Difference Between Passport and Visa: Process, Fees, And More

autohr img By Vipul Jain
20 Jan, 2025

Planning your first trip abroad and preparing your travel documents. Overwhelmed with the paperwork and technicalities? If yes then the first thing to do is complete your visa and passport. Both are important travel documents for international travel. There are plenty of people who don’t know the difference between a visa and a passport. Are you one of them and want to get familiar with both of the teams? If yes then note that a passport is your identity and a visa is a permit. That allows you to visit foreign lands for a limited time. In this blog, we will shed light on passports and visas, their types, and more. Additionally, we also discuss the major difference between a passport and a visa.

So to get your visa or passport with ease to travel abroad stay tuned with us and learn more about both of them. 

Understanding of Passport

Before stepping out on a trip to a foreign country or applying for a passport. It is important to know what a passport is. So a passport is a crucial travel document that works as an identity. Proof outside your native country and it is issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. Passport helps you to book flight tickets, hotels, and more. Additionally, there are various types of passports for different people. So if you are going to apply for a new passport then stay connected with us. Next, we will check out the different types of passports, and how to apply for a passport online.

Different Types of Indian Passport 

When we talk about passports. There are many types of passports given to a particular person for a particular reason. So if you want to apply for an Indian passport then you can choose any of the passports given below. Also, if we talk about the difference between a visa and a passport. Then the visa is issue for various purposes, and the passport is issue based on the individual.

Regular Passport: It is a type of passport that is issued by the government to common citizens for the leisure of traveling.

Diplomatic Passport: The diplomatic passport is granted to government officials and diplomats. Who has their own business or official trips exclusively?

Official Passport: If you are a government employee and working on an official duty then this type of passport is for you.

Emergency Passport: This passport is issued in special cases. Like medical emergencies, important business meetings, and more. 

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Guide to Filling a Passport Application Form

After becoming familiar with what a passport is and its type. If you want to know how to apply for a passport then follow the steps below. 

  • Visit the passport seva website and register yourself.
  • Log in to the Passport Seva Online Portal with your credentials.
  • Fill out a passport applicant form.
  • Select the passport type you want such as regular passport, official passport, and more.
  • Schedule an appointment at any nearest Regional Passport Office (RPO). Apart from this, you can choose Passport Seva Kendra (PSK).
  • Submit the passport fee by selecting any payment method according to your convenience. 
  • Visit the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or the Regional Passport Office (RPO). To attend the appointment on the scheduled date and time. Where your documents will be verified and have to submit biometrics.
  • After submitting your passport application form. You will get the receipt and you can track your passport status online. 
  • Once your application gets processed and approved. The passport will be dispatched to your registered address.

What Do You Mean by Visa?

Visa! It is one of the most important travel documents. It allows citizens to visit any country officially. Visas permit people to enter any country for a particular reason and specific period. 

When we talk about visas there are different types of visas available. Then their validity or fees are different. Also, visas are issued directly by the embassy of a particular country. Besides this, many countries provide visas on arrival. So if you are going to visit a country then it is necessary to be familiar with the types of visa. Next, we will shed light on the different types of visas. After that, we will discuss the difference between a passport and a visa. 

Types of Visas:

Types of Visas

There are various types of visas and each of them has its own purpose. So if you are going to visit abroad then choose any of the below-mentioned types of visa according to your needs. 

Tourist Visa: This type of visa is issued to enjoy a vacation in a foreign land for leisure, and sightseeing for a specific time.

Transit Visa: When we talk about the transit visa then it is issued to the people who need to pass from one country to another. 

Student Visa: This visa is issued to students studying abroad. 

Work Visa: If you want to work abroad then you need to obtain an employee visa. It is issued to employees to work abroad for a limited time period. 

Business Visa: Businesspersons who want to travel abroad to establish business or attend meetings. 

How to Fill an Application Form to Apply For a Visa?

There are plenty of people who think filling out a visa application form is a typical task. If you are one of them and want to know how to apply for a visa then follow the below-mentioned steps. It will help you to fill out the application form for a visa hassle-free and save you time too. 

  • Check the Validity of your Passport: Before applying for a visa it is crucial to check the validity of your passport. This is because most of the countries need a valid passport. 
  • Complete the Visa Application: To fill out a visa application online visit the VFS official website. Fill in standard details in the form, mentioning the purpose of to visit and the duration. 
  • Collect any Supporting Documentation: The next step is to attach all the necessary documents with the application. A valid passport, address proof, identity proof, and other documents for a visa. 
  • Schedule an Interview Appointment, if required: After submitting all the documents. You have to schedule an appointment by selecting the date and time and the nearest VFS center. 
  • Visa Fee Payment and Interview: After scheduling an appointment you have to pay the required fee of a visa. Attend the interview. Applicants will get the receipt by which they can track their visa status online. 

The Major Difference Between Visa and Passport 

When we talk about the difference between a visa and a passport. Then there are several bases on which you can differentiate passport vs visa.

Basis

Passport

Visa

Purpose

A passport helps to prove identity and citizenship for international travel

A visa enables people to enter a specific foreign country

Issued by

The government of the country you are living in 

Embassy of the country you want to visit

Validity

Typically 5 or 10 years

Depends on the purpose and type of visa 

Requirement travel

Required for international travel

Not always required, depends on 

agreements between countries

Example

A small booklet with passport holder photo, personal details, and nationality

A stamp or sticker placed on your passport

Indian citizenship




As per the Citizenship Act, PIO cardholders must stay in India for at least 7 years before making an application for registration

Individuals registered as OCI cardholders for 5 years and residing in India for twelve months before application for registration can become Indian citizens

Fees

INR 1500 for 30 pages and 2000 for 60 pages passport.

The fees for visas depend upon the type of visa and application process. 

Processing Time

4–6 weeks for routine service and 2–3 weeks for expedited service

The visa processing time depends on its type. 

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After going through this blog readers will get to know the difference between a passport and a visa. Above we mentioned the steps to apply for a passport and visa, their differences, and more. So still if you have any doubt and are facing trouble in applying for a visa and passport then we suggest you hire a Visament

It is one of the greatest immigration service providers who assist their clients in various ways. Including filling out an error-free application, speedy approval, collecting documents, and many more. Apart from all these things applicants can also hire them for Aadhaar card, PAN card, OCI, NRI, and other immigration services. They also provide 24*7 customer service and inexpensive prices. Making them the finest immigration service Providers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, passports and visas both have expiration dates.

Application form, Passport, Fee receipt, Photograph, Family documents, Evidence of relationship, Academic documentation, Sponsorship documents, and other supporting documents are needed for a visa.

No, a passport does not replace the need for a visa.

The cost of a passport in India is INR 1,500 for a 36-page booklet and INR 2,000 for a 60-page booklet. However, to get a Tatkal passport applicants need to pay an additional INR 2000.

There are several types of passports for Indians including blue, orange, white, maroon, and diplomatic passports.

Yes, you can apply for a visa on arrival at the border of some countries including Thailand, Maldives, Indonesia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and more.

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