Do you get a regular "visa" from your partner? No, this does not mean that your partner lives in Australia and that getting a visa is the time when you visit them.

There is a growing trend of getting a visa from your partner, which basically means that you have permission to go out, without a time crunch and most importantly, your partner will not have any qualms about it.

Your partner granting you a visa means that they will not call you while you are out having fun, and there will be no silent treatment when you get home, even if it's the wee hours of the morning.

While this may sound like a great concept to minimise couples fighting about going out, does a visa help or harm relationships?

What can one get up to when they have a visa, and what can't they? Are there rules to a visa that couples should follow?

We spoke to relationship counsellor Lethabo Ntsasa, and he says that a visa is a well meant idea, provided that it does not bring with it further problems.

"I think granting your partner a visa is a good idea and shows that one is secure enough in their relationship to allow their partner to go out with their friends, without feelings of jealousy and resentment," Ntsasa says.

"Most couples often argue the most about one partner's social habits, the time they get home, how much they had to drink and what they did on their night out. A visa may be a way to show trust between the two individuals, and can show an element of maturity."

Ntsasa says that this visa can also help couples who have control issues, as granting one's partner relinquishes all control, as one has no say in what goes on while the partner is away.

"Some people are inadvertently controlling and want to always go where their partner goes when it comes to social circles, determine what drink they can have when they get there and how many, and have a say in who they can and cannot talk to.

"This can make the other partner feel suffocated and shows that their is a lot of distrust in the relationship.

"If granting your partner permission to go and paint the town red means that there is an element of trust between the two, I'm all for it."

Can a visa backfire, though?

Ntsasa seems to think so and says some people may see the visa as a way to bring out their wild side.

"Some people may see it as an opportunity to cheat or have a one-night stand, because they could not come up with a feasible excuse to spend the night out all along. Some may see it as an opportunity to get up to no good with their friends, get too drunk, be involved in drunken brawls, or worse, drinking and driving and causing accidents.

"This shows an immaturity and a lack of commitment that has been lurking underneath, and a visa was just the perfect excuse or platform."

He says a visa may also backfire if it gets to a point where the one partner constantly asks for it, or grants it upon themselves without permission, as you may have opened a Pandora's box where quality time with your partner and family time is compromised because one partner may be too used to having the stress-free freedom that comes with being granted a visa.

Discuss what it entails

So, should  you grant your partner a visa?

Lethabo Ntsasa says that to whom much is given, much is expected, and that although your partner may not be around, one needs to still conduct themselves with some dignity, and show their partner some respect.

"My recommendation of a visa between two adults in a relationship is to discuss exactly what a visa entails, because having the mentality that it's a 'free for all' free pass that allows the one partner to be reckless, will only damage the relationship," Ntsasa says.

Ntsasa says these are some things to keep in mind when granting a Visa:

• Firstly, discuss the appropriate time to come home. Let's be honest, getting home in the morning while the sun is out because you had a Visa is just disrespectful to your partner.
•  Discuss budget. Having one partner going to blow off some cash that will see you guys strapped for cash during the month will only cause fights and resentment.
•  Discuss safety. Reassure your partner that you will not put yourself in situations that will compromise your safety and that of others.
•  Discuss the place you are going to, and with whom. This is for emergency purposes so that your partner may know who to contact or where to look should something go wrong.

Next, Ntsasa says these are the responsibilities on the visa holder:

•  Respect your partner. Even though they may not be with you when you go out, some people know of you two as a couple and if you get up to no good, it will reflect badly on your partner.
• Do not sell yourself as being single. Do not remove your wedding ring, or allow other people to hit on you without letting them know that you are taken.
•  Be trustworthy. Show your partner that getting the visa was not a bad idea. Remember, the only person you have control over is yourself, and how you act or do things is a reflection of who you are.