visa and passport

A passport is issued to a countrys citizens for international travel and identification. It is used for identification purposes and to verify ones country of citizenship. If traveling outside your country, it is used to regain entry into your country of citizenship.
A passport includes a photo of you, your name, birthdate, gender, and physical characteristics For U.S. citizens, some countries only require a passport for entry. Other countries may require a visa before entry. You should confirm if a country specific visa is required before traveling.The most common passport is a tourist passport, but there are others for diplomats and government officials.

A visa is official permission from a foreign countrys government to enter the country.
The visa is placed inside of your passport as proof of permission to enter the country.
The visa will indicate how long you can visit a particular country as determined by that countrys government.
The most common visa types are tourist, student, work, and transit visas.
Depending on where you are traveling, a visa can be valid for a single or multiple visits.
Some visas require an application to be filed prior to entering the country and other visas are granted upon entering the country.
Your country of citizenship determines whether or not you need a visa to enter a particular country.
Certain countries require an interview or medical screening prior to applying for a visa.

Diplomats Officials assigned to their countries Missions Posts in India or Diplomatic Official UN passport holders working in UN or international organizations located in India and their spouses children holding any type of passport are granted diplomatic official visas.

Transit visas valid for up to 15 days and up to two entries are issued to foreign nationals passing through India on their way to another country. The applicant should possess an air ticket for onward journey to a destination beyond India.

Entry visa is issued to a Person of India Origin, foreign spouse of Indian national and to spouse children of foreigners holding any type of visa other than tourist transit visa.

Tourist visa is issued to foreigners who do not have a residence or occupation in India and whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives etc.
Indian Missions Posts abroad may issue multiple entry tourist visas for a maximum period of ten years to US nationals and five years to UK nationals, with the stipulation that stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days. However, should the visa holder desire to stay continuously for more than 180 days, he she should register with the concerned FRRO FRO within 180 days of arrival.
Indian Missions Posts abroad may issue multiple entry tourist visas for a maximum period of five years to nationals of Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Vietnam with the stipulation that stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days.
In respect of foreigners holding multiple entry tourist visas valid for 5 10 years, there should be a gap of at least two months between two successive visits.If a tourist visa holder needs to return to India within two months of his her last departure from the country due to exigencies like death or serious illness in the family, non availability of connecting flights to return to his her country of origin or travel to another country using India as a transit point or any other exigent situation which can be duly justified with proper documentation to the satisfaction of an Indian Mission Post abroad or immigration authorities in India, the condition of two months gap can be waived. In all such cases, the foreign national should register with the FRRO FRO concerned within 14 days of arrival.
Foreign nationals holding six month tourist visas valid for up to three entries would not be subject to the above condition of two months gap between two visits if they submit their itinerary and confirmed air tickets for travel to neighbouring countries.
Travel agents of foreign travel agencies and foreign tourists visiting India frequently for genuine tourism may be granted multiple entry tourist visa with the condition that stay on each visit should not exceed 180 days.
Tourist visa on arrival has been introduced on experimental basis for nationals of eleven countries viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Singapore, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Tourist visa on arrival is valid for 30 days with single entry facility and is granted by Immigration Officers at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata international airports.
Tourist visa is neither extendable nor convertible into other type of visa except, in very exceptional circumstances.

Employment visas valid for one year at a time are granted to foreigners provided the foreigner is a skilled and qualified professional or a person who is being engaged by a company, organization, industry or undertaking in India on contract or employment basis at a senior level, skilled position such as technical expert, senior executive, or in a managerial position. Proof of employment in the form of employment contract is necessary.

Project visa is a sub set of employment visa and is granted to foreigners employed for executing Steel and Power Sector Projects.

Student visa valid up to five years or duration of course whichever is less is granted to a foreigner coming to India to pursue a course of regular and fulltime academic studies in a recognized institution. The applicant should furnish proof of admission in a recognized reputed educational institution and evidence of financial support. In case of admission to a medical or para medical course, a no objection certificate from the Ministry of Health must be furnished. Student visa valid for up to 6 months can be granted for exploring admission or for taking admission tests. There is no restriction on the number of courses of study that can be pursued or with respect to change of course or institute or both.

Missions Posts may issue Journalist visa valid for up to six months to professional journalists, press persons, film persons other than commercial , representatives of radio and television organizations and similar personnel in the field of information such as travel writing, travel journalism, travel promotion photography, television production, advertising and those who write on fashion, costumes and sports. Holders of journalist visa are advised to contact on arrival in New Delhi, the External Publicity Division of M.E.A. and in other places, the Office of the GOIs Press Information Bureau, so that they could be given assistance in various matters including planning itineraries.