Do you need a visa to visit America?

bj-sailaway

Are we not entitled to know what information has been shared about us? Would they really refuse someone who has been arrested as a teenager and never charged! The world has gone mad.

What do you need if you travel before October 26? Anyone know?

jnd

Before October 26th,

A Machine Readable Passport and a Visa Waiver form

OR

A valid visa which must be obtained before travel from the US authorities

After that date, and I suspect it will be extended by another year as the US can't produce it even for their own residents, a passport with biometric data.

bj-sailaway

I don't quite follow what changes after October 26th then? What is the difference?

chrishowe

I went to New York in January. I have a couple of convictions for speeding and one for crossing a red light. Also, when I was 17 (over 40 years ago) I had to appear in court charged with the heinous crime of operating the chimes on an ice cream van after 7pm. Naturally, I was worried about the U.S. Visa position. I contacted my local police station and for £10.00 they will search local and national records to see what is known about you. In my case, the answer was nothing as they assured me that those kind of records are not kept for that length of time. Therefore, I completed the visa waiver form and arrived at JFK. Things could not have been easier, the checks consisted of swiping my passport through the machine and then tapping a few details into the computer terminal, taking a picture and electronic fingerprinting, taking about 5 minutes. The guy laughed at my feigned protests as he changed my entry of England on the form to UK. So unless you have done somthing really serious it does not seem to be a problem, in fact I found the immigration people very chatty, pleasant and helpful.
I was on the Julio Gallo wine promotion trip and bagged a free upgrade to business on United at Heathrow. The only price was to take the next flight a few hours later but as I had use of the Red Carpet Lounge it was no problem. On the way back I only managed an upgrade to economy plus, not bad though for a free flight and United Airmiles To!!
If any one is going to New York it might be useful to contact these people,
https://www.bigapplegreeter.org they provide a FREE guide service where a local person will meet you by appointment at your hotel on your first morning and spend 3 to 4 hours showing you around and explaining the system. They do not expect tips but if you wish to make a small donation that is O.K. but is not compulsory. They will also give you a card for unlimited travel for one day by bus or/and subway. I found the whole experience extremely useful.

bj-sailaway

Thanks Chris, I've been breaking my heart over this today. If I'm not allowed to travel 'cos of something stupid, 20 years ago, I don't know how I will tell my kids.

Chris, did you just walk into the police station with ID?

So, does your history come up when they scan the passport? This must affect 1,000's of people, I would never have known if someone hadn't posted here, what happens to folk who don't know and bowl up at the airport unknowingly, having been arrested for something years ago?

jnd

bj-sailaway wrote:

I don't quite follow what changes after October 26th then? What is the difference?

Passports issued after this date will have to contain biometric data.

http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/identity.asp

alanrowell

Post October 2005 the rules will be as follows

1) Was your passport ISSUED after October 2005
2) If yes, then it must contain biometric data otherwise you'll have to get a visa
2) If no, then it must be a machine readable passport otherwise you'll have to get a visa.

The passport of most people, unless they've had them issued at an embassy or they are very old, will be machine readable.

It's unlikely that UK passports will have biometric data on them until several months after October 2005, so anyone who renews their passport after October 2005, but before the biometric passports start being issued will have to get a visa.

So if your passport is due for renewal up until the middle of 2006, I would renew it before October 2005. It also means you don't have to worry about biometric data

chrishowe

bj-sailaway wrote:

Thanks Chris, I've been breaking my heart over this today. If I'm not allowed to travel 'cos of something stupid, 20 years ago, I don't know how I will tell my kids.

Chris, did you just walk into the police station with ID?

So, does your history come up when they scan the passport? This must affect 1,000's of people, I would never have known if someone hadn't posted here, what happens to folk who don't know and bowl up at the airport unknowingly, having been arrested for something years ago?

If you pop into your local police station and explain what you want they will issue you with a form which you can fill in and either take back there, pay the £10.00 fee and they will forward it. (Ask them for a telephone contact number and if possible a name in case you have to chase.) I took mine back to my local police for checking, assistance, and forwarding. Alternatively, post off to the address given. I think that it takes 2 to 3 weeks. The whole process was fairly painless.

dondo

Me and my other half are off to the USA in April on our honeymoon and as far as we were aware would be OK to get in under the visa waiver programme as my passport was issued in 97 so should be machine readable & my missus will be getting a new one before travel as hers expires this year. However, friends of my parents that was speaking to said that there son had problems flying to the US to go skiing recently as he didn't have the right visa and he wasn't allowed to leave the UK so bit confused- it could be due to the fact that his passport although a UK one was issued in a country outside the UK

Also- I got zapped by a speed camera a few years ago- 60 quid fine and 3 points which is now spent and isn't even on my licence anymore as have moved house after it were spent

So am somewhat confused as whether or not I/we need a visa or not???

richardj_4

You should both be able to travel to the US visa free, as the only requirements at the moment are that you have a machine readable passport. Any passports issued after October 2005 require a digital photo, however the UK has been issuing this since 1998.