How long does it take to get a visa?

It varies by country and visa type. It can be said that it ranges from 3 to 30 days.

It takes 1-3 working days to apply for a visa to Southeast Asia.

It takes 5-7 working days to apply for a Japanese and Korean visa.

Visa for other Asian countries takes 7- 10 working days. Usually, it takes 5 working days to review European visas, but an appointment is required in advance. (The appointment period is 30 days long and 1-2 days short)

The results will be known within 0/working days of the US-Canada visa/KLOC, but you need to make an appointment for an interview one month in advance.

African visas take 7- 15 working days.

Egypt, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya have shorter working days.

I. Overview of visas

Visa is a kind of license issued by a government agency of a country according to its own laws to foreigners who apply for entry, exit or transit.

According to the principles of international law, any sovereign country has the right to decide whether to allow foreigners to enter or leave the country, and to issue visas, refuse to issue visas or announce the cancellation of visas already issued according to its own laws.

The visa is usually attached to the passport or other international travel documents held by the applicant. Under special circumstances, valid passports or other international travel documents can be written on a separate sheet. With the progress of science and technology, some countries began to issue electronic visas and biological visas, which greatly enhanced the anti-counterfeiting function of visas.

Visa plays an important role in checking and controlling entry-exit personnel, protecting national security and preventing illegal immigrants and criminals.

Second, the historical evolution

Visa is the product of personnel exchange between countries. For the sake of national security and interests, the state has set up checkpoints at the border since ancient times to check and control people passing by. In modern times, due to the mobility of population, people-to-people exchanges have become increasingly frequent. In order to strengthen management, some countries require entry-exit personnel to hold valid passports. Since then, visas have been attached to passports as a means for the state to check and control people entering and leaving the country.

After the Second World War, during the Cold War, countries around the world generally established and improved passport and visa systems through their own legislation or administrative measures to strengthen the management of personnel exchanges for national security interests and political needs. At the same time, measures should be taken to simplify or cancel visas through bilateral or multilateral agreements to facilitate and promote personnel exchanges and international travel.

Three. Visa type

Visas in countries around the world are generally divided into entry visas and transit visas, and some countries also have exit visas. Chinese visas are divided into entry visas and transit visas.

1 Entry visa

An entry visa is a visa that allows the holder to enter the country from a port open to the outside world or a port designated within a specified time. China entry visas will take effect from the date of issuance, and some countries will stipulate the effective date of entry visas separately.

2. Transit visa

Transit visa is a visa that allows the holder to go to a third country through the territory of the country from a port open to the outside world or a designated port within a specified time. To obtain a transit visa, you must obtain a valid entry visa or other entry permit of the country in advance (except visa-free countries). According to international practice, direct transit passengers who hold joint air tickets and do not leave the airport within 24 hours are generally exempt from visas, but some countries still require transit visas.

3. Exit visa

An exit visa is a visa that allows the holder to leave the country through a port that is open to the outside world or designated. Some countries have no restrictions on exit ports. Many countries, including China, have cancelled exit visas, and foreigners leave the country with valid certificates within the period of stay allowed by visas or the validity of residence certificates.

4. Port visa

Port visa, also known as visa on arrival, refers to a visa issued by a country's visa authority to foreigners who arrive at their country's port of entry according to law, so that the parties can enter the country in time to deal with emergency affairs. Countries that implement port visas have stipulated the conditions and procedures for applying for port visas.

5. Other categories

Some countries have also set up entry and exit visas, entry and exit visas and re-entry visas. There are no such types of visas in China at present.

Four. Visa type

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 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 four basic categories: 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.

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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

Verb (abbreviation for verb) visa form

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 or leave the country. Most of the early visas took this form.

2. Stamped visa

The fixed format of the visa is engraved on the seal. When making a visa, stamp the visa page of the applicant's passport or other travel documents and fill in the necessary contents. 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 make the contents of the visa on special visa paper according to a fixed format, and paste 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. Individual visa

A separate visa refers to a one-page visa that is separate from a 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.

5. Machine readable visa

Machine-readable visa-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. E-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 have adopted this visa.

7. Individual visas and group visas

Personal visa refers to the visa made on each applicant's personal passport or other travel documents. Group visa generally refers to the visa on the group list. Group visa holders must travel with the group and enter and leave the country together.

legal ground

Measures of the People's Republic of China on the Administration of Issuing Ordinary Passports and Entry-Exit Passes (20 1 1 Amendment)

Article 3 The exit and entry administration of public security organs shall refer to international technical standards, and gradually popularize the issuance of electronic chip ordinary passports (hereinafter referred to as electronic ordinary passports) to improve the anti-counterfeiting performance of passports.

The electronic chip stores the registration items of the ordinary passport, the facial portrait and fingerprint information of the holder, etc.

Article 4 When applying for an ordinary passport, a citizen shall submit it to the exit-entry administration department of the public security organ of the local people's government at or above the county level where his domicile is located, and submit the following authentic and valid materials:

(1) A recent bareheaded photo, and a complete Application Form for China Citizens Going Abroad for Private Purposes (hereinafter referred to as the Application Form);

(two) the identity card and residence booklet and a copy; During the collection, renewal and replacement of resident identity cards, temporary resident identity cards, household registration books and their copies may be submitted;

(3) Citizens under the age of 16, accompanied by their guardians, shall submit their opinions on leaving the country, resident identity cards or household registration books, passports and photocopies;

(4) State functionaries shall, in accordance with the relevant provisions, submit the certificate that their unit or the competent unit at a higher level has approved to leave the country in accordance with the personnel management authority;

(5) Other materials required by the exit-entry administration department of the public security organ of the provincial local people's government after being approved by the exit-entry administration department of the Ministry of Public Security.

Servicemen who apply for ordinary passports shall, after completing the examination and approval procedures in accordance with the administrative authority, submit them to the exit-entry administration department of the public security organ of the local people's government at or above the county level where the troops are located.