Never flown as a adult before. Also, do not have a passport. Can someone explain how they work, in basic terms?
Do I buy a passport, fly, have the country stamp it which shown that I have permission to enter? What is a Visa?
In:
You obtain a passport from your government. You’ll probably have to pay a fee and wait for some time (which may be weeks, so you should do this well in advance). They’ll probably want some sort of ID.
A visa is basically a permission to fly somewhere you usually couldn’t go. So for instance an American can fly to the UK without one by just having a passport and buying a flight, because there’s an agreement between the US and the UK. But if you want to go to Russia, then they won’t let you in as it is. You need to go to the Russian embassy in your region, explain to them why you want to go there, provide documentation (typically some personal info, information about your background, travel plans) and prove your ties to your home country.
There are multiple kinds of visa. You probably want a nonmigrant one, meaning you want to come there for a short time and then leave. There are other visas for bringing your foreign spouse in to your country, or staying permanently to work. A nonmigrant visa doesn’t authorize you to work.
Some countries are worried that you might not leave. So they ask you to prove you have reasons to return, such as: not being too poor, having a job, having a house, being a student, etc. They’ll also ask questions about what your plans are, whether you’ve been committed of any crimes, and so on. You may be interviewed in person. A visa lasts for a limited time (a year or so, you can get long term ones if you fly a lot) and grants entry for a limited time too, like say 3 months.
The visa goes in your passport. It’s printed into one of its pages. It can take a long time, also weeks.
[Here’s an example of what the US asks for people wishing to travel to the US](https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/PDF-other/DS-160-Example_07292019.pdf). Yes, it’s quite thorough, and they ask pretty interesting questions, like if you intent to commit terroristic acts.
So with that out of the way, you buy your plane ticket, probably enter the passport and visa number (if needed) on some form, and fly.
Once you land you’ll go through passport control. You may have your fingerprints taken, your passport will be looked at, and you may be interviewed by border control. They’ll put a stamp on one of your passport’s pages. After that, you go in.
It’s a very bad idea to lie or to overstay your visa. Any funny business can get you into a lot of trouble, and will likely ban you from entering the same country again.
You will need to add more info.
Where are you from and where are you going?
That make it easier to answer for your case.
Best thing to do is to go to your local government (city hall), ask for a passport, and inform about the place you’re planning to visit. They’ll have all correct info and hoops you’ll need to jump through
A passport is a form of identity that’s internationally accepted and essentially gives authority to leave your own country.
A Visa is authority to temporarily enter a country as either a tourist or a temporary worker.
You don’t buy a passport, you apply for a passport that your country issues for you. I’m guessing you’re from the USA, so here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/how-to-apply.html
When you enter or leave a country they denote it by stamping your passport at the border.
A visa is a document produced by a country that allows a person to enter it. Many countries have visa waiver programs for certain others countries, meaning they don’t require a visa to enter if you’re from the country. For example if you’re American you can freely enter any country in the European Union without a visa. If a country does require a visa, you need to get one at that country’s consulate/embassy in your own country.
A passport is a document issued by a government that verifies that the holder is a national of said country. Different countries have different laws regarding nationality and issuance of passports so that’s the most generic answer I can give you. You apply for a passport with the issuing authority of your country of citizenship, and you usually have to pay a fee to get one. When you travel internationally, your passport will be stamped when you arrive at your destination, when you depart, and when you return to your home country. A visa is a document issued by a foreign government that gives you permission to enter that country for a specific purpose and period of time (e.g., student visa, tourist visa, business visa). Sometimes visas must be issued before you travel, and sometimes they are issued when you arrive. Many countries have agreements with other countries that their citizens can travel between them without a visa for some period of time.
First, make sure if you need a passport to travel. If you’re going to a different country the answer is likely “yes” but not always.
If you do need a passport you need to apply for one. In the USA you can send your birth certificate to the State Department along with a passport photo and the fee and get the approval and passport. Follow the instructions you find online. Obviously it might vary country to country.
The passport is proof of your identity and citizenship. The next thing you need is permission to enter the country you’re traveling to. That permission is granted with a Visa (not the credit card).
Some places you need a visa beforehand. Other places might give you a visa on arrival. Again you have to check this for yourself depending on where you’re from and where you’re going. It’s not standardized world wide.
Once you have the passport and know the visa rules you can go to the country you’re visiting.
There you’ll have to go through immigration where they check your passport and approve your visa and then customs which makes sure you’re bringing what you’re allowed to bring. This is done at a “port of entry” which could be an airport or at a road that crosses the border or at a seaport if you’re on a cruise.
Once you’ve done all that you’re good to go.
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