Visa types explained
Pick the reason you are travelling and see every visa route, its evidence standard, the countries that offer it and the cheapest and fastest options.
Pick the reason you are travelling
- Visit & tourism: Tourist, business visitor, transit and group-tour visas for short stays.
- Study abroad: Student visas, offers of place, proof of funds and post-study work rights.
- Work permits: Sponsored work permits, skilled worker routes and labour-market tests explained.
- Family & partner: Spouse, partner, dependant and family sponsorship routes, with evidence lists.
- Business & invest: Investor, golden visa, innovator and start-up founder routes with funds tests.
- Permanent residence: Points-based skilled migration, PR renewals and settlement routes, step by step.
- Citizenship: Naturalisation, residence counting, absences and civics testing requirements.
How to use this page
Pick the reason you are travelling and the visa type page shows the routes every destination offers for it, who qualifies, what it costs all-in, how long the decision takes and why applications are refused. From there, choose a destination to see the exact documents for your passport and start the application.
- Visit: tourist, business and transit visas, e-visas and visa-on-arrival, with stay limits and multiple-entry options
- Study: student visas and permits, admission letters, proof of funds and post-study work rights
- Work: sponsored work permits, skilled-worker routes, labour-market tests and intra-company transfers
- Family: spouse, partner, child and parent visas, relationship evidence and sponsor requirements
- Invest: investor and golden visas, business and start-up routes, minimum investment and residence conditions
- Settle: permanent residence by points, employment, family or long residence
- Citizenship: naturalisation by residence, descent or marriage, dual nationality rules and tests
Questions, answered
What are the main types of visa?
Visitor (tourist, business, transit), student, work, family or dependant, investor or business, permanent residence and citizenship. Each type has its own evidence, fee and timeline.
Which visa type should I apply for?
The one that matches the real purpose of the trip. Applying as a tourist for a paid training course, or as a visitor when you intend to work, is treated as misrepresentation and refused.
Do tourist visas allow business meetings?
In most countries a visitor visa covers meetings, conferences and negotiations but not paid work. Check the business visitor rules on the visa type page before you travel.
How long do visa decisions take?
From instant (arrival cards and some ETAs) to several months for sponsored work and residence routes. Each visa type page lists the typical window by destination.