Visa & Immigration Guides

Difference Between E-Visa and Regular Visa : Complete Details

autohr img By Vipul Jain | 10 Oct, 2025

Difference Between E-Visa and Regular Visa

Travelling in today’s world is very accessible and trending. Millions of people travel internationally for different purposes, such as business, tourism, study, etc. One of the most important aspects of travelling across borders is securing a visa. It is necessary to understand the visa application process as it requires a lot of documentation. 

In this blog, we have comprehensively explained the differences between e-visas and regular visas, how to apply for them, the cost, usage, and much more. 

Key Takeaways

  • E-visas are electronic, while Regular visas come in a physical form.
  • Obtain an E-visa through the official e-visa filing portal online. 
  • Obtain a Regular visa by visiting the Embassy or Consulate.
  • E-visa is cheaper and convenient than a Regular visa.
  • Regular visas are universally acceptable, while E-visas are not.
  • E-visas are processed faster compared to Regular visas.

What is an Electronic Visa?

An E-visa or an electronic visa is a type of visa that you can obtain online through the official website of the e-visa portal. This recent development seems to be very convenient for the travel industry as it streamlines the entire visa application process. You can complete the whole process online, and this visa will also be issued to you electronically. There is no need to visit the embassy or consulate. 

How to Apply for E-Visa?

The visa application process for an e-visa is quite easy for most countries. Here are the steps that you need to follow while applying for an e-visa:

  1. Visit the website: You need to visit the country’s official e-visa portal to apply for an e-visa. Open the website and start filling out the e-visa application form.
  2. Submit Documents: After completing the application, you need to upload copies of all the required travel documents. In some countries, you may need to upload additional documents like accommodation details, itineraries, and proof of financial support.
  3. Payment: You can pay for the e-visa fee online by using a debit or credit card. The cost can vary as it depends on the visa type and the country you are applying to.
  4. Processing Time: The processing time for an e-visa is usually faster than compared of a sticker visa. The time can range from a few hours to several weeks, as it totally depends on the country. After the approval of your application, your e-visa will be sent to you electronically via email.
  5. Issuance: Keep in mind that the e-visa is linked to the passport number of the applicant. Although it is recommended that you print out your e-visa or its confirmational email to show upon arrival at the destination country. 

What is a Regular/Sticker Visa?

A sticker visa or a regular visa is a type of physical visa that is affixed to your passport. This is the form of the traditional visa process which had been used for many years. In this process, the applicant has to visit the embassy or consulate for the visa application. 

How to Apply for a Regular Visa?

The sticker visa application can be considered as more time-consuming and less cost-effective than the e-visa. Here are the general steps to apply for a regular visa:

  1. Visit the Embassy personally: The first step is to find the embassy near your location and prepare all the required documents for a traditional visa. You should book an appointment before visiting the embassy.
  2. Submit Documents: You need to submit all the documents personally, such as the passport, photographs, and other documents. For some countries, there are some additional documents required, such as travel insurance, financial statements, invitation letters, and accommodation details. 
  3. Interview: For some countries’ visa applications, you may need to attend the visa interview. During this interview, you will be asked questions about travel plans, financial stability, and the purpose of the visit.
  4. Payment: The fee for the visa is paid to the embassy or consulate in cash or any other accepted form of payment. The amount of the fee can vary as it depends on the country and visa type. 
  5. Processing Time: The time for processing the regular visa can be from several days to weeks. It depends on the country and the application’s complexity. You may be asked to submit your passport to the consulate or embassy for the time being.

Issuance: After the approval of your sticker visa application, it is attached to your passport as a sticker. The visa will contain important information such as visa type, entry dates, duration of stay, etc. You will have to pick up your passport from the consulate or embassy.

Advantages of an E-visa and a Regular Visa

There are many advantages of the E-visa and the Regular Visa. Here is a table representation of their advantages:

Advantages of E-visa

Speed and Convenience:  

  • You can complete the application for an e-visa from anywhere. 
  • The only requirements are an internet connection and pictures of your travel documents. 
  • There is no need to visit the embassy physically, hence it is a less time-consuming process.

Cost-Effective:

  • E-visas offer many cost benefits as the entire process is digital.
  • The expenses are less as it eliminates the need for courier, postage, and travel to embassies.
  • Online payments have a simple process, which makes it quicker to apply. 

Less Paperwork: 

  • The whole paperwork transitions digitally, which dramatically lessens the load for travellers.
  • The e-visas have less paperwork, a secure application, fewer mistakes, and a smaller carbon footprint. 

Advantages of a Regular visa

Accepted universally: There is more flexibility for the sticker visas, as you can enter from all the entry points of the country you are visiting. 

Through Review: In this visa application process, there are very less chances of making mistakes as it requires a thorough review of the documents and travel intentions.

Security: Regular visas are more secure as they are difficult to forge. Hence, they provide an extra layer of security.

Disadvantages of an E-Visa and a Regular Visa

The disadvantages of the e-visas and regular visas are given below in tabular form:

Disadvantages of e-Visa

User Restrictions: There are some countries that restrict the use of some specific airports or crossings to applying for an e-visa. It means that the country will only allow some nations to apply for an evisa. 

Universally Not Accepted: 

  • The e-visas are not accepted in all countries, as there are many nations that haven’t reached this level of advancement yet. 
  • In these countries, you will have to use the traditional visa application process. 

More Expensive: These visas are comparatively more expensive than e-visas as they include additional handling and administrative fees. 

Disadvantages of a Regular Visa

Long Processing Time: The processing time for a regular visa is longer than evisa. This can cause a hindrance in an urgent travel plan.

Inconvenience: The whole process of applying for a sticker visa is quite time-consuming and inconvenient, as it includes visiting the consulate or embassy, submitting documents physically, and attending an interview.

Many countries understand the importance of streamlining the immigration process and implementing the provisions of e-visas. 

The following are the countries that offer simple and comprehensive evisa options:

  • India
  • Myanmar
  • Australia
  • Turkey
  • Vietnam
  • Sri Lanka
  • Georgia
  • Kenya
  • Qatar

The countries that provide some specific e-authorization systems for certain visitors are:

  • Unites States
  • Canada
  • UK

Why Choose Visament?

The visa application process can be a bit complex for applicants. The smallest of errors can cause denial or rejection. So to prevent all this and get faster approvals on your visa applications, you should seek guidance from the experts. Visament is India’s trusted online platform on which you can get help from the professionals for visa services. Our experts provide personalized solutions for all your issues. Our customer care services are available 24/7 to solve any queries you have regarding the services. We ensure fast approvals at a pocket-friendly budget. So get your visas from the comfort of your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the e-visas are cheaper than the regular visas as they eliminate all the costs associated with physical processing of the sticker visas, such as courier, postal, or visiting an embassy.

A multiple-entry visa is best for frequent or long-term travel, as you can have multiple entries or exits in the country without reapplying each time.

There are way fewer documents needed for the e-visas as compared to the regular visas. There is no need to carry the physical documents to apply for the e-visas; you just need the digital photos of them.

Yes, you can easily travel with your e-visa only. Just make sure that your evisa is linked to your passport, and you carry a printout of the evisa just for reference.

The eligibility for an evisa is totally dependent on the country. Every country has its specific rules for eligibility for the e-visas. If we talk generally, then the individuals who are not eligible for e-visas are those with Diplomatic/Official passports or Laissez-passer travel document holders.

There is no certain number for the types of visas. The visas are categorized on the basis of the country, duration, and purpose of travel. Some of the common types of visas are: Tourist visa, Employment visa, Student Visa, Transit Visa, etc.

Social
comunity img

Join Our Facebook Community of
NRIs/OCIs Like You

Join Community
Storage Preferences

When you visit a website, it may store data about you using cookies and similar technologies. Cookies can be important for the basic operations of the website and for other purposes. You get the option of deactivating certain types of cookies, even so, doing that may affect your experience on the website.

Essential

It is required to permit the basic functionality of the website. You may not disable necessary cookies.

Targeted Advertising

Used to provide advertising that matches you and your interests. May also be used to restrict the number of times you see an advertisement and estimate the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. The advertising networks place them after obtaining the operator’s permission.

Personalization

Permits the website to recognize the choices you make (like your username, language, or the region you are in). Also provides more personalized and enhanced features. For instance, a website may inform you about the local weather reports or traffic news by storing the data about your location.

Analytics

Aid the website operator to determine how the website performs, how visitors interact with the site, and whether there are any technical issues.