United States Visa Advisory

Effective January 12, 2009, the requirements to travel visa-free into the United States have changed. Nationals of Visa Waiver Program countries will still be eligible to travel without a visa, but will have to obtain an approved travel authorization prior to their travel to the United States. The approval form and additional information may be found at
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

The U.S has updated its visa policies to increase security. Due to these new policies it will likely take longer to secure a visa and applicants will need to be aware of any new security measures that have been put into place. For details on individual countries and the specific policies that apply, please see information posted by your nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy.

Citizens of certain countries, traveling for visitor visa purposes for 90 days or less and who meet all the requirements, can travel to the U.S. for tourism or business under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Visa Waiver Program

Currently, the 27 countries shown below participate in the VWP. Some of the citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not need a visa to visit the United States.

Andorra | Australia | Austria | Belgium | Brunei | Denmark | Finland | France | Germany | Iceland | Ireland | Italy | Japan | Liechtenstein | Luxembourg | Monaco | The Netherlands | New Zealand | Norway | Portugal | San Marino | Singapore | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | United Kingdom

Passports

Since October 2004 visa waiver travelers from all VWP countries must present a machine-readable passport at the U.S. port of entry. Machine-readable passports issued since October 2005 require a digital photograph printed on the data or integrated chip with information from the data page.

A passport with a validity date of at least six months beyond the applicant’s intended period of stay in the U.S. is required. If more than one person is included in the passport, each person desiring a visa must make a separate application. Special attention must be given for temporary passports. Temporary Passports will likely merit special scrutiny. Check with your local US consular offices, well ahead of your intended departure dates, to avoid complications

Recommendations

To avoid frustration and disappointment:

• Advance planning by travelers is essential. Review your visa status and find out if you need a U.S. visa or a visa renewal.
  
  
• Plan to submit your visa application well in advance of your intended departure date. Contact your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for a current time estimate and recommendations.
  
  
• Visit the embassy or consular section where you plan to apply for your visa. Visit their website to find important information on how to schedule an interview appointment and pay fees. An interview is required as a standard part of processing for most visa applicants.
  
  
• Applicants must now also have two index-finger scans collected as part of the visa application process. These finger scans are normally collected by the consular officer at the visa interview window but in some countries they are collected prior to the visa interview.

Disclaimer

Please note that this information is given in good faith but that the regulations may change and the only authoritative sources of information are the U.S. Government websites at http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/ and http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

Visa Letters

Those who require Visas please contact Dr. Larry Whicker (e-mail: lrwassoc@carolina.rr.com) to request VISA Letter. Please indicate your Paper ID (Session/Slot) and which author you are (1,2,3,...). Spouses of Attendees must register before a Visa Letter can be sent. Complete details on obtaining Visa Letters are contained in the RFIC Program Book.