Q1. What is a VISA?

VISA stands for Visitor’s Intended Stay Abroad. A Visa is the permission that is granted by a nation to a traveler permitting entry into that country for a specific purpose. Most visas are stamped in the travellers’ passport. There are different types of visas which are granted for the specific purposes like tourism, conducting business or attending a conference or symposium, establishing temporary or permanent residence, or for education. A traveler must follow the set guidelines and procedures established by each nation in applying for the appropriate visa category.

Q2. How do I apply for a visa?

In order to apply for a VISA, please visit our website at www.visalounge.com. Under the Visa Eligibility menu, we have detailed information provided about Eligibility criteria for applying visa, Documents required, Visa Categories, Visa Fees etc. Please go through the same and once done, please click on Apply Visa link on our website to fill the online form, one single form for all Visa countries. Make the payment and sit back & relax. You will receive your e-Visa on your email id once issued by the concern immigration/approving authority. In case of non e-Visa countries, the documents need to be submitted to Visa Experts at our office and post processing you will receive your visa stamped on the Passport.

Q3. What is the eligibility Criteria for applying Visa?
A. Indian National holding a valid Indian passport can apply for Visa.
B. Person who wishes to travel for the purpose of Tourism, Business or Family visit can apply visa through Visa Lounge. Person who seeks employment is not eligible to apply through Visa Lounge.
C. We suggest applicants to carry Travel Insurance while travelling to any of the countries. Visa Lounge also provides Travel Insurance to passengers at an additional cost.

Q4. What type of visa should I apply for?

We at Visa Lounge process visas for applicants wishing to travel abroad either for Tourism, Business, Conference or Transit (if transiting via a country to Destination country). As per your purpose of travel, you can apply for visas accordingly.

Q5. Will I get an approved visa if I process it through Visa Lounge?

The decision to grant/reject visa is sole prerogative of Consulate/Immigration of the country you applied visa for. Visa Lounge is visa facilitating company and hence does not influence the decision of grant/rejection of any visa applications.

Q6. What is the validity of Visa issued? What date is my visa valid from?
Visa validity varies country to country and visa category wise. Please refer to information under Visa Eligibility pages.

Visa is valid from the day the visa is issued and not from the date of entry in the visiting country.

Q7. What is the cost for a visa?
The cost differs Visa category wise for every country. Please refer to information under Visa Eligibility pages.

Q8. What is the normal processing time for visas? How soon can we apply for visas?

The normal time taken to process visas is generally from 02-03 Working days to 10-15 Working days depending upon the country you are applying your visas for. For certain countries it may take more time than usual if the application is pending with the Security Department. Consulates/Immigration offices are generally closed on Saturday, Sunday & any holidays as declared by the concern Consulate/Immigration. We suggest you apply for your visas well in advance depending upon your travel dates to avoid any last minute hassle. Please contact our Visa experts who will assist you with more information.

Q9. How will I receive my visa?

For e-Visa countries, Visa will be in the form of a paper visa and will be emailed to you once it is approved by Embassy/Immigration office. For Stamped visa countries, the visas will be received stamped on your Passport.

Q10. Is Yellow Fever vaccination mandate for applying visas?

Yellow Fever vaccination is mandate if travelling to African & South American countries.

Q11. I have a valid Dubai Visa but haven’t used/travelled on the same and the same has expired. Can I reapply for a new visa?

Yes, you may reapply for a new visa, however the earlier unutilised visa needs to be cancelled first before applying for new visa or else there are chances of new visa being rejected by the UAE immigration. Please note, Visa cancellation charges are applicable, please contact our Contact centre to know the same.

Q12. My Passport is valid for less than 06 months, can I apply for visa and travel basis the same?

Generally, most of the Consulates/Immigration offices require a Passport which is valid for at least 06 months from the return date of travel while applying for a visa. However, in some cases certain Consulate/Embassies do accept the applications for processing. We suggest you to have Passport valid for at least 06 months, as, in spite of holding valid visas, you may not be allowed by the Immigration officers to enter the foreign country.

Q13. Do I need to submit my original passport along with the Visa application form?

For the majority of countries, a travel visa is stamped on, or affixed to, a travel visa page inside a passport. Hence, for applying Stamped visas, you are required to submit your original Passport to us, since the same needs to be submitted at the Consulate/Embassy. Once visa is processed, the Passport with Visa stamped, will be returned back to you.

For e-Visa countries, original Passport is not required to be submitted to us, copy of Passport First & Last page will suffice.

Q14. Is Travel Insurance mandate while applying for visa or while travelling abroad?

Travel Insurance is not mandate for all countries while applying the visas, but there are certain countries, especially the Schengen countries which require you to submit the Travel Insurance when applying for the visa. However, we suggest you carry Travel Insurance while travelling which will secure you from any uncertainties that may take place during travel. Visa Lounge provides Travel Insurance at an additional cost.

Q15. What is OTB? Is it required for travel to all countries?

OTB stands for OK To Board. OK To Board (OTB) wherever applicable is an airline requirement. Providing correct valid PNR along with the application is the responsibility of the applicant for updating the OTB status. You are advised to check OTB status 48 hrs prior to date of travel from concerned airline. Visa Lounge will not be held liable in any manner whatsoever for any denial of boarding due to communication delay from applicant / agent or due to airline constraints. OTB is required to be updated only if you are travelling to any of the GCC countries like Dubai, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar etc. For updating OTB, additional charges will be applicable, as per airline. You may write to info@visalounge.com  or call our Contact Center on +91 022 42930966 for any queries related to the same.

Q16. What is consular jurisdiction and how does it affect my visa processing? 

Consular jurisdiction is the geographic area for which a consulate has responsibility for issuing visas. Jurisdictional requirements are determined by each country and frequently vary.  Some consulates have strict enforcement of jurisdiction while other consulates are flexible with their jurisdictional

requirements.  Your visa processing options are determined by the jurisdictional requirements in place for the consulate that will issue your visa.

Q17. What is a Schengen visa? 
The Schengen visa gets its name from a small town in Luxembourg where a treaty was signed in 1995 to end internal border checkpoints and controls. The following European countries currently honour this visa:

With a Schengen visa, you may enter one country and travel freely throughout the Schengen zone. This type of visa only applies to nationalities that would normally be required to obtain a visa prior to entering the countries above. Typically, US citizens would not need to apply for a Schengen visa.  If you would like to apply for a Schengen visa, you should apply for a visa for the country in which you will stay the longest.  If you do not have a main destination, you should apply for a visa for the country that will be your first point of entry.

Q18. Do I need a visa to transit through a country?
Many countries do not require a visa if you are in-transit to another destination and are staying for a very short period of time however, specific transit

requirements vary widely from country to country.  Please connect with our Visa Experts to know the transit requirements for your destination.

Q19. What is the difference between visa validity and maximum stay?

The validity of a given visa represents the dates that the visa is effective. For instance, if a visa for China is valid for 90 days, you must enter China before the period of 90 days expires. Maximum stay is the time allotted for stay in the country. Using China as an example, the default maximum stay is 30 days, which means you are only allowed to stay in China for 30 days, even if your visa validity is 90 days. Please note that different countries may have different requirements and interpretations regarding visa validity and maximum stay. Please visit Visa Eligibility pages under our website for more information.

Q20. What Is an Invitation Letter for a Visa?

Some countries, require the visitors to include a letter of invitation with their travel visa application. A letter of invitation is a formal letter from the person you intend to visit stating that they are inviting you to visit them in that country. Invitation letters help travel authorities vet potential visitors by

making sure that a temporary visit is indeed the true nature of the visa request. Check with your intended destination’s government website for details on what needs to be included in a such a letter.

Q21. Visa-Free Vs. Visa on Arrival Vs. Visa Required

Visa-free refers to the ability to travel to a foreign country without the need for a travel visa. In such a case only a valid passport is required for entry and exit purposes.

Visa on arrival means that travellers must obtain a visa in order to enter the destination country, but it can be obtained upon arrival. Visitors do not need to apply for a travel visa beforehand.

Visa required means that travellers must apply for a visa to the country before actually travelling there.

Q22. How Are Travel Visas Linked to My Passport?

In order to apply for a travel visa, applicants must have a valid passport as the visa is typically stamped or glued into the passport. In the case of e-Visas, the visa is linked to your passport number in the country’s travel database.

Q23. What Does a Visa Look Like?

Traditional visas can either be stamped or glued into your passport. If your visa is glued into your passport, it is usually a small document that includes your name, passport number, place of birth, reason for travel and expiration date. Stamped visas typically have less information on them. They usually only have the destination and date from which the visa is valid and official instructions stating how many days the visa is valid for.

Q24. Immigrant Vs. Non-immigrant Visas

Travel visas can be separated into two categories: immigrant and non-immigrant. Immigrant visas allow the bearer to reside permanently in the host country, whereas non-immigrant visas allow the bearer entry into the host country on a temporary basis.

Q25. What Is a Tourist Visa?

Travel visas allow the bearer to enter a foreign country for touristic and leisure purposes only and stay for a predetermined amount of time. These visas do not entitle the holder to work or engage in any business activities in the host country.

Q26. What Is a Business Visa?

A business visa allows the bearer to enter the host country and engage in business activities without joining that country’s labour market. For example, an individual may require a business visa if they are travelling to a country to do business with another company or if they are attending a business conference. The visitor typically must show that they are not receiving income from the country.

Q27. If I wish to cancel my visa application, do I receive a refund?

If your visa application has not been submitted for processing you will receive a full refund. However, if your application has been submitted, then we will not be able to provide a refund.

Q28. If approved, does this guarantee my admission to the country I am  applying for?

All approved visas grant travellers the permission to travel to a country. However, whether you are granted entry or not will be at the discretion of the Immigration Officer at the entry point.