
Many people assume a visa and a passport are the same, but these are two separate documents that are both required when people travel internationally. Some countries have a visa agreement that allows their citizens to travel visa-free, but anyone travelling to another country must have a passport in most cases.
What are the requirements for an US passport?
Photo Basics
- Submit a color photo, taken in last 6 months
- Use a clear image of your face. Do not use filters commonly used on social media.
- Have someone else take your photo. No selfies.
- Take off your eyeglasses for your photo.
- Use a plain white or off-white background.
What countries do not require a visa?
- Albania
- Angola
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Eswatini
- Georgia
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Micronesia
What are the requirements for an US visa?
- Application form, either the DS-160 form (for non-immigrant visas) or the DS-260 form (for immigrant visas)
- A passport that is six months valid beyond your planned date of departure from the United States
- Two photographs that meet the U.S. visa photograph requirements
- Valid payment method for a visa fee to schedule an interview
Do I need a visa to travel to the USA?
You will need to get a visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) visa waiver to enter or transit the USA as a visitor. You should consult the US State Department website to determine which you will need.

Can I use a passport instead of a visa?
For U.S. citizens, some countries only require a passport for re-entry. Other countries may require a visa before entry. You should confirm if a country-specific visa* is required before traveling. Diplomats and government officials are granted different passports than what's given to regular travelers.
Do I need a passport before I get a visa?
1 How long does my passport have to be valid in order to apply for a U. S. visa? You must possess a passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions).
What country require a visa?
A number of other countries do require that you get a tourist visa before you leave the U.S, such as China, India, Russia, and Vietnam. Previously Americans who wanted to spend time in the country of Brazil needed to apply for a visa, but as of June 2019, a valid passport is enough to enter the country as a tourist.
Which country has free visa?
List of Countries where Visa is not Required for Indian CitizensBhutanNepalHaiti (for up to 90 days)MicronesiaEcuadorDominicaVanuatuSvalbardSaint Kitts and NevisGrenada (for up to 90 days)6 more rows
How much does it cost to get a visa?
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.
What is the difference between visa and passport?
The purpose of a passport is to identify the holder of the document. For Indians, the navy blue ordinary passport needs to be renewed every 10 years. WHAT IS A VISA? A visa is an official permission that a certain country needs to grant a passport holder of another country before their visit to the former country.
What are the 4 types of visa?
Probably one of the four main types: tourist, immigration, student, or work.
Why do you need a visa?
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.
What are the documents required for visa?
Here are the required documents for a US visa:An online nonimmigrant DS-160 application form. You can file the form DS-160 here.Your valid passport. ... One photograph. ... Receipt proving payment of $160 for a nonimmigrant US visa application. ... Social media details.
What are visa requirements?
Requirements typically include filling out the visa application form, providing your passport for stamping if required, a photograph, and additional documents such as your flight itinerary, hotel booking or letter of invitation. Many countries also have inadmissibility guidelines when it comes to issuing visas.
Can I get a visa on arrival in Tanzania?
U.S. citizens may also obtain a tourist visa upon arrival at the airport in Tanzania. The cost is $100 USD.
How do I obtain a visa?
THREE STEP REGULAR VISA APPLICATION PROCESSApply Online. Fill and Submit Visa Application Form Securely.Submit Documents. Submit your application with required. documents at Indian Visa Application Center or at Indian Mission.Receive Passport, visa. Collect your passport/visa from. Indian Mission/Visa Application Center.
What is a visa required?
Visa required. Visa required means that prior to travel, you must apply for a visa. This may require filling out forms, providing documents, and paying fees. It must be completed and approved prior to departure.
What does "free visa on arrival" mean?
Free visa-on-arrival means that you must obtain a visa in order to enter the destination country, but it can be obtained upon arrival, and is provided free of charge.
How long does it take to get an evisa?
This eVisa is a simplified online visa application requiring submission of relevant personal information and according payment. It is usually issued within 3 days.
What does "visa free" mean?
Visa-free means that you can travel to the destination country without the need for a travel visa. In such a case only a valid passport is required for entry and exit purposes.
Is an evisa required at immigration checkpoint?
Online submission of personal information and payment is still required, and applicants may be subject to further questionnaires and interviews. Once approved, the eVisa is required at immigration checkpoint for verification.
How Do I Get a Visa If I Need One?
Generally speaking, to get a visa, you need to have a valid passport of at least three months after your departure date- so make sure you first have a passport and then apply for a visa.
What Types of Passports Are There?
Different types of passports are issued depending on your needs and situation:
What is a refugee travel document?
Refugee travel document. A refugee travel document is issued to individuals under a “refugee” status and cannot use their previous national passports. Each country that offers asylum issues travel documents for refugees, but individuals recognised as refugees under the Geneva Convention usually receive a uniformed document.
What is a service passport?
A service passport. This type of passport is issued to government officials and their dependents travelling for work-related purposes.
How long does a tourist visa last?
Tourist visa. A tourist visa is usually issued for 30 days to 90 days to visit a specific country as a tourist destination. Some countries issue tourist visas for up to 10 years but with periodical entries.
How long is a transit visa valid?
A transit visa is issued only to allow travellers to transit through a country while they wait for their connecting flights- it’s usually valid only for 24 hours, but it can be issued for ten days to two weeks.
What is a pilgrimage visa?
Pilgrimage visa. Pilgrimage visas are issued for religious travels such as the Hajj pilgrimage.
What are the requirements for a visa?
What is a Visa? 1 The most common visa types are tourist, student, work and transit visas. 2 Depending on where you are traveling, a visa can be valid for single or multiple visits. 3 Some visas require an application to be filed prior to entering the country and other visas are granted upon entering the country. 4 Certain countries require an interview or medical screening prior to applying for a visa.
What is the difference between a passport and a visa?
What is a Passport? The main difference between a passport and a visa is that a passport is issued to a country’s citizens for international travel and identification. A passport is used to verify one’s country of citizenship. If traveling outside your country, it is used to regain entry into your country of citizenship.
What is 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.
What is the most common type of visa?
The most common visa types are tourist, student, work and transit visas. Depending on where you are traveling, a visa can be valid for single or multiple visits. Some visas require an application to be filed prior to entering the country and other visas are granted upon entering the country.
Do you need an application to get a visa?
Some visas require an application to be filed prior to entering the country and other visas are granted upon entering the country.
What is a Passport?
A passport is an official government document that verifies a person’s citizenship and identity. The purpose of a passport is twofold: For gaining entry into certain countries when traveling, and for regaining entry back into your country of citizenship.
What is a Visa?
A travel visa is an official government sticker or stamp which temporarily allows you to enter the country you are visiting. The visa is usually placed in your passport and is issued by the country you are visiting.
When is a Travel Visa Required?
Because regulations are constantly being revised and amended, the answer to this question can change almost daily. The iVisa FAQ section has good information that gets updated on a regular basis. You can check to see if you’ll need a visa for the country you are visiting, as well as the requirements, forms, and instructions.
What is the difference between a passport and a visa?
The main difference between a visa and a passport is that passports are issued by the government of your home country and permit you to enter and exit your territory of residence. Visas, on the other hand, are issued by the authorities of a foreign country and allow you to enter that specific territory.
What is a visa?
A visa is a document issued by a foreign government that permits the holder to travel to and enter their territory. A visa may be issued as either a single or multiple entry document and for a variety of purposes, including:
What is a biometric passport?
Most modern passports are biometric, which means that they come embedded with an electronic chip that contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of the holder.
What does the prefix on a passport mean?
Prefixes may also be used to identify different types of documents, such as military and diplomatic passports.
What is a passport?
A passport is an official ID document issued by your country of citizenship which is generally required to travel to an international destination. It is also usually necessary to use a valid passport to regain entry to your country of residence.
What is the information on a passport?
A passport contains key personal information such as your full name, nationality, date of birth and an up-to-date photograph. It also contains a number of blank pages which are stamped when entering/exiting certain countries.
Where to find passport number?
A passport number is a unique identification code that can be found on the biographical page of the passport alongside the holder’ s personal information and photograph. If you book a flight, this number will often appear on your airline ticket.
Passport Frequently Asked Questions
Want to know what a passport is? Answers to Passport Questions and more.
Passport Forms and Information
Need to know where a Passport Office is near you? Passport Agency addresses and more.
Travel Visa Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure what a travel visa is? Click here for the answer and answer to other frequently asked travel visa questions.
How long does it take to get a visa if it is refused?
The duration of the administrative processing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case. Except in cases of emergency travel (i.e. serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family), before making inquiries about status of administrative processing, applicants should wait at least 180 days from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents, whichever is later. Learn more.
What happens if I lose my passport?
If your passport with your admission stamp or paper Form I-94 are lost or stolen, you must get them replaced immediately. There are a number of steps you need to take, learn more, see Lost and Stolen Passports, Visas, and Form I-94s.
What is an indefinite visa?
Indefinite validity visas (Burroughs Visas) are tourist/business visas manually stamped into a traveler’s passport which were valid for ten years. Effective April 1, 2004, all indefinite validity Burroughs visas became void. Therefore, if you have an indefinite validity visa you must apply for a new visa for travel to the U.S.
Where to reapply for a visa if it has been damaged?
If your visa has been damaged in any way, you will need to reapply for a new visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.
When did the Department of State update its immigrant visa application forms?
On May 31, 2019, the Department of State updated its immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms to request additional information, including social media identifiers, from most U.S. visa applicants worldwide. Please see our Frequently Asked Questions.
Can a foreigner enter the US with a visa?
A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States, but allows a foreign citizen coming from abroad, to travel to the United States port-of entry (generally an airport or land border) and request permission to enter the United States. The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States, and determine how long a traveler may stay. At the port of entry, upon granting entry to the United States, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. immigration inspector, provides you an admission stamp or paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record in your passport. On this admission stamp or paper form, the U.S. immigration inspector records either a date or "D/S" (duration of status). If your I-94 contains a specific date, then that is the date by which you must leave the United States. Your admission stamp or paper Form I-94 is very important to keep in your passport, since it shows your permission to be in the United States. Review information about Admission on the CBP Website. Also, see Duration of Stay.
Can a temporary visitor stay in the US?
A visa must be valid at the time a traveler seeks admission to the United States, but the expiration date of the visa (validity period/length of time the visa can be used) has no relation to the length of time a temporary visitor may be authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to remain in the United States. Persons holding visas valid for multiple entries may make repeated trips to the United States, for travel for the same purpose, as long as the visa has not expired, and the traveler has done nothing to become ineligible to enter the United States, at port-of-entry.
