Applying
for a regular visa normally takes seven or more days before it is approved by
the embassy or consulate. Because of this lengthy process, almost every country
in the world has put up an online visa application service, apparently to
minimize the time and efforts spent by visa applicants to get a visa stamp on
their passport. Processing of online visa application may differ from one
country to another but the primary purpose remains the same-to approve the visa
as fast as possible for the benefit of visa applicants.
In
the United States, a non-immigrant visa application is filed online through the
DS-160 Form for temporary travel to the country. The country’s consular office
uses the information entered in the DS-160 form to determine if the applicant
is eligible for a non-immigrant visa. In the United Kingdom, applicants filing an
Online
visa application are required of a
valid email address and to present their original passport, supporting documents,
and the required visa fees for them to approve the visa as fast as possible. An
Indian visa form, meanwhile, guides visa applicants in filling out an online
visa form for submission to the India Service Center (VSC). The VSC does not
process visa applications that are not officially submitted to its offices and
therefore it cannot expedite the approval of travel visa.
A
visa from online visa application takes the form of an Electronic Travel
Authorization (ETA) in some countries like Sri Lanka, which is issued to
persons intending to visit this Democratic Socialist Republic. ETA is also
applied online and submitted to the Sri Lanka Overseas Mission (SLOM) in the
applicant’s country of origin. Even Oman, a unitary Islamic state, joins other
states in also processing online applications for new visa to help expedite the
approval of travel visa of applicants wishing to visit Oman.
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