Visas 101
Let's dig into a general introduction to visas, when and why you need one, and a healthy dose of passport privilege.
Honestly, now that I’m sitting down to write about visas, I have no idea what I was thinking last week when I committed to this idea.
If you already live abroad you know this already but if you’re new to the idea, you’ll quickly learn: visas and residency permits are the arch nemesis of expats, immigrants, and digital nomads.
They’re a necessary evil you’ll have to understand, either to master the process or to avoid it all together.
Later this month I’ll dive into more specific visa types to help you start to wade your way through the process but for now, I want to take a step back and make sure we all have the same base understanding before going into any specifics.
Just know, visas aren’t fun in the same way taxes aren’t fun. Maybe a few very strange people will disagree (who actually chooses to be an accountant?!) but I think generally we’re on the same page. There are deadlines, paperwork, and conflicting information online to dig through. It seems like the person in charge knows what they’re looking for but instead of giving us a very clear checklist of things to do and provide, they allow us to guess and do by trial and error.
There’s always a doc missing, no matter how thoroughly you prepare. You can also choose to deal with it on your own or hire an expert to guide you through.
Yes, the longer you pay your taxes or deal with visas, the smoother the process gets. Or, really, the more accepting you become to the curve balls, realizing they’re just another part of the process.
Bored yet?
What’s a Visa?
A visa is an official document, often stamped into your passport, to give you the right to enter into, work, study, or live in a specific country. Obtaining this document is often a prerequisite to arriving to a country (but not always).
There are a lot of different types of visas that we’ll cover next time but for now, just know I’m not talking about tourist visas. I’m focused on long-term visas that allow you to live in a specific country, not just visit it for a few weeks or months.
Your nationality and the country you’re moving to will determine if you need a visa or not. For example, a person from France can move to Spain without a visa because both countries are in the EU.
Your need of a visa will also depend on why you’re moving somewhere. For example, here in Italy I never received a visa to move here but my husband did. We moved here for his job so he was given a work visa. Since I was moving here essentially as his +1, I could skip the visa process and go straight to residency.
Many countries allow many nationalities to visit for 3 months before the need to get a visa. This is how digital nomads often skirt by the rules. Know that isn’t the golden rule but a general starting point.
To sum it up, the definition of a visa doesn’t change but if and when you need one will. This is strictly based on your nationality, where you’re moving, and what you plan to do there. My rights as an American are often different than my husband’s as a Colombian, even if we have the same plans. But more on that in a bit.
What’s a Residency Permit?
A residency permit is often awarded after your visa to give you legal right to reside somewhere. Sometimes the visa is a prereq, sometimes it isn’t. Like I mentioned, in Italy I could skip the visa and go straight to residency.
Usually visas are given out by the embassy but a residency permit is taken care of in-country. This requires another set of paperwork and appointments, often dealt with in the local language of your new country.
In many countries, you just need 1 visa to get your foot in the door and then you deal just with your residency permit in order to stay longer. Again, each country deals with this differently but that’s the general rule. This will also be based on what visa you first arrived on and if you still meet those same requirements.
A residency permit is often what gives you rights like healthcare or discounts on public transportation. It’s often a more understood card, like an ID.
Passport Privilege
It’s super important to realize that not all passports (nationalities) have the same visa rights. Some countries simply have it easier than others.
Don’t shoot the messenger. I didn’t make the rules and I certainly don’t agree with them.
As I mentioned before, my rights as a US passport holder are often very different than my husband’s as a Colombian. I rarely have to apply for tourist visas, where he often does.
Getting long-stay visas often requires him to jump through more hoops, where my passport opens more doors.
I’m not saying this for any other reason than to be very clear that when you’re looking up information online, it’s imperative that you’re looking up information for your nationality. Sometimes rules will overlap but there’s always a chance that your passport offers something the norm doesn’t get or, unfortunately, makes your path more challenging.
Please don’t let this deter you from making your move. I’ve met people from all over the world living in different places. You just might have to be more flexible, patient, or resilient than others.
Next week is ferragosto here in Italy - a national day of rest on August 15. For most, this holiday stretches throughout the week(s) and even the month. While I won’t go that far, I have decided to take next week off Substack/emails and enjoy a little brain break.
I’ll be back the following week with more on visa types to consider.
Cheers!
