They are documents that are issued by a government that grants permission to foreigners looking to visit the respective country. Unlike passports that act as proof of your country of origin, visas are markers that state the time period for which you will be allowed to remain in the foreign country.

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Now, various countries have put forth different types of regulations when it comes to their visa process. Following is a table illustrating the same:

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Visa Free :- Visa-free travel is the benefit where you can visit a country without having to obtain a visa. This is applicable if the two countries in question have an agreement for the same, or if the country one is visiting has opened its borders to foreign nationals unilaterally.

Visa On-Arrival :- Also known as an on-arrival visa, these are granted to a visitor at the port of entry. The entire process of issuing the visa is initiated and completed at the port of entry government authorities.

E-Visa :- E-Visas are, in essence, official documents issued online by a country’s immigration official that grant visitors with permission to enter it. These are an alternative to the regular paper-based visas that are issued by a country’s embassy.

Entry Permit :- Countries issue entry permits to their visitors in lieu of visas. These entry permits are documents that allow foreigners to enter and stay in the country legally for a certain period of time.

Now, let us take a look at the type of visas offered to Indian passport holders by different countries around the world.