What visas do I need to apply for when traveling abroad?

There are many kinds of visas in different countries. According to the different certificates held by the holder and the different reasons for the visit, visas are generally divided into three types: diplomatic visas, official visas and ordinary visas. Some countries divide visas into immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas; Some countries classify visas into tourist visas, visiting visas, work visas, student visas and residence visas according to the reasons of tourists.

Some countries also have courtesy visas. Chinese visas are divided into diplomatic visas, official visas, ordinary visas and courtesy visas. They are introduced as follows:

(1) Diplomatic visa

A diplomatic visa is a visa issued by the competent authorities of a country's government for persons who should enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities when entering or passing through the territory of that country. Diplomatic visas are usually issued to holders of diplomatic passports. According to national laws and international practices, the visa issuing country gives the holder corresponding facilities, preferences, privileges and immunities.

China diplomatic visas are issued to diplomatic representatives and consular officials of foreign diplomatic missions and consular offices in China, to persons holding red passports of United Nations system organizations in China, and to their spouses and minor children; Persons holding diplomatic passports and United Nations red paper passes on temporary business trips to China and their accompanying spouses and minor children;

Deputy ministers and above officials of countries with diplomatic relations with China, deputy ministers, speakers and deputy speakers of the National Assembly (the Senate and the House of Representatives), their accompanying spouses and minor children who come to China on business; Some staff members of organizations of the United Nations system in China hold officials with United Nations blue cards and their spouses and minor children; The Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the consular department (bureau) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall notify the personnel who issue diplomatic visas.

(2) Official visa

A Service Visa is a visa issued by the competent department of a country's government to a person who should be regarded as a public official when entering or passing through the territory of that country. Some countries call this kind of visa an official visa. Official visas are generally issued to holders of official passports.

China official visas are issued to the staff of foreign diplomatic and consular offices in China (including non-diplomatic or non-consular officials holding diplomatic passports) and staff of United Nations system agencies in China holding United Nations blue passports and their accompanying spouses and minor children, except those holding diplomatic cards issued by China;

Foreigners holding official passports, official passports and special passports, and United Nations blue-skinned passes who come to China or temporarily transit on business, their accompanying spouses and minor children; Members of foreign party and government delegations invited to visit China without diplomatic passports; Personnel holding official passports in Chinese NGOs and their accompanying families.

(3) Official visa

Official visa is a kind of official visa, which refers to a visa issued by some countries to an applicant with an official passport that conforms to his official status and has the same effect as an official visa. Countries that issue official passports generally implement the corresponding official visa system. China has no official visa system. Chinese visa authorities usually issue official visas to foreign officials who come to China on official business with official passports.

(4) courtesy visa

Courtesy visa is a visa issued by the competent authorities of some countries for people who should be given corresponding courtesy when entering or transiting. These people are generally high-level people who do not hold diplomatic passports or retired foreign senior party and government officials and celebrities.

The issuing country gives the holder due respect and courtesy according to its own laws and international practices. China courtesy visas are issued to outgoing foreign heads of state, heads of government, speakers of the National Assembly, presidents of the Supreme Court, foreign ministers, former ambassadors to China, other senior officials, celebrities and their accompanying spouses and minor children, influential foreign opposition leaders who do not hold diplomatic passports, and those who the issuing authority thinks should be granted courtesy visas.

(5) Ordinary visa

A visa is a visa issued by the competent authority of a government to a person who should be regarded as an ordinary person when entering or passing through the territory of that country. Ordinary visas are generally issued to holders of ordinary passports or other valid international travel documents. Ordinary visas for China are issued to foreigners who come to China for the following reasons, and the corresponding Chinese phonetic alphabet is marked on the visa:

D visas are issued to people who come to settle in China; Z-shaped visas are issued to people who come to China for work or employment and their accompanying families; X visa is issued to those who come to China for study, further study and internship for more than six months;

F visa is issued to those who are invited to visit China, study, give lectures, do business, have scientific and cultural exchanges, and have short-term study and internship for no more than six months; L-shaped visas are issued to people who come to China for tourism, visiting relatives or other private affairs;

G-shaped visas are issued to people passing through China; C visa is issued to the executive crew. International train attendants, international aircraft crew, seafarers on international navigation missions and their accompanying families. In addition, J- 1 visas are issued to foreign journalists who come to China permanently, and J-2 visas are issued to foreign journalists who come to China temporarily for interviews.

(6) immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas

The United States divides ordinary visas into immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas.

1, immigrant visa

Immigration visa refers to the visa issued by American consular officials in their overseas offices to foreign immigrants who meet the immigration conditions according to the relevant provisions of Chapter 12 of Title VIII of the United States Code. With this visa, the prospective holder will enter the United States as an immigrant, apply for a foreigner registration card, commonly known as a green card, and obtain permanent residency in the United States within four months.

Foreigners who are eligible to apply for immigrant visas and green cards include: immediate family members of American citizens, relatives of American citizens or permanent residents, people with job skills required by American employers, and special immigrants stipulated by American immigration law. Foreigners who apply for immigration are guaranteed by American citizens, relatives of green card holders or American employers and companies as petitioners, and can also obtain immigrant visas and green cards under certain conditions.

2. Non-immigrant visa

Non-immigrant visa refers to a visa officially issued by a competent official authorized by Chapter 12 of Title VIII of the United States Code to any foreigner who meets the non-immigrant qualification. This visa is temporary. According to the different purposes of applicants going to the United States, the competent authorities in the United States divide non-immigrant visas into 37 types, each of which is coded with an English letter and a number.

Such as visitor visa (B- 1 and B-2), temporary worker visa (H- 1), temporary non-agricultural worker visa (H2B), trainer visa (H-3), student visa (F- 1 and M- 1) and exchange personnel visa. Obtaining a non-immigrant visa means that the US government allows the holder to conduct activities that meet this type of visa during his stay in the United States. Countries that accept immigrants such as Canada also issue immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas similar to those of the United States.

Visa has different forms and titles in its development. Such as endorsement visa, seal visa and sticker visa. There are also machine-readable visas, individual visas, group visas and so on.

(1) visa endorsement refers to a simple written endorsement on a valid passport, indicating the specific requirements for allowing the holder to enter and leave the country. Most of the early visas took this form.

(2) Stamped visa: It means that the fixed format of the visa is engraved on the seal, and when making the visa, the visa page of the applicant's passport or other travel documents is stamped with the seal and the necessary contents are filled in. The whole process is manual. With the development of technology, visa machines are replaced, or the contents of visas are printed on passports in a fixed format by computers.

(3) Sticker visa: Sticker visa is to put the contents of the visa on special visa paper according to a fixed format, and stick the completed visa on the applicant's passport with adhesive. Sticker visas are usually printed by computer. The sticker visa in the United States is also a photo of the applicant on the scanned visa paper. Canada's sticker visa does not have a photo of the applicant, but it has an anti-counterfeiting mark, and this part is plastic sealed by plastic sealing technology.

(4) Separate paper visa: A separate paper visa refers to a one-page visa that is separate from the passport or passport replacement certificate. It is a special form of visa and must be used together with the passport or certificate held by the applicant. Some countries have different regulations on the recipients of individual visas. As stipulated by the former Soviet Union, in addition to the diplomatic visa on the diplomatic passport, "triple" visas are issued to applicants with other types of passports to be used together with their passports.

China individual visa is issued to applicants who are considered unsuitable to apply for a visa on their passports by the visa authorities. Under this separate visa, you must sign "This visa must be used at the same time as XX passport"; The visa issued separately to some people from countries without diplomatic relations must be signed "This visa is for Mr. (Ms.) XXX" below, and the name here must be exactly the same as the name on the holder's passport.

(5) Machine Readable Visas——MRV) refers to a visa suitable for machine reading. On the basis of the Technical Requirements for Machine-readable Passports, the Advisory Department of ICAO has developed and formulated the Technical Requirements for Machine-readable Identification Visas to achieve the goal of machine-readable visas and provide new technical means for simplifying international travel procedures.

(6) Electronic visa: Some countries also use computer network and magnetic card technology to develop and try out "electronic visa" or "invisible visa". Australia, Singapore and other countries and regions are trying out this kind of visa.

(7) Individual visa and group visa: Individual visa refers to the visa made on each applicant's personal passport or other travel documents. Group visa refers to the visa on the group list or group passport. Group visas in China are generally issued to foreign tour groups or seamen's groups with more than 9 people.

Persons holding the same group visa must travel with the group and leave the country together. If an individual holding a group visa needs to act alone for special reasons, he should apply for separation. The visa authority will cancel the name of the separated person on the group visa and apply for a separate visa.

Source: Consulate General of People's Republic of China (PRC) and China in Gothenburg.