Visa glossary: every term, in plain English

Visa paperwork is full of jargon. This glossary defines the terms you’ll meet on application portals and in our guides, in plain language. Where a term has its own guide, we link to it.

Core document types

• Visa — official permission from a country’s authorities to enter and stay for a defined purpose and period. It does not, by itself, guarantee entry.
• eVisa (electronic visa) — a visa applied for and issued online, linked to your passport, with no embassy visit.
• ETA / ESTA (travel authorisation) — an online pre-screening approval for travellers who don’t need a full visa, such as the US ESTA, UK ETA, Canada eTA and upcoming ETIAS. Not a visa.
• Visa on arrival (VOA) — a visa obtained at the border on arrival, rather than in advance.
• Visa-free — entry permitted with just a passport, under an exemption agreement, for short stays.
• Transit visa — permission to pass through a country en route to another.

Entries, validity & stay

• Single entry — you may enter the country once on that visa.
• Double / multiple entry — you may enter twice, or many times, within the validity.
• Validity — the window during which the visa can be used to enter (e.g. “valid 60 days from issue”).
• Duration of stay — how long you may remain per visit (e.g. “up to 30 days”), which can be shorter than the validity.
• 90/180 rule — a limit of 90 days of presence within any rolling 180-day period, used by the Schengen area and others.
• Overstay — remaining beyond your permitted stay, which can trigger fines and entry bans.

On the passport & application

• Bio (data) page — the main passport page with your photo and personal details.
• MRZ (machine-readable zone) — the two lines of <<-filled text at the bottom of the bio page, read by scanners; enter names exactly as shown here.
• Biometrics — fingerprints and/or a facial photo collected for identity verification.
• e-passport / biometric passport — a passport with an embedded electronic chip; required for some authorisations like ESTA.
• Blank pages — unused visa pages required by many countries for stamps or stickers. See passport validity rules.
• Six-month rule — requirement that a passport remain valid at least six months beyond entry (or departure).

Fees & process

• Government / official fee — the mandatory charge set by the issuing authority, paid on the official portal.
• Service / processing fee — an extra charge added by a third-party intermediary; avoidable by using the official site.
• Reference / application ID — the code you use to track and retrieve your application.
• Sponsor — an individual or organisation (host, hotel, employer) required to support some visa applications.
• Consulate / embassy — the diplomatic mission where in-person visas are issued.

Entry systems you’ll hear about

• ETIAS — the EU’s travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors.
• EES (Entry/Exit System) — the EU’s automated border system recording entries and exits of non-EU travellers.
• Visa Waiver Program (VWP) — the US scheme letting eligible nationals travel on an ESTA instead of a visa.
• FMM — Mexico’s tourist entry permit. See the Mexico visa guide.
• IVL — New Zealand’s visitor conservation and tourism levy, charged with the NZeTA.

← All travel guides · Related: how eVisas work, visa on arrival, passport validity rules, FAQ.