Quick Travel Tools Travel terms, in plain English
The definitions behind our studies and the Uncharted newsletter: what each term means, the terms it connects to, and the free datasets you can explore it with. 6 of 12 terms covered in Uncharted so far. Updated 2026-09-19.
Visa-free
Just show up with your passport.
Visa-free means you can enter a country without arranging any visa in advance. You show your passport at the border and walk in, usually for tourism or short business trips. It is the fastest and cheapest way to cross a border, which is why passport power rankings count visa-free destinations first.
Explore the data
- passport-index-dataset (ilyankou) Visa requirements for every passport pair, derived from Passport Index data.
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Visa on arrival
The visa is issued at the airport.
A visa on arrival is granted at the airport or border crossing after you land, instead of at an embassy beforehand. You usually fill out a short form and pay a fee, then get stamped in. It adds a queue at the airport but no embassy visit before your trip.
Explore the data
- passport-index-dataset (ilyankou) Visa requirements for every passport pair, derived from Passport Index data.
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eVisa
Apply online before you fly.
An eVisa is a visa you apply for online before traveling, with the approval sent back by email. You skip the embassy visit but you still need to apply days or weeks ahead, and approval is not always guaranteed. Many countries now offer eVisas alongside traditional embassy visas.
Related terms
Explore the data
- passport-index-dataset (ilyankou) Visa requirements for every passport pair, derived from Passport Index data.
Go deeper
Electronic travel authorization (eTA)
Pre-screening, not a visa.
An electronic travel authorization is an online pre-screening linked to your passport, required even when you do not need a visa. You apply online, usually get approved in minutes or days, and the airline checks it before you board. Think of it as permission to travel visa-free, not a visa itself.
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ESTA
The US version of an eTA.
ESTA is the electronic travel authorization for visiting the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Travelers from 40+ eligible countries apply online before flying, and an approved ESTA covers multiple trips over two years. Without it, the airline will not let you board.
Related terms
Explore the data
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: ESTA The official ESTA application site. Apply here, not on lookalike third-party sites that charge extra.
K-ETA
Korea's entry pre-screening.
K-ETA is South Korea's electronic travel authorization for visa-free visitors. You apply online before departure and it stays linked to your passport for multiple visits. Travelers from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are currently exempt through December 31, 2026.
Related terms
Explore the data
- K-ETA official portal The official Korean government application site for K-ETA.
ETIAS
Europe's upcoming travel authorization.
ETIAS is the European Union's upcoming electronic travel authorization for visa-free visitors to the Schengen Area. It is expected to launch in late 2026 and become mandatory in 2027. Once live, travelers who currently enter Europe visa-free will need ETIAS approval before boarding.
Explore the data
- EU: ETIAS official site The EU's official ETIAS page with the launch timeline and who it applies to.
Schengen Area
29 countries, one border-free zone.
The Schengen Area is a group of 29 European countries that have abolished internal border checks, so you cross between them like domestic travel. Visitors are generally limited to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole zone. One entry stamp covers the entire area.
Explore the data
- EU: Schengen Area The EU's official page on which countries are in Schengen and the 90/180-day rule.
Passport power score
How many borders your passport opens.
A passport power score counts how many destinations a passport can enter without arranging a visa in advance: visa-free, visa on arrival, or a simple electronic travel authorization. It measures travel freedom, not prestige. Quick Travel Tools uses this score across its passport studies and the visa checker.
Explore the data
- passport-index-dataset (ilyankou) Visa requirements for every passport pair, derived from Passport Index data.
Go deeper
Purchasing power parity (PPP)
What $1 actually buys.
Purchasing power parity compares what the same amount of money buys in different countries, after adjusting for local prices. It is the fairest way to compare costs across borders because exchange rates alone ignore how cheap or expensive daily life is. Quick Travel Tools converts it to dollars: what $1 buys in each country, so you never have to decode an index.
Related terms
Explore the data
- World Bank: PPP conversion factor How many local currency units buy what $1 buys in the US. The backbone of our price comparisons.
- IMF Data Macroeconomic data from the International Monetary Fund, including PPP-based GDP figures.
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Cost of living index
Overall price level, indexed to the US.
A cost of living index rolls up the prices of everyday goods and services into a single number, usually with the US set to 100. A score of 50 means roughly half of US prices. It tracks the whole economy, not a tourist basket, so what you actually pay for hotels and restaurants can differ.
Related terms
Explore the data
- World Bank: PPP conversion factor How many local currency units buy what $1 buys in the US. The backbone of our price comparisons.
- Numbeo: Cost of Living Crowd-sourced prices for groceries, restaurants, rent and more in cities worldwide.
Human Development Index (HDI)
Health, education and income in one number.
The Human Development Index, published by the UN, combines life expectancy, schooling and income into a single score of how developed a country is. It runs from 0 to 1, with higher meaning more developed. It pairs well with price data: it shows what kind of infrastructure and services your money buys.
Related terms
Explore the data
- UNDP Human Development Reports The UN's official HDI data explorer: scores and components for every country.
Dataset tracker
Every public dataset behind our studies and this glossary, in one place: what it covers, how often it updates, and when we last verified the link.
| Dataset | Covers | Updates | License | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| passport-index-dataset (ilyankou) | Visa rules by passport and destination | Irregular (community) | MIT | 2026-09-19 |
| World Bank: PPP conversion factor | PPP conversion factors and price levels | Annual | CC BY-4.0 | 2026-09-19 |
| IMF Data | Macro data, PPP-based GDP | Continuous | Free for use with attribution | 2026-09-19 |
| Numbeo: Cost of Living | City and country consumer prices | Continuous (crowd-sourced) | Free to browse; API is paid | 2026-09-19 |
| UNDP Human Development Reports | HDI scores, life expectancy, schooling, income | Annual | Free to download | 2026-09-19 |
| U.S. Customs and Border Protection: ESTA | US travel authorization applications | Official portal | Official source | 2026-09-19 |
| K-ETA official portal | Korea travel authorization applications | Official portal | Official source | 2026-09-19 |
| EU: ETIAS official site | ETIAS rules and timeline | Official portal | Official source | 2026-09-19 |
| EU: Schengen Area | Schengen membership and stay rules | Official portal | Official source | 2026-09-19 |