Do you need a visa to visit America?

vanoonoo

what nationality passport will you be travelling with? if its a uk passport the chances are you will not need a visa if the trip is PURELY LEISURE providing you meet the conditions of the visa waiver programme

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web/visa/niv/vwp.htm

vanoonoo

make sure you understand this bit:

Or, if entering the United States by land from Canada or Mexico,

• Is in possession of a completed form I-94W, issued by the immigration authorities at the port of entry, and a $6.00 fee, payable only in U.S. dollars.

pingu

us embassy web site gives all the info needed and if not sure just email them and you will get a reply quickly no need to dial the expensive no.

and there is an agency called ACTION VISAS which deals with VISAS can't remember the no.

i have just been to NY and the green form you fill in at the back of it you need to answer yes/no to a few questions

it says at the bottom if you have answered yes to any questions you should contact your us embassy before you travel (can't remember the exact words)

i mean how you supposed to do that when you are on the plane?

alanrowell

and there is an agency called ACTION VISAS which deals with VISAS can't remember the no.

An agency can't help you with US visas as if you don't qualify under the VWP you have to attend an interview at the US embassy.

pingu

when i went to NY four years ago and thought needed a visa(wasn't born in this country) i used ACTION VISAS i sent all the papers and documents needed and got 5 years visa think they charged £30 +visa fee which is cheaper than travelling to london.

rules may have changed now but i thought they only intreview you if they are not satisfy with the application.

i didn't need a visa which i found out later on

went last week

alanrowell

You have to attend an interview at the US Embassy in London if you need a US visa, the only exception is for people in NI who have to go to the US Consulate in Belfast.

Remember you need a visa or visa waiver EVEN if you are just using the US as a transit / refuelling stop.

Finishrich

The waiting time for an appointment at the US Embassy is about 4 weeks.

Robert5988

holiday-spain.biz wrote:

As far as I understand (from Policeman) a speeding fine is not a conviction and therefore not an offence. As said before, only if you have been arrested and been to court will it be an issue.

I travelled (have speeding ticket) and got in no problem. There is simply no way that the US authorities could know if you have had a speeding ticket. If the UK Government told them it would be a breach of European Privacy Law

There has been much confusion on this subject.

If you are fined, you have been convicted of an offence - look at Insurance policy proposals etc. That conviction can be brought up if you are accused of any other offence - provided it is not spent. You can be accused of many traffic offences - speeding/parking etc - and plead not guilty in court. If found guilty you are convicted of an offence.

However the operative word is 'Arrested' and you are rarely arrested for minor traffic offences. It also refers to an offense(sic) of moral turpitude - whatever that is!!

There is a bi-lateral agreement between USA and UK where the authorities can share police records on individuals.
The police keep can keep records on an individual even if he has not been convicted. You may recal Ian Huntley(the Soham murderer) had a police file as he had been under suspicion for a number of offences involving under-age girls, but not charged.

Also if you enter the USA the UK Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply - you are entering under THEIR law. So if you have ever been arrested - even if found not guilty or not charged or it was 40 years ago - you cannot enter under the Visa Waiver Scheme(VWS). This is all in the US Embassy regulations.

However if you have not been arrested you can use the VWS

bj-sailaway

So, if you are 45 and were arrested for shop lifiting at 17, you need a visa !!! Are they likely to grant you a visa? Or they being typically american and saying no to everyone? Any experiences out there?

alanrowell

So, if you are 45 and were arrested for shop lifiting at 17, you need a visa !!! Are they likely to grant you a visa? Or they being typically american and saying no to everyone?

1) Officially you need a visa, unofficially you MIGHT get away with it if your information hasn't been passed over, but would you want to risk it.
2) They use that information to decide if you could be a threat to the US & issue a visa based on that
3) US Immigration works in Mysterious ways so they may or may not issue a visa depending on how they feel / you do at interview