वीजा लेना

You’ll usually pair this with the name of a country. Just add का (ka) after the country name. For example, America ka visa lena. The verb लेना changes based on the tense. If you got it yesterday, it becomes लिया (liya). If you are getting it now, it’s ले रहा हूँ (le raha hoon). It’s a very flexible collocation. You can use it in first, second, or third person easily.

Use this when sharing travel news with friends. It’s perfect for office chats about upcoming business trips. You’ll hear it at the dinner table when families discuss moving abroad. It’s also the standard way to ask someone if they’ve secured their papers yet. If you’re at a travel agency, this is the phrase you’ll use most. It’s the 'mission accomplished' phrase of the travel world.

Don't use this for domestic travel within India. You don't 'take a visa' to go from Delhi to Mumbai! Also, don't confuse it with apply karna (to apply). Applying is the struggle; lena is the victory. Avoid using it for other documents like passports or IDs. For those, we usually say banwana (to have made). Using lena for a passport sounds a bit like you just picked it up from a shelf.

In India, वीजा लेना is often a cause for a massive family celebration. Getting a visa for the US, UK, or Canada is seen as a huge milestone. It’s not just paperwork; it’s a gateway to new opportunities. People might even distribute sweets (mithai) once the visa is 'taken.' There’s a bit of a collective sigh of relief involved. It’s a phrase packed with hope and sometimes a little bit of showing off!

You might hear visa milna (to receive a visa), which is more passive. Visa lagwana (to get the visa applied/stamped) is also very common. Lagwana implies you went to the embassy to get the physical stamp. However, visa lena remains the most direct way to say you got it done. If someone is struggling, they might say visa nahi mil raha (not getting the visa). But once they succeed, they’ll proudly say they’ve 'taken' it.