Travel Glossary · Documents & Entry
Visa on Arrival
Definition
Visa on Arrival: A visa on arrival is a visa you obtain at the airport or border when you land, rather than applying in advance, usually after showing documents and paying a fee.
Countries that offer visas on arrival let eligible travelers skip the embassy visit. On landing, you join a visa line, present your passport and sometimes a photo, proof of onward travel, and accommodation details, pay any fee, and receive a stamp or sticker. Some are free: the Maldives grants tourists of all nationalities a free 30-day visa on arrival, provided they meet its entry conditions.
Rules change often, and many countries are replacing arrival visas with online eVisas or electronic travel authorizations, sometimes keeping the arrival option only at certain airports. Eligibility depends on your nationality and purpose of travel, and business trips may require a different visa entirely. Airlines can deny boarding if your documents don’t meet the destination’s rules.
As of 2026, confirm requirements on the State Department’s country pages at travel.state.gov and the destination’s official immigration site. Carry any fee in the accepted currency and allow extra time in line. See visa basics for US travelers.
Go deeper
- Travel GuidesVisa Basics for US Travelers: Visas, eVisas, and Travel AuthorizationsVisa basics for US travelers: the difference between visas, eVisas, and travel authorizations, which popular destinations need one, and how to apply safely.
- Travel GuidesBusiness Visa Basics: When US Travelers Need OneBusiness visa basics for US travelers: what counts as business versus work, where meetings are visa-free, which documents to prepare and how far ahead to apply.
- DestinationsMaldives, MaldivesOne overwater villa, zero itinerary. The trip you don't plan a second day for.
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