In recent years many countries have done away with the consular queue entirely and issue the permission over the internet. That system is called an e-visa, and alongside it there is a separate format known as travel authorisation. The two resemble each other but differ in the legal sense, and confusing them comes expensive. Below I have written the difference and how to apply.
What an e-visa is and who it is issued to
An e-visa is the electronic form of an ordinary visa. You fill in the application on the website, upload a photograph of the passport and pay the fee by card, and the answer comes by email. There is no need to go to the embassy, give fingerprints or hand over the passport.
This system works in India, Egypt, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kenya and a number of other countries. But it is not open for every nationality, so the first step is to check whether your own passport is on the list. In some countries an e-visa is valid only for particular airports and border crossings.
How travel authorisation differs from a visa
| E-visa | It is the visa itself, for countries where a visa is required |
| Travel authorisation | Advance registration for those going without a visa |
| Decision time | From a few minutes to a few days |
| The link | The permission is tied to the passport number |
The travel authorisation system works in the United States, Canada and Britain, and is only for citizens who can go to those countries without a visa. With an Azerbaijani passport an ordinary visa is required for these countries, that is, the authorisation system does not apply to you. Knowing this difference matters, because some sites present the authorisation system as an “easy visa”. For the list of destinations you can go to without a visa you can look at our separate article.
Read more: Types of visa: type C and type D, the number of entries and the transit visa
How to apply for an e-visa
Apply only through the official state website. Most of the results that come up first in a search are intermediary sites, and they charge several times as much for the same service. The official address is usually on that country’s state domain; if you have doubts, find the link from the embassy’s site.
The name and passport number on the application must be written letter for letter as they are in the passport, because the permission is tied precisely to the number. If you change your passport, the permission becomes invalid and a new application is needed. Print the confirmation and keep it with you; many airlines ask for it at check-in. To plan the document process together you can use a visa consultancy service.
The most common mistakes
The first mistake is leaving it to the last day. Although the system usually answers quickly, sometimes an application falls into an additional check and that takes days. Leave at least two weeks in reserve.
The second mistake is misreading the duration: the validity period of the permission and the length of stay are separate things. The third mistake is the point of entry, because some e-visas allow entry only by air and do not work at a land border. As an example, India’s official e-visa portal is at indianvisaonline.gov.in.
In brief
An e-visa is the visa itself, while travel authorisation is for those going without a visa and does not apply to an Azerbaijani passport. Apply only through the official state site, write the name as in the passport, print the confirmation, keep two weeks in reserve. To choose the type of visa that suits your route, fill in the application form.
Note: e-visa conditions vary by country and are updated often, so check the official portal before applying.
