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Frequently Asked Questions

> I have a British passport, do I need a visa to travel to the US?

Most British passport holders will not need to obtain a visa before travelling to the US. Provided you comply with its requirements, most UK nationals travelling to the US on vacation or for business meetings can travel on the visa waiver program. See www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/vwp.html for further information.

From 12 January 2009 all travellers to the US who do not have a visa will need to register on-line with the Department of Homeland Securtiy's Electronic System for Travel Authorization 'ESTA'.  Further details on ESTA are available here.

Despite recent media reports, there are no current plans to withdraw the Visa Waiver Program for British Citizens. 

> I understand I need a machine readable passport to travel to the US. How do I know if my passport is machine-readable?

See http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/mrp_bio.html

> I have a traffic offence conviction. Does this prevent me from travelling on the visa waiver program?

Generally speaking, fixed penalty offences will not prevent you from using the visa waiver program.

Offences such as dangerous or careless driving may prevent the use of the visa waiver program. If you have been convicted of such an offence, please do not hesitate to contact us. We offer a fixed fee service to people with convictions to allow them to travel to the US.

> I have convictions which are 'spent' under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Do I need to declare these to the US immigration authorities?

Yes. If you have been arrested or convicted of any offence, no matter when, contact us well before you plan to travel. You will not be able to travel on the visa waiver program and may be denied entry to the US if you attempt to do so.

> Can I travel to the US as a working holiday maker?

There is no such thing as a working holiday maker visa in the US. You may wish to participate in a work exchange program instead.   Please see the links on our links page for further information.

> I need a visa to travel to the US quickly but the US embassy does not have any appointments until after I am due to travel. Is there a way of getting a visa quickly?

Only in very limited circumstances will it be possible to request an earlier appointment.  Please do not hesitate to contact us for details of our services in this respect.

> I am currently in the UK as an international student.  Can I apply for a visa to travel to the US at the US Embassy in London?

It is very difficult to make an application to the US Embassy in London if you are in the UK only as an international student.  International students often have weak social and economic ties to the UK and therefore such applications would usually be denied.  Other than in exceptional circumstances, we are unable to assist with such applications.

> I am currently in the UK on a working holidaymaker visa.  Can I apply for a visa to travel to the US at the US Embassy in London?

As with the previous question, it is very difficult to make an application to the US Embassy in London if you are in the UK only as a working holidaymaker.  Working holidaymakers often have weak social and economic ties to the UK and therefore such applications would usually be denied.  Other than in exceptional circumstances, we are unable to assist with such applications.

> I have an unexpired US B-1/B-2 visa in my old passport.  My old passport has expired.  Do I need to get a new visa in my new passport?

Provided that your original visa is still valid and has not been damaged in any way then you will not need to get a new visa.  You should carry your old passport with your new passport when you travel to the USA.

> I did not turn in the green I-94 card in my passport when I left the US.  What should I do?

The following answer to this question has been provided by US Customs and Border Protection:

If you returned home with your Department of Homeland Security Form I-94 (white) or Form I-94W (green) Departure Record in your passport, it means that your departure was not recorded properly. It is your responsibility to correct this record. You must provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sufficient information so we can record your timely departure from the United States. This will close out your earlier record of arrival to this country.

 

If you do not validate a timely departure from the United States, or, if you cannot reasonably prove otherwise when you apply for admission to the U.S. in the future, CBP may conclude you remained in the U.S. beyond your authorized stay. If this happens, the next time you apply to enter the U.S. your visa may be subject to cancellation or you may be returned immediately to your foreign point of origin.

 

In particular, visitors who remain beyond their permitted stay in the United States under the Visa Waiver Program cannot reenter the U.S. in the future without obtaining a visa from a U.S. Consulate. If this occurs and you arrive at a U.S. port-of-entry seeking admission under the Visa Waiver Program without a visa, CBP Officers may order your immediate return to a foreign point of origin.

 

If you failed to turn in your I-94 Departure Record, please send it, along with any documentation that proves you left the United States to:

 

ACS - CBP SBU

1084 South Laurel Road

London, KY 40744

 

Do not mail your Form I-94 Departure Record or supporting information to any U.S. Consulate or Embassy, to any other CBP office in the United States, or to any address other than the one above. Only at this location are we able to make the necessary corrections to CBP records to prevent inconvenience to you in the future.

 

To validate departure, CBP will consider a variety of information, including but not

limited to: 

  • Original boarding passes you used to depart the United States;
  • Photocopies of entry or departure stamps in your passport indicating entry to another country after you departed the United States (you should copy all passport pages that are not completely blank, and include the biographical page containing your photograph); and
  • Photocopies of other supporting evidence, such as:
  • Dated pay slips or vouchers from your employer to indicate you worked in another country after you departed the United States,
  • Dated bank records showing transactions to indicate you were in another country after you left the United States,
  • School records showing attendance at a school outside the United States to indicate you were in another country after you left the United States, and
  • Dated credit card receipts, showing your name, but, the credit card number deleted, for purchases made after you left the United States to indicate you were in another country after leaving the United States.

 

To assist us in understanding the situation and correct your records quickly, please include an explanation letter in English. Your statement will not be acceptable without supporting evidence such as noted above. You must mail legible copies or original materials where possible. If you send original materials, you should retain a copy. CBP cannot return original materials after processing.

We strongly urge you to keep a copy of what you send to ACS-CBP and carry it with you the next time you come to the United States in case the CBP officer has any questions about your eligibility to enter.

If taking short trips (30 days or less) to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean Islands during the course of your visit to the U.S., hold onto your I-94 or I-94 (W). It should only be turned in when you leave the U.S. to return home.

 

 

 


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