A visa (from the Latin charta visa, meaning "paper that has to be seen")[1] is a conditional authorization granted by a polity to a foreigner that allows them to enter, remain within, or to leave its territory. Visas typically include limits on the duration of the foreigner's stay, areas within the country they may enter, the dates they may enter, the number of permitted visits, or if the individual has the ability to work in the country in question. Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter a territory and thus are, in most countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country. In each instance, a visa is subject to entry permission by an immigration official at the time of actual entry and can be revoked at any time. Visa evidence most commonly takes the form of a sticker endorsed in the applicant's passport or other travel document but may also exist electronically. Some countries no longer issue physical visa evidence, instead recording details only in immigration databases.

Short-stay or visitor visa

​

For short visits to the visited country. Many countries differentiate between different reasons for these visits, such as:

• Private visa, for private visits by invitation from residents of the visited country.

• Tourist visa, for a limited period of leisure travel, no business activities allowed.

• Medical visa, for undertaking diagnostics or a course of treatment in the visited country's hospitals or other medical facilities.

• Business visa, for engaging in commerce in the country. These visas generally preclude permanent employment, for which a work visa would be required.

• Working holiday visa, for individuals travelling between nations offering a working holiday program, allowing young people to undertake temporary work while travelling.

• Athletic or artistic visa, issued to athletes and performing artists (and their supporting staff) performing at competitions, concerts, shows, and other events.

  • Cultural exchange visa, usually issued to athletes and performing artists participating in a cultural exchange program.

• Refugee visa, issued to persons fleeing the dangers of persecution, a war or a natural disaster.

• Pilgrimage visa: this type of visa is mainly issued to those intending to visit religious destinations and/or to take part in particular religious ceremonies. Such visas can usually be obtained relatively quickly and at a low cost; those using them are usually permitted to travel only as a group, however. The most well-known example is Saudi Arabia's Hajj visa.[9]

• Digital nomad visa, for digital nomads who want to temporarily reside in a country while performing remote work. Thailand launched its SMART Visa, targeted at high expertise foreigners and entrepreneurs to stay a longer time in Thailand, with online applications for the visa being planned for late 2018.[10] Estonia has also announced plans for a digital nomad visa, after the launch of its e-Residency program.

• ​

Long-stay visas

​

Visas valid for long term stays of a specific duration include:

• Student visa (F-1 in the United States), which allows its holder to study at an institution of higher learning in the issuing country. The F-2 visa allows the student's dependents to accompany them in the United States.

  • Research visa, for students doing fieldwork in the host country.

• Temporary worker visa, for approved employment in the host country. These are generally more difficult to obtain but valid for longer periods of time than a business visa. Examples of these are the United States' H-1B and L-1 visas. Depending on a particular country, the status of temporary worker may or may not evolve into the status of permanent resident or to naturalization.

  • Journalist visa, which some countries require of people in that occupation when travelling for their respective news organizations. Countries that insist on this include Cuba, China, Iran, Japan, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United States (I-visa), and Zimbabwe.

• Residence visa, granted to people obtaining long-term residence in the host country. In some countries, such as New Zealand, long-term residence is a necessary step to obtain the status of a permanent resident.

• Asylum visa, issued to people who have suffered or reasonably fear persecution in their own country due to their political activities or opinion, or features, or association with a social group; or were exiled from their own country.

• Dependent visa, issued to certain family members of holder of a long-stay visa of certain other types (e. g., to spouse and children of a qualified employee holding a temporary worker visa).