How long visas really take
Published windows from each authority next to what happened on Vistolane cases — 3 decisions recorded this month. Updated every ten minutes from closed cases.
| Country | Format | Published window | Observed median | Decided this month | Approved | All-in fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | e-visa | Instant | Not enough cases | — | — | $19 |
| Hong Kong | e-visa | Instant | Not enough cases | — | — | $15 |
| Maldives | e-visa | Instant | Not enough cases | — | — | $15 |
| Mauritius | e-visa | Instant | Not enough cases | — | — | $15 |
| Nepal | e-visa | Instant | Not enough cases | — | — | $19 |
| Indonesia (Bali) | e-visa | 1 to 2 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $53 |
| Sri Lanka | e-visa | 1 to 2 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $19 |
| Bhutan | e-visa | 1 to 2 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $19 |
| Türkiye | e-visa | 1 to 3 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $72 |
| Saudi Arabia | e-visa | 1 to 3 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $178 |
| Azerbaijan | e-visa | 3 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $44 |
| Kenya | e-visa | 3 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $55 |
| Cambodia | e-visa | 3 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $49 |
| Morocco | e-visa | 3 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $110 |
| Qatar | e-visa | 2 to 4 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $29 |
| Oman | e-visa | 2 to 4 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $81 |
| United Arab Emirates | e-visa | 3 to 5 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $144 |
| Singapore | e-visa | 3 to 5 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $73 |
| Thailand | e-visa | 3 to 5 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $29 |
| Vietnam | e-visa | 3 to 5 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $50 |
| Georgia | e-visa | 5 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $45 |
| Bahrain | e-visa | 3 to 5 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $49 |
| Kuwait | e-visa | 3 to 5 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $35 |
| Jordan | e-visa | 3 to 5 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $85 |
| Russia | e-visa | 4 to 6 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $81 |
| Japan | e-visa | 5 to 7 days | 1 day | 1 | 100% | $35 |
| Egypt | e-visa | 5 to 7 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $54 |
| Philippines | e-visa | 5 to 7 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $25 |
| China | sticker visa · biometrics | 7 to 10 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $89 |
| Brazil | e-visa | 5 to 10 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $130 |
| Tanzania | e-visa | 7 to 10 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $79 |
| South Korea | sticker visa | 10 to 14 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $89 |
| Schengen Area | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $152 |
| South Africa | sticker visa · biometrics | 10 to 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $85 |
| Germany | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $162 |
| France | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $162 |
| Italy | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $162 |
| Spain | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $162 |
| Netherlands | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $162 |
| Switzerland | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $169 |
| Portugal | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $162 |
| Sweden | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $162 |
| Poland | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $162 |
| Austria | sticker visa · biometrics | 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $162 |
| Mexico | embassy visa · biometrics | 10 to 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $113 |
| Argentina | e-visa | 10 to 15 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $39 |
| United Kingdom | sticker visa · biometrics | 3 weeks | 0 days | 1 | 100% | $239 |
| New Zealand | e-visa | 20 to 25 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $294 |
| Ireland | sticker visa · biometrics | 3 to 4 weeks | Not enough cases | — | — | $138 |
| Australia | e-visa | About 30 days | Not enough cases | — | — | $377 |
| Canada | sticker visa · biometrics | 4 to 8 weeks | 0 days | 1 | 0% | $255 |
| United States | embassy visa · biometrics | Varies by post | Not enough cases | — | — | $254 |
How long does a visa take?
It depends on the format: e-visas are decided in 1–7 days, sticker visas with biometrics in 2–4 weeks, embassy visas at the interview, which can be weeks or months away at busy posts. The table shows the published window for every destination and the median vistolane cases actually took.
Why is the observed time different from the published time?
Published windows start at biometrics or interview, not at submission, and exclude courier time. The observed figure counts from documents submitted to decision, so it is the number a traveller should plan around.
Which visas are fastest?
Malaysia and Hong Kong are instant arrival registrations; Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Türkiye decide e-visas in 1–3 days; the UAE, Japan, Singapore and Thailand in under a week.