Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
3
For International Visitors
A
lthough American trends have spread across Europe and other parts of the
world to the extent that America may seem like familiar territory before your
arrival, there are still many peculiarities and uniquely American situations that
any foreign visitor will encounter.
1 Preparing for Your Trip
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Immigration law is a hot political issue
in the United States these days, and the
following requirements may have
changed somewhat by the time you
plan your trip. Check at any U.S.
embassy or consulate for current infor-
mation and requirements. You can also
go to the
U.S. State Department
web-
site 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 countries included Andorra,
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liecht-
enstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Portugal, San Marino, Singapore,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.
Citizens of these countries need only a
valid machine-readable 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. Canadian citizens may enter the
United States without a visa; 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
can 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 resi-
dence abroad. Usually you can get a
visa at once or within 24 hours, but it
may take longer during the summer
rush from June to 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 supply you with visa applications
and instructions. The U.S. consulate
or embassy that issues your visa deter-
mines whether you will receive a mul-
tiple- or single-entry visa and any
restrictions on the length of your stay.
British
subjects can get up-to-date
passport and visa information by call-
ing the
U.S. Embassy Visa Informa-
tion Line
(
&
09055/444-556
) or the
United Kingdom Passport Service
(
&
0870/521-0410
).
Irish
citizens can obtain up-to-date
visa information through the
Embassy
of USA Dublin,
42 Elgin Rd., Dublin
