Difference Between Visa and Permit

Visa vs Permit
 

Knowing the difference between visa and permit can help you very much when you are visiting other countries. If you are new to visiting countries, then you may have been disturbed to see there are two types of approval; namely, visa and permit, that are granted for a person to enter and stay in a country and you may be wondering which one to apply for. Then you can have an idea about the difference between visa and permit from this article. Whether visa or permit, both are endorsement on your passport that authorize you to enter and stay in a country for a specified period of time as stated in the visa or permit. In some countries, visa and permit are basically similar in nature. These countries include Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia. United States of America tend to disparate their meanings making immigration a little harder for people. Nevertheless, both of these are your security that you are legally staying in a country and, thus, protected by the country’s jurisdiction.

What is a Visa?

As said before, visa is a form of authorization given to a non-citizen to enter, transit, and stay legally in a country for a specified period of time, provided that person adhere to the conditions. It is a kind of conditional authorization. The main difference between a visa and permit is that your visa will be processed in the country of your origin or the country of residence. The application process varies from one country another and also depending on the type of visa you are applying for. In some cases, like business and travel, you have to present yourself in the consulate for a quick preview of your concern in visiting a foreign country. Your legal papers together with the interview result will be processed and success will be determined with a stamped in your passport. Yes, that is right. A visa is commonly seen as a circular shaped stamp found in a passport.

Upon arrival to the country of your destination, you’ll be experiencing several passport observations. Those people who are initiating into going over your paperwork are immigration officers and they’ll be making sure that you are a legal visitor of their country. They’ll be seeing your status if you are either an immigrant or a non-immigrant one. Immigrants are those people who already obtained citizenship of their country or those who are married to their citizens. Non-immigrants, on the other hand, are people who demand to visit the country temporarily. Reasons vary, but it is usually for studying, contractual employment, short-term concerns, and also some people travel for pleasure. For immigrants there is immigrant visa and for non-immigrants there is non-immigrant visa.

What is a Permit?

If we talk about permits, this is another stamp you will be getting right in your passport. Permit is also a conditional authorization given to a non-citizen to enter, transit, and stay legally in a country for a specified period of time. However, this is not something you obtain from your mother country or the country of residence. This is something stamped from the foreign country you are visiting. This usually determines your status as a visitor and whatever privileges that comes with it, be it a work permit or a residence permit. The major problem one can have with a permit is that it expires earlier than a visa does. Most of them immediately expire as soon as you leave the country where you got the permit from.There are different types of permits such as resident permit and work permit.

What is the difference between Visa and Permit?

There are some differences between visa and permit that should be taken note of.

• One is the place where they are actually obtained. You will be applying for a visa in the country where you are from and a permit will be obtained in the country you are visiting.

• Another thing is that a visa is the one checked as you arrive and a permit is something that is checked for every of your transaction inside the visited country.

• There is dissimilarity in the date of expiry as well. A permit expires earlier than a visa. When you get out of the country you are visiting, a permit expires right there and then while a visa last long and could be used to enter multiple times, if allowed in your visa.

• There are two types of visas are immigrant and non-immigrant.

Now, you know how these stamped significant inks vary from each other. If you bear these facts in mind, then your journey to another country will be pleasant and free from legal trouble.

Images Courtesy: Visa via Wikicommons (Public Domain)