A permanent visa entitles an individual to permanent residency within a given country. Each country has a variety of different processes that an individual must go through to gain permanent residency and after fulfilling those, the visa that they receive for this right is what they are provided and carry. Most people that are immigrants to a given country work towards the goal of gaining a permanent visa so that they may live and work in the country they desire for an undefined period of time. Though a permanent visa does not make an individual a citizen, it does entitle them to certain rights and an ability to stay as long as they want.