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When traveling to some countries, it may not be as simple as just reserving a spot on a flight or a cruise ship, showing your passport and going on your merry way. Depending on the country, the place you’re visiting may want to have an idea of who you are, and what you’ve been up to (mainly in terms of being a lawful citizen vs….not).

To do that, they may make you get a visa or a visa waiver.

There are some people – even reporters – who think the two are the same (or at least they want their readers to think they’re the same, so that they’ll click and get more information). Case in point, every time the EU announces that their ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) has a new launch date or is delayed again, news entities and social media from around the world start with the headlines that visitors are eventually going to need a visa to enter the Schenghen zone.

The thing is, ETIAS, when it eventually starts, won’t be a visa. It’ll be a visa waiver. And the two are very different things.

What’s the difference?

Let’s start with visas

A visa is a document that lets you to enter a foreign country for a specific length of time and purpose. Whether a visa is required to enter a country depends on your country of citizenship, your reason for travel, the duration of your stay, etc.

There are all different types of visas:

• Travel/tourist visa (for leisure/tourism. This is the most common type of visa and is generally valid for 30 days to 6 months)
• Work visa (required if you want to be employed in the host country)
• Business visa (required if you’re doing business without being in the host country’s labor market. i.e. business conference, doing business with another company, etc. You must not be getting paid from any business within the country)
• Student visa (nonimmigrant visa that allows the bearer to enroll in college/university in the host country. Student visas are also used by high school exchange students)
• Refugee/Asylum visa (for individuals fleeing persecution, war, natural disasters and other situations in which their life is at risk)
• Working holiday visa (allows the traveler to undertake temporary employment in a country through which they are traveling. Not all countries offer this visa)
• Spousal visa (allows partners to visit each other when the couple isn’t from the same country)
• Transit visa (some countries require a transit visa when a person is just “passing through” a country, like if you have a layover for more than just a couple of hours)
• Immigrant visa (these allow the bearer to reside permanently in the host country. All the other visas mentioned are nonimmigrant visas)

We’ll focus on tourism/travel visas since we’re a travel blog.

A travel visa is a conditional authorization granted by a government that allows a visitor from another country to enter, remain within, or leave its country or territory.

Visas often include limits on the duration of the foreigner’s stay (i.e. 1 year, 5 years, etc.), the number of visits allowed during that time frame (could be multiple visits, could be just one), the geographical areas within the country that they’re allowed to visit, and the dates they may visit it/them.

Evidence of having a visa is historically a stamp or sticker placed in the applicant’s passport or other travel documents. In more recent years, a visa can also exist electronically.

It’s important to note that a tourist visa does not confer the right to work, study, or engage in any business activities. If the individual wishes to engage in such activities, they must obtain the appropriate visa, such as a work visa or a student visa, respectively.

Then what’s a visa waiver?

A visa waiver allows citizens of a participating country to travel to another country for upwards of a short period of time (usually “X” number of days, weeks or months). Countries participating in visa waiver programs usually (but not always) have reciprocal agreements with these other countries that allow their respective citizens to travel to the other country without a visa. These countries are generally considered to be “safer,” and their respective travelers are considered to be (A) less dangerous and (B) less likely to apply for asylum.

You still have to apply for a visa waiver, but the information the country requires of you is significantly less. The application is more to keep track of who’s coming and going, rather than to make sure you’re not going to try to relocate permanently or blow something up.

Note: It’s been said that a visa waiver is still a visa of sorts. It’s just an automatic one; you asked to visit from this date to that date and they say yes. And there are still restrictions – you can’t stay too long, get a job, etc. Your passport may still need to be valid for X amount of time. You can be a tourist for X amount of time, and then go home. Consider it “Visa lite”.

Why do we need visas or visa waivers?

Visas

Countries have visas in order to check and control the flow of visitors in and out of the country. It’s also a way to help prevent illegal immigration, security issues and the potential of those intent on other criminal activities from entering their country. Forcing travelers to apply for a visa for the possibility of entry allows the governmental authorities to vet potential visitors before saying they can visit (or not).

Charging for a visa is a way for the country to earn money from potential tourists. The fee for a visa application may or may not vary depending on what country a person is from, how old they are, their reason for visiting, etc.

Some countries have visa restrictions as a tit-for-tat measure (read: reciprocation for visa restrictions that are imposed on their own nationals).

There are currently 43 countries that require U.S. citizens to get a visa before visiting.

Visa waivers

Some countries offer visa waivers in order to check and control the flow of visitors in and out of the country. But since they “trust” the citizens of that country (remember, most visa waiver programs are reciprocal), they don’t vet them as much.

Some countries have visa waivers as a tit-for-tat measure (read: reciprocation for visa waiver restrictions that are imposed on their own nationals).

How do you know if a country you’re planning to visit requires you to get a visa or a visa waiver?

The State Department maintains a page with information about the requirements for U.S. citizens to enter other countries.

Heads up that while you can apply for an visa waiver and have permission within minutes, applying for a visa is oftentimes a much more specified process. Countries that require a visa often ask you to send your passport to an embassy or consulate before you travel. Requirements will vary, but you’re usually asked to provide evidence of your travel bookings, a photograph, a completed visa form and proof of residence. Visa processing can take just a few days…or it can take over than a month. 

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary