for the management of entering and/or leaving a country, is a kind of proof of approval to issue a visa to the applicant. After the applicant is issued a countertendency visa, he also has to visit the embassies or consulates of his target country stationed abroad to transact the visa. Some countries stipulate that the applicant can handle the visa upon arrival at the port of his destination country.
The applicant first should ensure whether or not the target country requires proof of countertendency visa. If required, the procedure for the applicant is as follows:
1. Mail a copy of your valid passport and other related materials (ID card copy, related notaries deed and so on) to your relatives or friends resident in your target country;
2. Your relatives or friends should go to the immigration organization or department who are responsible for the management for your entering and/or leaving border of their own country to apply for the countertendency visa, and then mail it back to you.
When your visa application is refused
According to the concerned stipulation of the international consular treaty, any citizen has the right to apply for a visa to enter another country, but each sovereign state also has the right to refuse the issuing of a visa. Generally speaking, all countries cannot be expected to issue visas to each and every applicant (except non-visa mutually between countries), so it is not surprising that the visa organization may resist issuing the visa to you.
All applicants who apply for a visa to his target country hope to obtain the visa quickly, but if your visa application is rejected, please do not be offended and continuously pester the officials. The correct procedure is to calmly analyze the reason for the visa refusal. Maybe your credentials and materials are not ready and complete for the purpose of application or your self-condition is not full (some countries have unwritten stipulations that they will not issue a visa to unmarried young woman solely). Under this circumstance, you should try to find a solution to satisfy the condition. If the requirement can not be satisfied, the application should be temporarily halted.
After your visa is refused for the first time, you are still allowed to subsequently re-apply. Some countries (like UK) will inform the applicants in writing stating why the visa application has been refused and permit you to appeal to the court if you do not agree with their decision. But in the ordinary circumstances, it is very difficult to win such a case.
Reason for Visa Refusal
There is no uniform stipulation for the refusal of the visa issuing from one country to the next. But many sovereign states have a set list on which there are reasons why people are not allowed to enter the country. The list will be separately sent to their embassies or consulates stationed and no officials have the right to issue a visa to applicants who meet any of these criteria.
Generally, no country will issue the visa to people within the general categories of contagious patient, psychopath, drug addict, drug trafficker, prostitute, former expellee, those who harm the national security and social order, terrorist, those on forged or fake documents, those who have no safeguard for the living expense when staying abroad.
Pay for the visa
Apply for the foreign visa needs a certain amount of visa expense. Different countries have different charging standard, some are higher some lower while others are free. Generally, the visa fees are the same no matter country "A" issues the visa to a citizen of country "B" or vice versa. The amount of the visa fee is generally marked on the visa though some others are pasted into the stamp tax. When the applicant receives the visa, they will know the exact visa expense.
Generally, you should pay for the visa expense immediately after you get the visa. If you require a receipt, you should make this clear to the officials beforehand.
The visa expense and the visa application expense are different. Most countries only charge the visa expense while some will charge both of these fees. If the visa application is refused, then the visa expense will not be charged. But in some countries, you are required to pay for the visa application up front, and is non refundable should your application is refused.
Generally, the currency of your own country is required when paying for the visa expense or visa application. Credit cards or cheques are not always acceptable as alternative methods of payment.
Visa Inspection
After you receive your visa, you had better have a careful self- inspection to it. The key point of the inspection is that whether the visa type is consistent with the purpose for your going abroad, whether the period of validity and the duration of staying abroad are clear and so on. In addition, the official's signature and the seal by visa issuing organization are also very important for you to pay much attention to.
If you discover an error, you should immediately request that the officials to correct it. Even if you find the mistake after you leave the embassies and consulates, you may return to the official and ask for the correction. Actually, the correction for the visa is permitted at any time within the visa's period of validity prior to your departure.
Visa Extension
After an applicant is granted a visa, they should use the time to complete any other procedures required for leaving their own country before the visa's period of validity expires. But if they are unable to depart for the target country within that period, such as being hospitalized or other unforeseen events due to the force majeure), then you should take the related materials as proof to the embassy and consulate of your target country stationed in your own country and apply for a visa extension.If the visa's expiration date is not long passed, then your application will be granted, or you will fail to get the visa extension.
In normal conditions, the applicant should arrive in and leave the target country within the period of the visa's validity. Otherwise, you overstaying will be deemed as illegal residence, the consequences of which are you may be fined, interned or deported. However, if there are special reasons for your visa extension application, you should go to the immigrant organization in your target country and ask for the visa extension prior to the time of your visas expiration date. If the period of validity and the duration of stay are all expired and you still do not leave this country, you should request for the visa extension immediately with all necessary and valid documentation.
Within the time of your staying in your target country, if you want to apply for the visa of another country (your second target country), you should go the embassies or consulates of that country stationed in your first target country to apply for the visa by holding your valid passport and other required materials.
Revoking of Visa
If the visa issuing organization takes the visa back and cancels its validity after issuing it, then it is called visa revoking. Only the visa issuing organization has the right to revoke visa. For following two reasons, the visa will be revoked:
1. The visa possessor is considered not suitable to enter or transit the country;
2. The visa possessor loses the visa together with the passport.
The purpose for revoking a visa is to prevent the perpetrator use of the visa to carry out illegal activities and so on.
If the reason for visa revoking is due to loss by visa possessor, the applicant may re-propose for the application of visa reissue. As long as the evidence is sufficient and enough material is prepared, after verification by the visa issuing organization, a new visa should be issued to you. If it is the visa issuing organization that revoked the visa, the applicant has the right to appeal, but generally the visa will not be reissued.
How long to apply for visa
The embassies and consulates stationed abroad of each country are authorized to issue visas to foreign nationals, who want to travel or immigrate to its country. Different countries have different jurisdictions, procedures for handling the visa, so the time for the applicant to obtain the visa after he officially submits his application are quite different. Some may take as long as 3 to 5 months, even one year or longer are not uncommon, but others will issue the visa immediately after the applicant¡¯s application. It does not depend on the working efficiency, but the different complexity of jurisdiction and bureaucratic procedures.
Difficult to get the visa?
Whether visa is easy to get or not varies from one country to another. The main difficulties and differences are explained by the reasons below:
1. Easier in immigrant countries (US, Canada, Australia¡) than non-immigrant countries (Japan...)
2. If you have some relatives in your target country, it will be easier for you to get the visa.
3. Applicant being educated to a high level will get the visa much easier.
4. Easier to get in developing countries than in the developed countries.
5. Easier to get in countries of small population than the countries of large population.
6. More difficult to get if the applicant is considered as a stayer or to have the immigrant suspicion.
7. Easier to get if your target country has the foreign relations with the country of your own.
8. Easier to get if the economic guarantor of the applicant is more superior in riches.
9. Easier to get when there are seldom applicants to apply for.
10. Easier when the applicant is in a tourist group.
After you get the visa
After the visa is successfully applied for, you should carefully check whether or not that the following preparatory work has been fulfilled, only then can you start your journey:
1. Whether the international air ticket, ships passage or train ticket are prepared. Confirming the seat on the plane is highly recommended. Then, the notice (the written notification is the best) to the relatives or friends in your target country is necessary, including the information like scheduled departure/arrival time, flight/ship/train number and so on;
2. Whether the "Prophylactic inoculation Certificate" is prepared. You had better put this together with your visa and passport so as to provide ease of access when going through customs;
3. If all the credentials and materials are fully prepared, including passport, visa, health certificate and other corresponding letters of introduction, photos and so on;
4. If you luggage is appropriately prepared. You should be familiar with the prohibition of import stipulations of your target country in order to avoid delays and potential trouble at customs. Also ensure not make your baggage overweight, and that the baggage is sound, secure and labeled.
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