JeffC Posted April 11, 2011 Posted April 11, 2011 swmbo is abandoning me in a few weeks time for her 40th with her mate , she is heading to New York for a shopping trip going for 4 days,she has been told she will need to sort a Visa to visit ? Is this correct and if so can anyone guide me through doing it, or her through doing it! why should i do it as she is leaving me with the kids ta in advance Quote
Captain Colonial Posted April 11, 2011 Posted April 11, 2011 Yes she does, but it can be done online quite easily if you go to the US Embassy website and fill in the visa waiver. No probes, easy peasey. Quote
Barry Ashcroft Posted April 11, 2011 Posted April 11, 2011 I'd be more concerned for your visa card mate On a serious note contact your card provider & your bank to tell them your going saves any hassle when there. Quote
JeffC Posted April 11, 2011 Author Posted April 11, 2011 I'd be more concerned for your visa card mate On a serious note contact your card provider & your bank to tell them your going saves any hassle when there. will do Barry, im more concerned for the poor kids they have 5 days of me as there guardian Quote
dombanks Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 you know guys i cant remember getting a visa when i went on a conference to america.... for a week. thought you could go for 3 months on a holiday fine.... maybe its changed Quote
dombanks Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 quote from the thompson site if it helps... Do I need a visa to travel to America?Most British Citizen passport holders do not need a visa to visit the US on business, pleasure or in transit if they intend to stay in the US for less than 90 days and as long as they have a Machine Readable Passport. This is called the Visa Waiver Programme, and more information on this is available on the US Embassy website. The requirement to have a machine readable passport was introduced on 26th October 2004. The US also announced a requirement that all new passports issued on or after 26th October 2005 must contain a digital photo image to enable the holder to travel to the USA visa free. This means that in order to travel under the VWP: From 26th October 2005, if you are holding a British Citizen passport, you will still be able to enter the US with a machine-readable passport, with or without a digital photo image (since 2003 all UK passports have been issued with digital photographs). From 26th October 2006, all passports issued on or after that date will have to include biometric data. For more information please visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice pages at www.fco.gov.uk. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote
Captain Colonial Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 Stu is right about the ESTA, simples to fill in online as well, especially when you consider the fact that almost all US Customs agents have had their sense of humour removed and were real sticklers about filling in the old green form correctly - get to the desk, one mistake made, form rejected, get a new one and go to the back of the queue. I seem to remember even Winston Churchill had to fill one in when he went to the States in the 50's McCarthy era, and took the opportunity to flout authority on a few questions: Q: Is it your intention to seek the overthrow of the US government? A: Sole purpose of visit. Q: Have you ever visited a Communist country? A: Not until now. Wish I could get away with that cheek! Quote
carpetstu Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 The chances are that if you attempt to fly without the ESTA being authorised prior to departure , the carrier will not let you board! The ESTA replaces all other waver programs and if you intend to stay in America for less than 90 days it is required for entry. Over 90 Days and you need a completely different visa! The ESTA is valid for 2 years. Quote
Blatman Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 Wot Carpetstu said. The rules were changed and the old visa waiver scheme was replaced with ESTA on 1st August 2008. ESTA requires prior approval and incurs a fee. You now CANNOT travel to the USA (regardless of type of visit) without getting a visa in advance. Went through this recently for a trip to Sebring... Quote
dombanks Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 i must have just missed it as i went in july that year... just dont remember swcfo (xswmbo) having to do it when she's been. oh well. Quote
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 I have one of those old navy blue 'proper' passports and it carries a visa to visit the USA multiple times and is valid "indefintely". I have used it since the passport itself expired by carrying both the old one and a current one. I have been told since, though, that the English word 'indefinite' which was taken to mean forever at the time of issue, now means "Tough, Buster - it's expired!" Quote
Captain Colonial Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 I have one of those old navy blue 'proper' passports and it carries a visa to visit the USA multiple times and is valid "indefintely". I have used it since the passport itself expired by carrying both the old one and a current one. I have been told since, though, that the English word 'indefinite' which was taken to mean forever at the time of issue, now means "Tough, Buster - it's expired!" Not sure that's because the visa applied to only that passport. Might be wrong. Hell, who am I kidding, this is me, I'm undoubtedly wrong! One I've never been able to work out is this - I have a US and a UK passport. When I fly to the the US, I go on my US passport. When I check in at the US airport to fly back, I use my US passport. When I get back to the UK, I use my UK passport at Customs. This means that, effectively, as far as the UK system is concerned, I've come into the UK about ten times more often than I've left it! But no one questions this at all. Quote
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