VISA & PASSPORT SERVICE

Entry to the USA

US Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
Machine Readable Passports
Biometric Passports
US - Visit
Applying for a US Visa
Travel to Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central & South America via the USA on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
US Dual Nationality

US Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

Visa waiver immigration arrangements are subject to change as the USA moves towards a system designed so that advanced and thorough checks are in place thus ensuring maximum traveller safety. The USA operates a VWP which holders of the following passports are eligible for, provided certain conditions are met. Please read all of the following carefully.

Nationals qualifying for the VWP:

• ANDORRA
• AUSTRALIA
• AUSTRIA
• BELGIUM
• BRITISH CITIZENS (not British Subject or Overseas Citizen)
• BRUNEI
• DENMARK
• FINLAND
• FRANCE
• GERMANY
• ICELAND
• ITALY
• JAPAN
• LIECHTENSTEIN
• LUXEMBOURG
• MONACO
• NETHERLANDS
• NEW ZEALAND
• NORWAY
• PORTUGAL
• REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
• SAN MARINO
• SINGAPORE
• SLOVENIA
• SPAIN
• SWEDEN
• SWITZERLAND

Visa Waiver Program Conditions

From 26th October 2004 adults and children must be in possession of individual machine readable passports. Your stay must be no more than 90 days. You must hold a signed Visa Waiver arrival/departure form issued by the carrier. You must carry onward/return tickets to a final destination beyond Canada, Mexico, countries/islands situated in the Caribbean Sea and Bermuda, unless resident in that country.

VWP Exclusions;

• Passengers travelling on NON machine readable passports are ineligible to travel on the VWP (typically these passports will have been issued outside of the UK).
• Your trip is not for a holiday or business.
• You have previously overstayed on a visa or been deported.
• You have a criminal record.
• You suffer from a mental disorder, HIV or have a dangerous communicable disease

If any of these apply you will need a visa. Any passenger whose nationality is not part of the VWP whether stopping in or transiting the USA is advised to obtain a visa. If you are in any doubt about your eligibility to travel on the VWP, please contact Trailfinders Visa & Passport Service. top 

Machine Readable Passports

Visa free travellers entering or passing through the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) require individual machine readable passports. It is important to note that families will require individual passports for each traveller should they wish to travel visa free, regardless of the fact that they may currently hold machine readable passports. Travellers not in possession of machine readable passports will require a visa.

How do I know if I have a machine readable passport?
A machine readable passport can generally be identified by the presence of two typeface lines printed at the bottom of the photograph page that can be read by machine. If you are in any doubt please contact Trailfinders Visa & Passport service.

Biometric Passports

All British Citizen passports issued by the United Kingdom Passport Agency, or UKPA, qualify for the Visa Waiver Program under the new Biometric Passport requirements. Other nationalities (or UK passports issued abroad) should check the following information carefully:

• Valid passports issued BEFORE October 26, 2005, will be accepted for travel under the Visa Waiver Program, provided that the passports are machine-readable.
• Passports issued (or extended) ON or AFTER October 26, 2005 but PRIOR to October 26, 2006, must contain a digital photograph or intergrated chip with information from the data page, otherwise passengers require a visa to enter the USA.
• Passports issued (or extended) ON or AFTER October 26, 2006 must contain an intergrated circuit chip, otherwise passengers require a visa to enter the USA.

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US - Visit

US immigration are moving towards the full implementation of US-VISIT. This includes:

• The use of scanning equipment to collect fingerprints and digital photographs of visitors. These new procedures are expected to add seconds to the entry process.
• Airlines will be required to supply passenger details to customs and immigration prior to their arrival in the USA. Passenger details including name, passport and contact details in the USA may need to be provided at check-in. Clients should have pre-booked accommodation for at least their first night, either with friends and family or at a hotel. Currently visitors to the USA using the VWP may be subject to US-VISIT. If you are travelling to the USA on British Airways or Virgin Atlantic you can pre-register your accommodation and passport details through our ViewTrail facility.

Applying for a US Visa

Please note that there is no longer a "Transit Without Visa" facility. All passengers clear immigration at the point of first entry to the USA on all international flights. If a client would need a visa to "stop" in the USA they would still need a visa to "transit". The US embassy has announced that as of 31 December 2002 anybody needing a visa to travel to or via the USA will no longer be able to apply through a visa agency like ourselves or directly by post to the embassy. Trailfinders visa service is no longer accepting applications. They will instead have to make an appointment for a personal interview at the Embassy. Please call the Embassy information and appointment number 09042 450 100 (premium rate £1.20 per minute). In Ireland call 1580 456111 (€1.90 per minute). This will inevitably lead to severe delays, and applicants may have to wait a number of weeks before securing an appointment. You must consider this when making any booking involving the USA if you require a visa to travel or transit there. top 

Travel to Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central & South America via the USA on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

The following information applies to British Citizens and other nationalities (as above) eligible to travel under the VWP:

• If you are travelling via the USA to reach Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean Islands (and Bermuda), for a total stay over 90 days, they should obtain a US visa and not travel under the VWP.
• If you are travelling through the USA to reach points further a field such as Central America (except Mexico, see above), South America, The Pacific Islands, Australasia, Asia and Europe you are deemed to have left the visa waiver territories and may travel under the VWP even if the total trip length is over 90 days (so long as the normal conditions are met).
• If you wish to travel via the USA into Central America on an "open jaw" ticket you must check the routing with the Visa Department.

US Dual Nationality

If you were born in the USA you are automatically entitled to a US passport. Even if you hold dual nationality with another country you must travel to the USA on your US passport otherwise you'll be denied boarding. top 

You should always have correct documents and visas for your destination/s beyond the USA. Entry into the USA is always at the discretion of the duty immigration officers and Trailfinders can bear no responsibility if a client is refused entry or refused a US visa even if these guidelines have been followed.

Contact Trailfinders Visa & Passport Service