People love to travel around the world. For this reason, they have to go from one country to another. Even though there are many benefits associated with restriction-free travel. But every country restricts people from entering from another country. This control process is done through the visa process. It allows a few people to enter a country with reasonable cause. With this mechanism, any country can control who can enter that country and for which purpose. All countries around the world utilize this process. Let’s learn how visa work and the variation between different types of visas.
Key Takeaways
- A visa is an official document issued by a country’s government that allows a person to enter, stay, or leave that country.
- It is issued for a specific purpose and duration of stay, such as tourism, work, or study.
- A visa and a passport are required for entry into many countries.

How does it work?
A visa is an authorization from the host country to the visitors. Anyone going to a different country needs to obtain this authorization from the host country’s embassy. Normally it is a seal stamped or glued on the passport. It also mentions the duration and purpose of the visit. According to the type of visit, several visa types are issued by the embassy.
Types of Visa
The most common of them are as follows.
- Travel/Tourist Visa
This type of visa is issued to a person visiting another country for leisurely travel. Most of the time, international tourists apply for this type of visa. In most cases, the validity of this type of visa remains for only 7 days to 3 months.
- Work Visa
It is a type of visa issued only to professional workers. To obtain this type of visa, the person must work with a registered company in that country. In most cases, the validity of this type of visa remains for 1 to 5 years.
- Student Visa
This type of visa is issued to students only seeking higher education abroad. The person must be enrolled in a university in the guest country to have this visa. The validity of this type of visa remains for 3 to 5 years.
- Transit Visa
It is a temporary visa which enables any person to visit another country via a third country. Most of the time, this type of visa is issued for land travel. The validity of this type of visa remains for only 3 to 7 days.
Advantages of Visa
Even though many people don’t like the visa system and express their voice against it, visa offers multiple benefits to a country. A visa is an effective system by which a country can track visitors. It protects a country from uncontrolled foreign migration. Visa also keeps unwanted people away from the country.
Disadvantages of Visa
The bureaucratic process delays the visa system many times, inconveniencing many people. Staying in a country after expiring the visa period is considered illegal. For this reason, the person also gets jail time. Obtaining a visa is also complicated for poor people who suffer from travel restrictions to another country. Many believe a visa creates a barrier between people and keeps one away from another.

Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.