What is Passport?
A passport is an official document issued by the government of a country. It contains various details of the person that verifies the identity of the person. A person who has a passport can travel to and from foreign countries.
A passport contains details like full name, photograph, place, date of birth, signature, and the expiration date of the passport.
The Indian government issues various kinds of passports to the citizens of India. An ordinary passport is issued for ordinary travels and business trips.
A diplomatic passport is issued only to Indian diplomats, diplomatic couriers, or top-ranking government officials. It is maroon in color. Government officials carry an official passport when traveling to another country.
What is Visa?
A visa is a legal document issued by a government to a foreign visitor that allows the visitor to enter, travel or leave the country. It can be issued as a single entry or multiple entries.
There are different types of visas the government issues. The government maintains visa records to keep a record of the people who travel to and from the country.
There are student visas, employment visas, residency visas, tourist visas, transit visas, etc.
A visa has expiration dates. You can stay in a foreign country till the day your visa expires. Visa requirements vary from country to country. Hence, it is necessary to keep a check on embassy websites to be prepared beforehand.
Some countries allow you to travel without a visa for a certain number of days.
Difference Between Passport and Visa
A visa is a permit for foreign visitors, allowing them legal entry and legal departure into the country. A passport is an identification document a government issues to its citizens for use in traveling to foreign countries.
A passport is issued by the government to its citizens. A visa is issued to foreign visitors.
The various types of passports are ordinary passports (blue color), diplomatic passports, orange passports (for individuals who have not completed class 10), and temporary passports. Student visas, employment visas, transit visas, tourist visas, and residency visas are the various types of visas.
A passport is a small booklet that has a picture of the owner and details like name, age, nationality, date of birth, place of birth, expiry date, etc. A visa is a sticker that has details like the number of days the visitor is going to stay in a particular country, the number of visits allowed, the purpose of the visit, etc.
The pages of a passport are to be stamped when entering and leaving the country.
Comparison Between Passport and Visa
| Parameters of Comparison | Passport | Visa |
| Definition | A passport is a legal document that verifies your identity to travel to different countries. | A visa is legal permission granted to you to enter and exit a foreign country. |
| Issued by | It is issued by the government of the country you belong to | It is issued by the government of the country you intend to travel to |
| Details | It has a photo of the owner and details like name, age, nationality, date, place of birth, expiry date, etc. | It contains details like the purpose of travel, duration of stay, number of visits allowed, etc. |
| Use | Provides identity to the owner when staying in a foreign country. | Provide permission to enter a foreign country. |
| Types | Ordinary passport, diplomatic passport, and temporary passport. | Student visas, employment visas, and residency visas. |