Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
4
For International Visitors
W
hether it's your first visit or your tenth, a trip to the United States may
require an additional degree of planning. This chapter will provide you with
essential information, helpful tips, and advice for the more common problems
that some visitors encounter.
1 Preparing for Your Trip
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Check at any U.S. embassy or con-
sulate for current information and
requirements. You can also obtain a
visa application and other information
online at the
U.S. State Department
's
website, at
www.travel.state.gov
.
VISAS
The U.S. State Department
has a
Visa Waiver Program
allowing
citizens of certain countries to enter
the United States without a visa for
stays of up to 90 days. At press time
these included Andorra, Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Monaco, the Nether-
lands, New Zealand, Norway, Portu-
gal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the
United Kingdom. Citizens of these
countries need only a valid passport
and a round-trip air or cruise ticket in
their possession upon arrival. If they
first enter the United States, they may
also visit Mexico, Canada, Bermuda,
and/or the Caribbean islands and
return to the United States without a
visa. Further information is available
from any U.S. embassy or consulate.
Canadian citizens may enter the
United States without visas; they need
only proof of residence.
Citizens of all other countries must
have (1) a valid passport that expires at
least 6 months later than the sched-
uled end of their visit to the United
States, and (2) a tourist visa, which
may be obtained without charge from
any U.S. consulate.
To obtain a visa,
the traveler must
submit a completed application form
(either in person or by mail) with a
1
1
⁄
2
-inch-square photo, and must
demonstrate binding ties to a residence
abroad. Usually you can obtain a visa
at once or within 24 hours, but it may
take longer during the summer rush
from June through August. If you can-
not go in person, contact the nearest
U.S. embassy or consulate for direc-
tions on applying by mail. Your travel
agent or airline office may also be able
to provide you with visa applications
and instructions. The U.S. consulate
or embassy that issues your visa will
determine whether you will be issued a
multiple- or single-entry visa and any
restrictions regarding the length of
your stay.
British
subjects can obtain up-to-
date visa information by calling the
U.S. Embassy Visa Information
Line
(
&
0891/200-290
) or by visit-
ing the “Consular Services” section of
the American Embassy London's web-
site at www.usembassy.org.uk.
Irish
citizens can obtain up-to-date
visa information through the
Embassy
of the USA Dublin,
42 Elgin Rd.,
