📖 Glossary of visa application terms
Explanations of common professional terms for visa processing to help understand visa policies and calculation tools.
Visa type
- Visa type
- Business Visa
- Short-term visas applied for business purposes (meetings, negotiations, exhibitions, etc.), the stay period is usually 30-180 days.
- Visa type
- Exhibition Visa
- For visas applied for participation in international exhibitions and expositions, the stay period is usually 30-90 days.
- Visa type
- Work Permit
- A visa applied for long-term work abroad, with a stay period of 1-2 years, requires a work permit.
- Visa type
- Transit Visa
- A visa required when transiting through a third country; most countries allow visa-free transit as long as you stay in the airport's restricted area.
- Visa type
- Visa-Free
- There is no need to apply for a visa to enter, and there are usually restrictions on the number of days you can stay.
- Visa type
- Visa on Arrival
- There is usually a fee for applying for a visa on-site when arriving at the airport/port of the destination country.
- Visa type
- Electronic visa (e-Visa)
- The electronic visa applied and obtained online does not require mailing or interview.
Calculation rules
- Calculation rules
- 90/180 rule
- The cumulative stay is limited to 90 days per 180-day period (common rules in the Schengen area).
- Calculation rules
- rolling window
- Taking a certain day as the end point, push forward 180 days as the judgment window, and calculate it every day.
- Calculation rules
- fixed period system
- Starting from the first entry date, there is a cycle every 180 days, and the quota is reset at the end of the cycle.
- Calculation rules
- Double quota
- It is subject to two cycle restrictions: 180 days/90 days and 365 days/180 days. Exceeding either limit is a violation.
- Calculation rules
- Cycle quota reset
- At the end of the fixed period, the accumulated stay days are reset to zero, and the quota for the new period is recalculated from 0.
- Calculation rules
- Maximum number of days of stay
- The maximum number of days that you can legally stay in the country from a certain date without exceeding the limit.
Materials and Processes
- Material
- Invitation Letter
- An official letter issued by the inviting party of the destination country, which must contain company information, purpose of visit, expense commitment, etc.
- Material
- Proof of employment
- Issued by your current employer, indicating job title, salary, and permitted leave time.
- Material
- Bank statement
- Bank statements from the past 3-6 months to prove financial ability.
- Material
- Itinerary
- Detailed daily itinerary including accommodation and transportation.
- process
- Interview
- Applicants must go to the embassy or consulate in person for a visa interview.
- process
- Administrative review
- The embassy conducts additional review of applications, which usually takes 2-8 weeks.
Risk and Compliance
- risk
- Rejection
- Common reasons for visa application being rejected: incomplete materials, insufficient funds, insufficient binding force, and unreasonable itinerary.
- risk
- Overstay
- Staying longer than the number of days allowed by your visa may result in fines, entry restrictions, and negative records.
- risk
- Blank passport
- A passport without any exit record may be considered insufficient for domestic binding.
- Compliance
- State Council Order No. 841
- Effective from September 15, 2026, organizations engaged in entry-exit intermediary services must register with the immigration management agency.
- Compliance
- EVUS (United States)
- Electronic Visa Update System: holders of 10-year B1/B2 visas must register in advance (a fee will apply from September 2025).
- Compliance
- Schengen Area
- A region of 29 countries in Europe (25 EU member states plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein) that have eliminated border checks and share the 90/180 day visa rule.