Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Neighborhood Associations
It isn't just the city itself that maintains a presence for tourists. Many neighbor-
hoods in town present their own faces to visitors; check these websites for tips
on restaurants, shopping, and events.
Castro:
http://castroonline.com
Fisherman's Wharf:
www.fishermanswharf.org
Haight Ashbury:
www.haightashbury.org
Japantown:
www.sfjapantown.org
The Mission:
www.sfmission.com
North Beach:
www.sfnorthbeach.org
Union Street (Cow Hollow):
www.unionstreetsf.com
Yerba Buena District (SoMa):
www.yerbabuena.org
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR
NON-AMERICAN CITIZENS
Be sure to check with your local U.S. embassy or consulate for the very latest in
entry requirements, as these continue to shift. Full information can be found at
the
U.S. State Department's
website,
www.travel.state.gov
.
VISAS
Citizens of western and central Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore
need only a valid machine-readable passport and a round-trip air ticket or cruise
ticket to enter the United States for stays of up to 90 days. Canadian citizens can
also enter without a visa as long as they show proof of residence. Do check with
your government, though, because the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
has been ornery in recent years and rules are apt to change.
Citizens of all other countries will need to obtain a tourist visa from the U.S.
consulate. Depending on your country of origin, there may or may not be a charge
attached (and you may or may not have to apply in person or wait weeks on end for
the paperwork to clear). You'll need to complete an application and submit a 1
1
⁄
2
-
inch square photo, and your passport will need to be valid for at least six months
past the scheduled end of your U.S. visit. If an interview isn't mandated (South
Africans, for example, have to appear before a bureaucrat), it's usually possible to
obtain a visa within 24 hours, except during holiday periods or the summer rush.
PASSPORTS
To enter the United States, international visitors must have a valid passport that
expires at least six months later than the scheduled end of their visit.
For residents of Australia:
You can pick up an application from your local post
office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at
