visa

[vee-zuh] /ˈvi zə/

noun, plural visas.

an endorsement made by an authorized representative of one country upon a passport issued by another, permitting the passport holder entry into or transit through the country making the endorsement.

verb (used with object), visaed, visaing.

to give a visa to; approve a visa for.

to put a visa on (a passport).

Also, visé.

Origin

1825-35; < French, short for Latin carta vīsa the document (has been) examined; vīsa, past participle feminine of vīsere to look into, see to, frequentative of vidēre to see

Can be confused

passport, visa.

Examples from the web for visa

Visitors are issued a visa form that includes spaces on which to note identifying marks on both their face and buttocks.
After many tense communications, my visa was approved.
Academics and recruiters attribute that success to aggressive outreach and reduced visa restrictions.
It has also created a new six-month medical visa for foreigners and their caregivers that is designed to draw health tourists.
It is technically illegal to work on a film set without a working visa.
Any foreign visitor can be refused entry to the country by border officials on almost any grounds, even if you have a visa.
The agency also plans to accept electronic visa applications for students from some countries starting next spring.
Still, it took a lot of pleading with consular officials to get that last-minute visa.
True, you can't buy a visa online and grab it at the departure gate-but you can come close.
He was arrested for overstaying his visa and the courts didn't accept his requests to remain.

British Dictionary definitions for visa

visa

/ˈviːzə/

noun (pl) -sas

an endorsement in a passport or similar document, signifying that the document is in order and permitting its bearer to travel into or through the country of the government issuing it

any sign or signature of approval

verb (transitive) -sas, -saing, -saed

to enter a visa into (a passport)

to endorse or ratify

Word Origin

C19: via French from Latin vīsa things seen, from vīsus, past participle of vidēre to see

Word Origin and History for visa

1831, "official signature or endorsement on a passport," from French visa, from Modern Latin charta visa "verified paper," literally "paper that has been seen," from fem. past participle of Latin videre "to see" (see vision). Earlier visé (1810), from French past participle of viser "to examine, view."