1、 Visa Overview

Visa is a permit issued by a government agency for foreigners who apply for entry or exit or pass through the country in accordance with domestic laws.

According to the principles of international law, any sovereign country has the right to decide on its own whether to allow foreigners to enter or leave its country, and has the right to issue visas, refuse to issue visas or revoke visas already issued in accordance with its own laws.

The visa is usually attached to the passport or other international travel documents held by the applicant. Under special circumstances, valid passports or other international travel documents can be used on separate paper. With the progress of science and technology, some countries have begun to issue electronic visas and biological visas, greatly enhancing the anti-counterfeiting function of visas.

Visa has played an important role in the investigation and control of entry and exit personnel, the protection of homeland security, and the prevention of illegal immigrants and criminals.

　　 2、 Visa type

The visas of countries in the world are generally divided into entry visa and transit visa, and some countries have exit visa. China's visas fall into two categories: entry visas and transit visas.

　　 （1） Entry visa

An entry visa is a visa that allows the holder to enter the territory of a country from a port open to the outside world or a designated port within a specified period of time. The entry visa for China shall come into force from the date of issuance, and some countries shall specify the entry visa effective date separately.

　　 （2） Transit visa

A transit visa is a visa that allows the holder to travel through the territory of the country to a third country from an open or designated port within a specified period of time. To obtain a transit visa, you must obtain a valid entry visa or permit from the destination country in advance (except visa free countries). According to international practice, if there is a connecting air ticket, the direct transit personnel who do not leave the airport within 24 hours are generally exempt from visas, but some countries still require foreigners who transit their own countries to apply for transit visas.

　　 （3） Exit visa

An exit visa is a visa that allows the holder to leave the territory of the country through an open or designated port. Some countries do not limit their ports of exit. Many countries, including China, have cancelled exit visas, and foreigners can leave the country with valid visas within the period of stay granted by visas or the period of validity of residence certificates.

　　 （4） Other categories

Some countries also have entry and exit visas, entry and exit visas, re entry visas and other categories. There are no such categories in China's current visa.

A port visa refers to a visa issued by a visa authority of a country to a foreigner who has arrived at its own port of entry in accordance with the law, so that the party concerned can enter the country in time to handle emergency affairs. Countries implementing port visas have stipulated the conditions and procedures for applying for port visas. Some countries call port visas landing visas, which are relatively simple.

　　 III Visa type

The types of visas vary from country to country. According to the identity of the holder, the type of passport held and the purpose of the visit, visas are generally divided into diplomatic visas, courtesy visas, official (official) visas and ordinary visas. Some countries divide visas into tourism, visit, work, study, residence and other categories according to the reasons of visitors. Now it is introduced as follows:

　　 （1） Diplomatic visa

Diplomatic Visa is a visa issued by the competent government authority of a country for those who should be granted diplomatic privileges and immunities when entering or passing through its territory. Diplomatic visas are generally issued to persons holding diplomatic passports. The visa issuing country shall, in accordance with its own laws and international practices, grant considerable convenience, preferential treatment, privileges and immunities to the holder.

　　 （2） Official visa

Service Visa is a visa issued by the competent government authority of a country for those who enter or pass through the country and should be treated as public servants. Some countries call this kind of visa Official Visa. Official visas are generally issued to those holding official passports.

　　 （3） Official visa

Official Visa is a kind of official visa. It refers to a visa issued by some countries to applicants who hold official passports and meet their official status. Its effect is the same as the official visa. Countries that issue official passports generally implement the corresponding official visa system. China has no official visa system. Chinese visa authorities usually issue official visas to foreign guests with official passports who come to China to perform official duties.

　　 （4） Courtesy visa

Courtesy Visa is a visa issued by the competent government authorities of some countries according to law for those who enter or pass through the country's territory and can give corresponding courtesy. These people are generally high status people who do not hold diplomatic passports, or retired foreign senior officials of the party, government and military and well-known people. The visa issuing country shall, in accordance with its own laws and international practices, give the holder due respect and courtesy.

　　 （5） Ordinary visa

Ordinary visa (Visa) is a kind of visa issued by the competent government authority of a country according to law for people entering or transiting the country for private affairs. Ordinary visas are generally issued to people holding ordinary (private) passports or other valid international travel documents.

　　 IV Visa form

Visa has different forms and titles in its development. For example, endorsement visa, seal visa, sticker visa, machine readable visa, individual visa, group visa, etc.

　　 （1） Endorsement visa

It refers to making a simple endorsement on a valid passport, indicating the specific requirements for the entry and exit of the holder. Early visas took this form.

　　 （2） Seal type visa

It means that the fixed format of the visa is engraved on the seal. When making a visa, the seal is stamped on the visa page of the applicant's passport or other travel documents, and the necessary contents are filled in. The whole process is manual. With the progress of technology, the visa machine is used instead, or the computer is used to print the contents of the visa on the passport in a fixed format.

　　 （3） Sticker visa

Sticker visa is to make the visa content on the special visa paper in a fixed format, and stick the printed visa on the applicant's passport with self-adhesive. Sticker visas are usually produced by computer printing. The US sticker visa also scans the applicant's photo on the visa paper. Canada's sticker visa does not have a picture of the applicant, but it is attached with a security mark, and this part is laminated with plastic packaging technology.

　　 （4） Separate paper visa

Another paper visa refers to a visa made on a single page separate from a passport or other international travel documents. It is a special form of visa and must be used together with the passport or other international travel documents held by the applicant. In addition, different countries have different regulations on the objects of paper visa issuance.

　　 （5） Machine readable visa

Machine readable visa (MRV) refers to the visa applicable to machine reading. A technology developed by the Consultation Department of Machine readable Travel Documents of ICAO on the basis of machine readable passport technology to read and recognize visas by machine. This technology greatly simplifies international travel procedures and shortens customs clearance time.

　　 （6） Electronic visa

Some countries also use computer networks and magnetic card technology to develop "electronic visas" or "invisible visas". Australia, Singapore and other countries have begun to try this visa.

　　 （7） Individual visa and group visa

Individual visa refers to the visa made on each applicant's passport or other international travel documents. Group visa refers to the visa on a group list. Persons holding the same group visa must enter or leave the country with the group.