Glossary of Terms
Amendment – A change in descriptive data validity, such as name, or number of pages in a current passport.
Application Forms – The Passport Office and the various Embassies have application forms which muse be completed in full and truthfully as part of the documentation required to request a passport or visa. Forms must be signed by the applicant, except in the case of minors.
It is important to note that applications can be rejected by issuing officers for one or more of the following reasons. (1) Application form is outdated, (2) Application form is from a Consulate other than the one being applied to, (3) photocopies of the forms are not acceptable, (4) photocopy of applicants signature, (5) incomplete information on forms (6) damaged form, (7) contradictory information. Check on our website whether forms can be photocopied or originals are required.
British Nationality: The British Nationality Act of 1981 defines the following categories of citizens:
- British Citizen
Of these categories, only British Citizens have the automatic right to live permanently in the UK and are free to leave and re-enter at any time. Please check the designation in the passport if you are unsure as to your nationality category or call our office.
Business Travel – In generic terms refers to persons entering a foreign country for the purpose of conducting commercial discussions. Persons travelling for business should not be encourage to secure tourist visas. Only a few countries issue the same visa to tourists and business people. Business visas should not be construed as work visas.
Consulate – A division within a foreign government’s representation that has a specific purpose, one which is responsible for the issuance of visas. Some of the Consulates require that persons residing in certain counties apply for visas through their other Consulates in the U.K.
Consular Fees – The fee paid to the Embassy or Consulate of the country of destination in order to have the visa issued. Some visas are issued free-of-charge. Others have different fees according to the nationality of the traveller, purpose of travel, length of stay, or the number of entries. Fees range widely sometimes, payable whether a visa is granted or not.
Embassy – The official representation of a foreign government in London, which is staffed by an ambassador and his personnel. In the case of a commonwealth country it is called a High Commission. Embassies and High Commissions work under the instructions of their Foreign Ministries.
Jurisdiction – The geographical area for whose residents a particular Consulate has the responsibility for issuing of visas.
Legalisation – The procedure to certify the signatures on a legal or commercial document, in order to prove that it is a valid document abroad.
Length of Stay – The duration of stay permitted in the country of destination, as designated by the visa. The length of stay may be extended once abroad in some cases, but this should be checked before departure with the relevant embassy.
Number of Entries – The number of times the passport bearer may enter and re-enter the country of destination on one visa.
Passport – An internationally recognised travel document attesting to the identity and nationality of the bearer. It is issued by a government to its citizens or subjects, and entitles the bearer to protection by his/her own country when travelling abroad. A passport is not recognised as a valid travel document until it is SIGNED by the bearer. See also Validity of a Passport and Restricted Passports.
Passport Photographs – 35mm by 45mm available at photo booths. Only a few countries are particular about whether the photos are black and white or colour.
Processing Time – The length of time required by a passport office, Embassy, or Consulate to prepare the travel documentation requested. Processing times are estimates, not necessarily a guarantee, range from a few minutes to several months, depending on the nationality of the traveller, purpose of travel, destination, (sometimes the destination within the foreign national, length of stay, former nationality of the traveller (if applicable) and above all, type of visa requested.
Proof of Identity – Legal document attesting to the identity of the bearer. It should have the name, the physical description, and a photograph of the bearer. A driver’s license is the most common form.
Proof of Nationality – Legal document attesting to the nationality of the bearer. All countries accept a valid passport. Some countries in North and Central America as well as the Caribbean MAY accept one or more of the following from a U.S. citizen:
- Valid Passport
- Expired Passport
- Certified copy of birth certificate
- Military discharge
- Naturalisation papers, or
- Voter’s registration card.
All E.U countries accept one another’s N.I.C.s as proof of identity and nationality.
Second Passport – Only issued to travellers that can prove a need, i.e. heavy travel commitments requiring visas to be obtained in the U.K. whilst travelling abroad.
Tourist – Traveller whose sole purpose is to spend a holiday in the country of destination. Persons who will be visiting relatives, having business discussions, or playing sports, for example, are NOT tourists and the requirements for entry may be different from the tourist requirements.
Tourist Card – Entry permit issued by a commercial airline or other vessel, by a government tourist office, or by a Consulate. It is only issued by some Caribbean, South and Central American countries. It is similar to a visa in purpose, but it is not issued in the passport. Tourist cards are usually only good for one trip for a short stay of up to three months depending on the country.
Transit – Passing through one country for the sole purpose of travelling to another country. Transmit may be by ground, air, sea, or rail transport. Transmit visas are sometimes required even when the traveller is not passing through Immigration Control.
Vaccination – Inoculation taken to ward off potential infectious diseases. The most common vaccinations for the international traveller are cholera, yellow fever and malaria.
Vaccination Certificate – International Certificates of Vaccination are official documents provided to record vaccinations for presentation to health officials abroad.
Validity of a Passport – The length of time from the date of issue that the passport may be used by the bearer for travel abroad for which it can be used. For persons 18 years of age and older, a U.K. passport is usually valid for ten years from the date of issue. Otherwise, it is valid for five. When a certified birth certificate cannot be presented in emergency situation or when a passport is being issued to replace a lost or stolen one, the validity of the passport may be only one year though, usually later extendable.
Validity of a Visa – The validity of a visa consists of three parts:
- Length of time from the date of issue during which the traveller must make the first entry
- Length of stay, once the traveller has entered the country
- Number of permitted entries
However, many visa officers use the term "validity" interchangeably with "length of stay". Therefore, it is important to make the distinction clear when verifying the terms of a visa. Also, some visas are issued only for exact dates of travel and exact destinations within the foreign country, and must be used within that time and at that place.
Visa – An entry in a passport made by a consular official of a government giving permission to the bearer to enter the country concerned. It is usually only granted after examination of the passport and application document. However, a visa is not a guarantee of entry. Immigration on arrival has the final say.
Entry Clearance – The process whereby an Immigration official of the country you are entering grants you permission to enter the country, it is extremely unusual but not unknown for a person who has obtained a visa to be refused, usually this happens because the officer is not satisfied that the traveller is entering the country for the purpose that they have stated on the visa application, e.g. a tourist who intends to work.