A visa application is the paperwork that an individual must complete to gain temporary or non-temporary immigrant access to the United States. As there are different types of visa, the applications vary for each. However it is essential that a visa application be completed before moving any further. If an individual hopes to gain access on a longer term visa, such as for school or work, then they must fill out an application for that. If an immigrant is hoping to gain access to the United States on a more permanent basis, then they must complete a visa application for that. No matter what type of visa you are looking to obtain, a visa application must be filled out and approved first before gaining access.