An endorsement on a passport indicating that the holder is allowed to enter, leave, or stay for a specified period of time in a country.

The basic answer depends on the control a given country in question wants over its borders. Some countries require a visa for foreigners who plan to work, go to school, or live permanently in the country. However, the overwhelming majority of visas are for short term visitors who basically qualify as tourists.

It is pertinent to send a passport to our office in order to insure that all information on record for the desired Visa or New Passport is correct for the Agencies to approve. A minor small mistake can be the difference between getting your passport within a week or being subject to delays/not getting travel document in time.

Some countries require between two and four blank pages in your passport for visas before you enter the country. Having your passport in order is one of the most important bits of paperwork you should check on before traveling abroad, so don’t wait to make sure everything is set. You can check if the country you’re visiting requires blank pages – and if so, how many – on the State Department’s website.

No. If you are holding a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa in an expired passport, you may carry both your expired and new passport together and travel between whatever countries issued the valid Visa until the non-immigrant visa expires. You do not need to obtain a new non-immigrant visa, just a valid passport.

In general, “tourist” visas are issued specifically for the purpose of travel for pleasure, while a “business” visa generally permits a traveler to engage in normal business-related activities. Some countries do not require a visa for US citizens traveling as a tourist for short periods of time.

All visa applicants should apply as far in advance of their anticipated travel as possible, but not less than three weeks during normal travel periods and at least six weeks in advance of travel that will begin during the peak periods (March 15th – April 15th; July 15th – September 30th; and November 15th – December 31st)

Consular jurisdiction is the geographic area for which a consulate has responsibility for issuing visas. Jurisdictional requirements are determined by each country and frequently vary.  Some consulates have strict enforcement of jurisdiction while other consulates are flexible with their jurisdictional requirements.  Your visa processing options are determined by the jurisdictional requirements in place for the consulate that will issue your visa.