What is
the Difference Between a Passport and a Visa?
Traveling soon and
need to know the difference between a passport and a visa? Before traveling, be
sure you know the differences between a passport and a visa because you may
need both.
What is a Passport?
A passport is issued
to a country’s citizens for international travel and identification. It is used
to verify one’s country of citizenship. If traveling outside your country, it
is used to regain entry into your country of citizenship.
A passport includes a
photo of you, your name, birthdate, gender, and physical characteristics.
For U.S. citizens,
some countries only require a passport for re-entry. Other countries may
require a visa before entry. You should confirm if a country-specific visa is
required before traveling.
Diplomats and
government officials are granted different passports than what’s given to
regular travelers.
What is a Visa?
A visa is an
endorsement placed on a passport granting the holder official permission to
enter, leave or stay in a country for a specified time period.
The most common visa
types are tourist, student, work and transit visas.
Depending on where
you are traveling, a visa can be valid for single or multiple visits.
Some visas require an
application to be filed prior to entering the country and other visas are
granted upon entering the country.
Certain countries
require an interview or medical screening prior to applying for a visa.
The Procedures To Make A Passport
1) Register
online: This is your first step of passport application. And trust me, the
online passport application procedure has really made it really simple. All you
need to do is visit www.passport.gov.in. On the homepage, you will find a red
button on the top left corner titled, "New User? Register Now".
That's exactly what you need to. Click on it, and follow the given instructions
and fill in the requisite details to register yourself.
2) Fill
the form: After you have registered yourself on to the website, use your login
id and password to login. Once you have logged in, click on "Apply for
Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport" button to navigate further. You will
have two options for filling the form: (a) you can either download the form,
fill it and then upload it back on to the website or (b) fill the form online.
Don't worry about not having all the required details handy--you can save it
online and complete the rest later. In my opinion, the latter is a better
option since there's no risk of losing the form. In case you need it for
reference, simply download a blank form and keep a printout of the same.
3) In
case of Tatkaal: There's just one little complication in the case of Tatkaal
applications. Since it's a sped up process and won't involve any police
verifications before you receive the passport, you will need to submit
something called the Annexure F. This is nothing but a written document
verifying the fact that you have been residing at your current residence for
the last one year. And this needs to be verified by a central government
employee, along with his signature and office seal. And trust me when I say
this--you can get this done only when you personally know a central government
employee. Otherwise, nobody will really take the risk of verifying about a stranger.
4) Upload
documents online: When you are done filling the form and have all the required
documents in places--including address proof, date of birth proof, Annexure F
and the others depending upon your case, scan them and upload the soft copies
online. This will speed things up on the day you go to the passport office for
the final step of application.
5) Pay
and schedule appointment: This is important. Once you are done uploading your
documents and the filled-up form, you need to pay the passport charges online.
In case of a normal application, it will cost you Rs 1,500 and in case of
Tatkaal, it is Rs 3,500. After you pay, you will get the option of scheduling
your appointment online. Choose the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) of your
convenience and fix the date and time you want to visit the same. Once you do
this, you will get an automated SMS confirming your appointment and an email
carrying the slip that will give you access to the PSK on the given date and
time.
6) On
the appointment day: Make sure you have hard copies of every single document
you have uploaded online. Carry multiple copies--the authorities often ask for
more than one. And carry the originals as well. Do not even dare to forget a
printout of the appointment slip. You can't even enter the PSK without it. Once
you are in, the initial queue will be for submitting the documents. You will be
then called to a room where you will have to give your fingerprints for
biometrics and get a photograph clicked then and there by an executive. After
this is your final step--you will have to wait for the final call of
verification by the passport authorities. You will meet two officials, one
after the other, who will do the final rounds of verification before all your
details are finally saved and your file is given a green signal for passport
issuance. The entire process takes not more than two hours.
And
that's it! Your passport will be delivered at your doorstep in 3-4 days in case
of Tatkaal and 8-10 days in case of normal application.
The Procedures To Make A Visa
- 1.Find your local visa application centre. In order to finish your visa application, you should bring your materials to an application centre. That is where you will submit your application materials.
· To receive a British visa while in Canada,
for example, you will need to visit one of the centres in Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa,
Halifax, or St. John’s.
· Some countries do not have application
centres, so you will need to apply through a centre in a neighboring country.
For example, if you hold a passport from Bhutan, you will need to visit an
application centre in India for your visa.
- 2. Make an appointment. These appointments are usually made as part of the application process, so when you fill out your application, it will ask you to arrange a time to visit the application centre. Be sure to print out the email confirmation you receive for your application. You will not be able to go to your appointment without it.
- 3. Go to your application appointment. You should get to the application centre 10 minutes before your appointment to sign in. If you are late, you will miss your appointment, and need to reschedule, which can take some time. All visa applicants are required to book an appointment before submitting their application.
· Remember to bring any supporting documents
required to your appointment as well. These documents can include a
confirmation of your appointment, a valid passport or travel document, a signed
and dated printout of your application, a printout of your payment receipt, and
any other supporting documents relevant to your application.
· Your appointment will include the collection
of biometric information, such as fingerprints and a photograph. Depending on
the country, you can bring a photograph with you or have one taken there.
If
you are in a nation that takes a digital finger scan, make sure your fingers
are free of decoration, cuts, abrasions, or any other markings that might make
it difficult to get an acceptable scan. If you are having your picture taken
there, it should not include sunglasses or tinted spectacles, or any head
covering unless it is worn for religious or medical reasons.
· Some appointments will require an interview,
such as a student applying for a Tier 4 visa under the Point based system. Make
sure to include this information when you make your appointment.
· The UK offers a range of additional visa
services, such as the priority service, for faster processing. You can find out
which services are available on your local visa application centre's website.
You can usually select and pay for additional services ahead of your
appointment, or on arrival at the application centre.
4.
Get your visa. Once you receive
confirmation that you are approved, go back to the
centre to pick up your passport and visa. You are now certified to travel to
the UK.
· In some larger countries, like the United
States, the British government’s Decision Making Centre will mail your
documents directly to you. They will also notify you by email when they have
made a decision.
· Processing times vary depending on the type
of visa you are applying for, so check with your application centre to see how
long you can expect to wait.[14] From the United Arab Emirates, for example, UK
Visas and Immigration will try to return non-settlement visas within 15 working
days. Settlement visas can take a little longer, within 12 weeks. These times
are estimates, as the government will review each application individually.
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