Visa to visit The USA

[ericbrownsmith]

As a newcomer to Straight Dope, I am unsure whether this type of question is permissable (after reading previous messages about Iraq) but here goes:

A few years ago, my wife and I visited Florida for 2 weeks (from Scotland). We hired a car, travelled the length and breadth of the State and came away with a very high regard for the American people. We encountered nothing but friendship and courtesy wherever we went and resolved to visit another part of America at the earliest opportunity.

Since then America, along with a number of coalition partners chief amogst which was Great Britain, attacked Iraq.

I am now informed that, if I wish to visit America again, after October I shall need to obtain visas for my wife and myself. Furthermore I can only apply, in person, at the American Embassy in London (450 miles away).


The cost of travel to London for my wife and myself including an overnight stay in London makes a further holiday in America most unlikely an my question is "Is this how the American administration rewards its staunchest ally?" Surely a British citizen should be welcomed with open arms or am I missing something?

[friedo]

Visitors from countries in the Visa Waiver Program (that includes the UK) may enter the US for tourism without a visa. However, after October 26th, you need a "machine readable passport" in order to do so. If you have an old passport, you will need to get a new one, or apply for a visa.

Information can be found on the Visa Waiver Program page at the US State Department.

Come visit New York some time. We totally kick Florida's ass.

[SmackFu]

And I doubt you need to go to London just to get a new passport.

[Shayna]

That certainly doesn't appear to be true at all. Any questions you have about travel to the U.S. can probably be answered at http://www.travel.state.gov. From there you will find:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/tempvis..._waiver.html#1

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables citizens of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

<snip>

Currently, 27 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below:

<snip>

United Kingdom

<snip>

On October 26, 2004 a machine-readable passport or U.S. visa will be required at the port of entry, to enter the U.S. without a visa. Countries with the machine-readable passport postponement until October 26, 2004 are: Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

So basically, between now and 26/10/04, you can travel as you always have, and after that date, you can travel as you always have, but you must present a "machine-readable passport" at immigration. Check with your local passport office to see if the one you have already qualifies -- it might.

[vexinvixen]

Please come visit us here ine New England!

[Quartz]

If memory serves the visa waiver program doesn't cover all activities - though it's not detailed on the embassy webpage, if you're going to be doing things like taking flying lessons or shooting, then a full visa may be required - I recall a case, though I can't give a cite, where someone was refused entry post 11/9/01 for just this reason.

Perhaps someone with better Googling skills than mine can dredge it up?

[Eva Luna]

If you're planning on coming as a tourist for 90 days or less and you are a citizen of the U.K., and you have a machine-readable passport, you would only need a visa if you have violated immigration law in the past or have some other ground of excludability (most commonly criminal convictions or serious communicable diseases). If you are coming to study or perform work more substantive than a business meeting or two, you may need a visa. You waive scertain rights, however, when you use the Visa Waiver Program, such as the right to change your immigration status to most other categories.

If you have more specific questions, please post and I'll take a crack at them tomorrow when I have access to all my research materials at work and can provide specific cites.

Eva Luna, U.S. immigration paralegal

[Bongmaster]

I think most American's deeply respect the UK so you should have a great time no matter which part of the country you visit. New York is about as close as you could get and its a great place to check out. Here's to hoping you stop by!

[ericbrownsmith]

Yes, well I seem to have been misinformed to some extent. I was even told that a fixed penalty speeding fine would count as a criminal conviction and prevent entry to the States!

Thanks to those who responded. My existing passport has 2 years left to run but I shall have it renewed now, just in case..............

[Eva Luna]

Originally Posted by ericbrownsmith

Yes, well I seem to have been misinformed to some extent. I was even told that a fixed penalty speeding fine would count as a criminal conviction and prevent entry to the States!

I’ve never seen a situation in which a simple speeding ticket counted against someone for U.S. entry purposes, but you’d be amazed what brushes with the law people think are no big deal. I’ve seen people neglect to mention convictions for drunk driving (not a first offense, either, and in the States there are usually more severe penalties for subsequent offenses), narcotics possession, assault, burglary, domestic violence…the list goes on and on.

(The best, though, had to be the guy who was barred from entering the U.S. because of a conviction for soliciting prostitution – the documents charging him stated that he sought admission to the U.S. as “a visitor for pleasure.” Hey, at least that part was true.)

A conviction, especially a minor one, won’t necessarily keep you out forever, but the specifics need to be researched. For chrissakes, lying to your attorney certainly doesn’t help matters!