Types of Visas

Visa types vary by country and purpose of travel. The most common visa categories include:
1. Tourist Visa:
  • This visa is useful for foreigners who aim to travel to the country for tourism reasons. It usually entails a short period of stay, being classified as either single-entry or multiple-entry.
2. Work Visa:
  • This visa type is issued for persons with job offers from an employer residing in the specified country. A work visa is generally a temporary document, except for some such as the Green Card in the USA or the Permanent Residency Card in Canada, which may grant one permanent residency.
3. Student Visa:
  • This visa is suitable for those who plan to enrol in a foreign educational institution. Usually, a student visa allows limited employment and affords students the opportunity for work permits or even permanent residency through employment after completing their studies.
4. Family Visa:
  • This visa is available to members of the family of residents or citizens of the host country. Family reunification visas usually permit ones spouse, children, and sometimes even parents to reside and work in the country.
5. Business Visa / Investor Visa:
  • Business verticals can also apply for business visas once they intend to set up or invest in a firm outside their country. Besides, anything from a substantial investment such as real estate to particular finances can qualify for investor visas which allow those investors to become residents.
6. Transit Visa:
  • A transit visa is needed by a traveller who crosses a country in route to another country and this visa also allows the said traveller to stay briefly in a country for a few days.
7. Refugee/Asylum Visa:
  • Refugees or asylum seekers are those who can escape violence or persecution in their mother country and seek refuge or asylum in another country instead. These visas allow qualification for protection from such violence or persecution and enable the holders to live in the given country.