Visa Definition:

A permit issued by a state allowing for the temporary visit by a citizen of another, for a period of time and a specific purpose.

Before travelling to another state, a citizen of a foreign country must generally obtain a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence.

The type of visa needed is based on the purpose of travel.

In some cases, especially short-term tourism between citizens of friendly states, visas may not be required.

Conversely, where the purpose of the travel is to earn a living, a visa is almost always required, regardless as to the friendly relations between states.

A visa usually accompanies a passport or is endorsed thereon, certifying that the citizen of the foreign state is authorized to enter the receiving state for the stated purpose and duration.

In US v Vargas, Justice Neaher adopted these words:

"... a visa was traditionally affixed to a passport itself.

"It continues to be defined as an endorsement made on a passport by the proper authorities (as of the country the bearer wishes to enter) denoting that it has been examined and that the bearer is permitted to proceed."

REFERENCES:

Categories & Topics:

Find you are constantly looking up definitions? Try our search provider (works in most modern browsers)

If you find an error or omission in Duhaime's Legal Dictionary, or if you have legal term suggestion, we'd love to hear from you!

Top Login