Valid passport or not ? help please

lisadonaldson

Hi, going to USA on 24th June for two weeks my passport expires on 3 Aug 2006.

Can anyone tell me will I have to get a new passport just now or can I use this one.

Also as I am going to USA do I have to go to London for a visa for entry to the USA or has this new rule not started yet.


Thanks

Lisa

Bob63

An I-94 visa waiver form gives you 90 days stay in the USA. Your passport will have less than 90 days at the time of entry so you'll be really pushing your luck if the immigration officer is having a bad day. You may even find that the airline won't allow you to fly out of London even if the letter of the law is on your side. My advice for any travel (and I do a hell of a lot of it) is to make sure that your passport is valid for 6 months from the date of departure. I strongly encourage you to get a new one.

Mike

RoCas

Hi Lisa,

Like Mike, I also believe you should have 6 months validity left on your passport to be safe.

Take a look at http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#2 which should give you all the info you need.

pin

Renew your passport now. On average 3 week turnaround, they will carry over up to 9 months of your existing validity of your present passport.

If you are a UK citizen you will be ok on the Visa Waiver Programme.

Have a great time in the States, its a great country.

Smiley_Mum

I was thinking along the lines of the previous poster who stated that you need at least 6 months validity left on your passport to be on the safe side. I'd apply for a new one to be safe, you wouldn't want to be turned back at any point. I doubt your insurance would cover you for it either. Better to be safe than sorry.

trippy

I would also check what you're waiving with the 90 day waiver form. I signed this (admittedly 10 years ago) and didn't really understand it. I wasn't allowed into the country (no working visa) and found out that I had waived any rights to appeal and was sent back to the UK on the next plane. I told myself I would read exactly what I was waiving next time - but I haven't been back since.

skintscotsman

Your passport will be okay. If the above posters had cared to consult the US Embassy website, they would have found out the following:

Does my British passport have to be valid for six months beyond my date of departure from the United States?

No, if your passport is not valid for at least six months beyond your date of departure from the United States, it will not affect your eligibility to travel. The United States has an agreement with the United Kingdom automatically extending the validity of a passport for six months past the passport's expiration date. Therefore, your passport need remain valid only for the duration of your stay in the United States.

If you are traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and your passport is not valid for 90 days, you will be admitted into the United States until the date on which the passport expires.

This information can be found at http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/faqs/faq_visa_niv.html#niv079

skintscotsman

pin wrote:

Renew your passport now. On average 3 week turnaround, they will carry over up to 9 months of your existing validity of your present passport.

If you are a UK citizen you will be ok on the Visa Waiver Programme.

Have a great time in the States, its a great country.

PANIC PANIC PANIC!!!

Check the FAQs on the US Embassy website.

skintscotsman

However, I must add it took me ages to find out this information for my journey to the States and the staff on the phone at the Embassy are very, very unhelpful.

exel1966

In case you did want to renew your passport i was recently astounded by the speed in which my renewal went through.

Used the Newport, Wales office. Posted it 1st class on the monday and had my new passport back by 11am thursday of the same week !! Ok, it was November, but credit where credit is due.

skintscotsman

lol i'm going to print out the FAQs from the US Embassy website just in case I get a Customs Official having a bad day :rotfl: