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Immigration & Visas vocabulary · Visa Types

Visa waiver

Meaning in immigration & visas, with examples

nounCommon term

In immigration & visas, visa waiver means: An arrangement that lets citizens of certain countries visit without a visa, often after getting an online travel authorisation instead.

In Turkish: vize muafiyeti, vize muafiyet programı

How it is used

The best-known example is the US Visa Waiver Program, whose travellers register through ESTA. The UK's ETA is a similar scheme. A visa waiver does not guarantee entry; the border officer still decides on arrival.

Example sentences

  1. Because her country is in the visa waiver programme, she only needed an online authorisation.

  2. The visa waiver only covers short visits for tourism or business.

Common collocations

  • visa waiver programme
  • visa waiver country
  • travel under a visa waiver
  • online travel authorisation
  • visa-freeAllowing you to travel to a country without getting a visa first, usually for a short stay such as tourism or business meetings.
  • e-visaA visa that you apply for, pay for and receive online, without visiting an embassy, and that is linked to your passport electronically.
  • visaOfficial permission from a country that allows a foreign citizen to enter, stay in or pass through it for a particular purpose and period.
  • port of entryAn official place, such as an airport, seaport or land border crossing, where travellers and goods can legally enter a country and are checked.

More terms: Visa Types

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.