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This web page is part of the year long trip from Sept ’94 - Sept ’95 through 36 USA States and 2 Canadian Provinces by Jean and Graham Beven in 'Serendipity' their 30 foot Winnebago 'Chieftain'. Follow the trip state by state. Lots of photos and information a real adventure that thousands of Britons dream of! 'Live the dream'. USA visitor visa requirements: Planning - Visas to visit the USA ?Do I need a visa to visit the USA ?
Do I need a visa to transit the USA? As a UK citizen, with a valid UK passport - If you are staying in the USA for 90 days or less – probably no visa is required: If you intend to stay longer than 90 days - Go to: Stay in the USA for more than 90 days as a non working visitor. As most visitors to the USA enter the country as tourists. The US Government introduced a scheme - where there is visa free tourist travel to citizens of certain countries. That means it is possible for many travellers, including UK citizens, to enter the USA without any visas under the Visa Waiver Program (WVP). This visa free travel is also available to the same travellers who enter the USA under the WVP on business or in transit – Only if they are staying in the United States for 90 days or less. The travelling UK citizen must be travelling on a valid UK , individual (soon - biometric information -) machine readable passport. A passport just indicating that the bearer is a British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen, British National (Overseas) Citizen, or British Protected Person does not qualify for travel without a visa. Likewise a passport which states holder has right of abode or indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom does not qualify for travel without a visa. It is important to note : Some UK citizens may not be eligible to enter the USA visa free under the VWP. These include people who have: been arrested, even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction, those with criminal records, (the UK - Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to US visa law), certain serious communicable illnesses. Plus those who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from, the United States or have previously overstayed on the VWP. If this applies to you: then you must apply for special restricted visa. If you attempt to travel without a visa, they may be refused entry into the United States . All travellers should carry with them evidence of their intention to depart the USA at the end of the visit, i.e. a return ticket or evidence of strong social and economic ties to the traveler’s place of permanent residence. There is no set form that this evidence should take as each person's circumstances differ. If the immigration officer is not satisfied that you meet the qualifications for non-immigrant status, then you will be denied entry. If you have been refused a USA visa under the provisions of Section 221(g) or 214(b) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act are not ineligible to travel visa under the VWP, you will be questioned by an immigration official at the US point of entry regarding the refusal by the Embassy or Consulate. Transit Through The USA: Travellers who qualify for visa free travel under the VWP are eligible to transit through the USA . Application for entry is made on the individuals arrival/departure form (I-94W) provided by the airline. If transiting the USA to a destination in Canada , Mexico or the adjacent islands, you may re-enter the United States on the return journey using any mode of transport, as long as the total visit, including both periods of time spent in transit and in Canada , Mexico or the adjacent islands, does not exceed 90 days. If transiting to a destination outside of Canada, Mexico, or the adjacent islands, the return journey must be on an airline participating in the VWP scheme, but need not be within 90 days, as you will be required to make a new application for admission to the USA and therefore, you will be required to complete a new arrival/departure form, I-94W. Travellers transiting the United States to take up residence in Mexico , Canada , Bermuda or the Caribbean Islands must be legal permanent residents of these areas. Visa-free travel does not include those who plan to study, work or remain more than 90 days. Such travellers need visas. If an immigration officer believes that as visa-free visitor you are going to study, work or stay longer than 90 days, the officer will refuse to admit you and you will be deported on the next available aircraft. We have personally seen a UK citizen who was carrying carpentry tools in his baggage, denied access to the USA as the immigration officer believed that the man claiming to be a tourist travelling visa free was going to gain employment. He was deported on the next UK bound aircraft!
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