->Transit visa- for passing through the country to a destination outside that country
->Tourist visa - for a limited period of leisure travel, no business activities allowed
->Visa for medical reasons- for undertaking diagnostics or a course of treatment in the host country's hospitals
->Business visa - for engaging in commerce in the country
->On-arrival visa (also known as Visa On Arrival, VOA), granted at a port of entry
->Electronic visa - The visa is electronically linked to the passport number; no label, sticker, or stamp is placed in the passport before travel
->Any other specific category of visa defined by the country based on the common nature of applicants (E.g.: Seamen Visa, Religious Worker Visa, Cast and Crew Visa, etc.)
Yes, original passports are required to apply for visas even in cases of the visas being issued as a separate document. There are exceptions with certain countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia (online), UAE, etc. who issue the visas/ETAs online where the copies of the passports are good enough.
The jurisdictional limits defined by consulates are as per the geographical area where a consulate's responsibility is divided to issue visas pertaining to an applicant’s residence in the respective area. Some consulates have strict enforcement of jurisdiction for all visa categories, some consulates’ jurisdiction is limited to certain types of visas and others do not have any jurisdictional limits.
Validity defines the period of expiry of the visa whereas duration is the maximum stay allowed in the country of visa issuance during each visit.
An embassy is a permanent diplomatic mission (read: a delegation of diplomats) led by an ambassador. The term is often also used for the physical buildings they occupy, predominantly in the capital cities (New Delhi in India). A consulate or consulate general is generally a representative of the embassy in locales outside of the capital city. Consulates are extended offices of Embassies and the applications are taken as per the jurisdictions defined.
The Visa fee varies from country to country. For some countries, there would be charges from the assigned Visa Facilitation centers as well. BPVS would charge a Service Fee depending upon the type of visa processed.
This depends on the country you’re visiting. Some visas will be issued the same day; others can take weeks (or even months) to process.
A Visa On Arrival is issued once you enter the respective country. For Indians, it is usually issued for tourism purposes for countries like Thailand, Bhutan, Cambodia, Maldives, Macau, Indonesia, Iraq, Nepal, Laos, Jordon, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Cook Islands, Fiji, and some more.
Yes, Embassies / Consulates can ask for more documents if they need additional information or clarity with the existing documents.
There are certain visa applications wherein bio-metrics collection is required to be completed by the applicant. In such cases, the applicant has to appear personally at the defined application centers. There are instances when applicants or any specific applicant are required to appear in person at the Embassy / Consulate after the visa application. In such cases, the applicant will have to appear before the Embassy /Consulate personally at the designated date and time. There are some Embassies / Consulates that allow representatives to submit the visa application or collect the passports on the applicant’s behalf after the visa process is completed.
For most countries, your passport should be valid for a minimum of 6 months from your scheduled date of return from the visiting country.
Photographs should be as per the specifications of the country that you intend to visit. Photos should not be used from previous visas and should not be stapled onto the passport/application. The photographs must ensure that the applicant's face is visible, with the eyes and ears not obscured, and with a neutral expression.
A Yellow Fever certificate is required for travelers traveling to African and South American countries included in the Yellow Fever belt.
Yes, you need to apply for a new passport booklet. If you have valid visas on your old passport booklet, you will need to carry both passports while traveling.
It is advised to provide the bank statement of the most active account which reflects your regular income and savings.
Generally, most visas are processed within 15 business days. This time frame may increase or decrease depending upon the Embassy / Consulate's discretion/processes, rush of applications, time for courier and logistics, etc.
A visa does not guarantee entry into the country. The entry may be denied at the immigration check, a very rare eventuality though. Entry into a country is at the discretion of a country's immigration office.