Visa vs Residence Permit — Here’s the Difference Between these two Documents

Guide on Visa vs Residence Permit Requirement in Traveling

VISA VS RESIDENCE PERMIT – Here is a guide on the difference between these two (2) travel documents usually confused against the other.

Are you planning to fly to another country soon or in the future? It is important to know the terms and the different documents that are usually required for entry to other nations to ensure a smooth and accurate processing of these documents.

Visa vs Residence Permit
Photo Credit: Tour My India

There are several beautiful countries and territories across the globe that are just waiting for you. Whether you can or cannot travel anytime soon, it will be an excellent move to be aware of the travel documents that you might need to process when you pursue the plan to travel and tick it off the list.

Travel
Photo Credit: Spot

When it comes to travel documents, two (2) of the most commonly required documents are travel visa and residence permit. These two (2) documents are undeniably often interchanged or there are a lot of people who are confused about their difference.

Visa vs Residence Permit. A travel visa is required by some countries for entry for the purpose of tourism, work, business, studies, etc. while a residence permit is required when a person will settle in a foreign country.

Another major difference on visa vs residence permit is that the former is usually intended for short stays in a foreign country only while the latter is required for extended stays. The travel visa come in different types such as the following:

  • Tourist Visa
  • Transit Visa
  • Medical Visa
  • Working Holiday Visa
  • Student Visa
  • Family Reunion Visa
  • Investment Visa
  • Official Visa
  • Refuge or Asylum Visa
  • Retirement Visa
  • Pilgrimage Visa

There are several visa on arrival countries across the globe. These are nations that immediately grant visa to visitors upon arrival provided that the visitors comply with all the requirements.

On the other side of the spectrum, while there are visa on arrival or VOA countries, there are also no visa countries. Here are the nations that do not require a visa for entry:

  • Armenia
  • Barbados
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Cape Verde Islands
  • Colombia
  • Comoro Islands
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Cote d’Ivoire
  • Dominica
  • Fiji
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Haiti
  • Hong Kong (SAR China)
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Israel
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Macao (SAR China)
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Micronesia
  • Mongolia
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • Nicaragua
  • Niue
  • Pakistan
  • Palau Islands
  • Palestinian Territory
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Peru
  • Rwanda
  • Samoa
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • Somalia
  • Sri Lanka
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Suriname
  • Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • The Gambia
  • Timor-Leste
  • Togo
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Vanuatu
  • Vietnam

If you want to visit Indonesia, you need to secure the requirements for Indonesia Visa application. It goes the same if you wish to visit Japan, one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It requires a travel visa for entry and there are requirements for Japan Visa application.

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