Flying into America

Willeth

I'm from the UK, heading over to PAX at the end of the year, and I'm a little confused about visas. As far as I understand, as my passport was issued in October 2005, and I have a digitally printed photograph on my passport (as opposed to a photo stuck or laminated on) as well as a machine-readable area, that means I don't need a visa to enter the States.

Here's a scan of my passport to make sure that I understand this right:

PSYCHE!

Basically, simple question - am I right? I plan on phoning the Embassy before the end of the week, but just wanted to see if anyone here had any experience with this kind of thing.

Cheers.

RocketScience

In my experience, US embassies and consulates aren't the most helpful institutions out there. The information number I called wanted me to pay $20 before even speaking to me.

You'd be better off checking the PAX forum.
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/forumdisplay.php?f=26

Muramasa18

You don't need a visa to enter the US for just a vacation.

I'm pretty sure, anyway.

halofyre

I'm almost certain you don't need a visa for a vacation - Canadians certainly don't.

Muramasa18

Fill out the green form they give you on the airplane and I think that's all you need, along with your passport.

seasleepy

Yeah, you don't need a visa, unless you're planning to stay in the US for more than 90 days. The UK comes in under the Visa Waiver Program (apparently), and I think your passport should be all right given when it was issued.

Willeth

Thanks, I'll take this over to the PAX Forum (I was in two minds in the first place), and I've come up against the consultation charge before. I just hoped someone would be able to give an immediate straight answer. Never mind, thanks anyhoo.

TaGuelle

Just remember you're gonna have to fill out forms galore and pay for a finger print/retina scan. How I wish I was kidding.

SporkAndrew

Yeah, you've got the same style passport as I've got. All you need to do is fill out the green Visa-waiver form on the plane on the way over (making sure you remember to fill in the back where they ask if you were ever a member of Al-Queda or expect to engage in terrorism whilst in the country) and also a blue form for making note of how much money you're bringing into the country.

At customs you'll have to queue up for ages, get your index fingers printed and then have a picture taken with a standard logitech webcam.

You don't have to pay for anything, either.

TaGuelle

You don't have to pay for it at airports? A friend of mine as we were driving over the border from Canada had to be taken out of the car and go through that shit and pay 7 american for this pleasure. I figured it was the same at the airport, my bad.

SporkAndrew

I think maybe your friend was taken for a ride by some enterprising guy with a hut, some computer bits and a badge.

At the airport everyone has to go through it, and I think you've paid for it anyway on your air fare (as the 9/11 surcharge).

That Dave Fella

Yeah if I fly into America from Ireland we pay $2.50 for the 9/11 tax.

We also have to sign that little green form and if they have it working go through the fingerprinting/retina scanning in Dublin. Last time I went to NYC though it wasn't working so we had to spend 2 hours with all the arrivals in JFK.

Lewisham

I've never had to pay anything when landing in the US, my presumption is that any charges are absorbed by the airline and rolled into your ticket.

Yes, you just need to fill out the green visa waiver. You will need to know the address of where you are staying to fill that out. That's the hardest part. That and not laughing at the questions that ask "Are you a terrorist? Yes/No" Do not schedule yourself a taxi or something for when you arrive, US customs takes a fair amount of time, and it relies on the time of day and the airport you're flying into, so you can't really tell.

Do not not not call the US embassy, the price of calling them is astronomical. Just get on the plane and have a fucking awesome time.