Visitor / Tourist Visa

What Is a Tourist/Visitor Visa?

Tourist/Visitor visas are official travel documents issued to foreign visitors for leisure, business, family purposes. For example, if you are from India and want to visit the US, you need to apply for a tourist visa. Every country regulates its visa policy for tourists, and their corresponding embassies and consulates will help you obtain a visa for short-term visits.

Visitor/ Tourist Visa Guidelines

While you are visiting a foreign country under a tourist visa, you must keep in mind the following rules:

• You cannot work with a tourist visa.
• You cannot do business under a tourist visa.
• You cannot study while you have a tourist visa.
• You cannot become a permanent resident with a tourist visa.

Documents Required for a Visitor/Tourist Visa

Generally speaking, you need to prepare the following documents of a tourist visa application:

• Tourist visa application form.
• Passport with six or three months validity period.
• Passport pictures.
• Valid travel insurance.
• Evidence of financial means.
• Proof of accommodation.
• Proof of a booked return flight ticket.
• Proof of paid visa fee.
• Invitation letter.
• Civil documents (marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.)
• Any other supporting documents.

How Long Is a Visitor/Tourist Visa?

A tourist visa is usually issued for 30 days upto 10 years. However, many countries issue a tourist visa with multiple entries.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Visitor/Tourist Visa?

Tourist visa applications are usually processed within two weeks. But, the processing time may take less or more than two weeks— it depends on your home residence, the season, and the embassy’s workload.

Visitor/Tourist Visa Cost

A tourist visa can cost between $25 and $160, depending on which country you visit. Sometimes, the visa application fee may not cost that much, but you must pay other service and translation fees.

Can You Extend a Visitor/Tourist Visa?

In most cases, you cannot extend a tourist visa unless one of the following applies to you:

• You have an unexpected family matter (birth, illness, death, etc.).
• There is a complex political situation in your country, making it dangerous to go back.
• There is an unexpected problem due to ‘Force Majeure,’ i.e., storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.

How Many Times Can I Apply for a Visitor/Tourist Visa?

There is usually no limit to how many times you can apply for a tourist visa— as long as you meet the requirements and you’ve respected the guidelines of your previous visas.

Visitor/Tourist Visa Denial

Your tourist visa application can be denied for any of the following reasons:

• You provided false information on your visa application.
• Your passport is not up-to-date as per the embassy’s requirements.
• You submitted an incomplete application.
• You have been convicted of a serious crime.
• Your destination country previously deported you for violating visa rules.

Online Visitor/Tourist Visa

In recent years, several countries have adopted eVisas and electronic travel authorizations to make tourism easier for foreign visitors. For an online visa, you can complete the process via the internet without going to an embassy or consulate and the visa is usually issued within 24 hours.

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