do i need a visa

[mozzman]

i have planned a trip in march to disney and 2 people have told me i need a visa as well as my passport is this correct,i suspect it is not but they have me doubting myself now,anybody who has been recently your knowledge would be appreciated.thanks

 

[alisonbestford]

You will only need a visa if you don't have a passport that can be read by the machines - the line at the bottom where the <<........>> symbols are

Alternatively if you've been arrested or convicted of something other than minor speeding offences.

Sorry I haven't explained that very well but you can have a look here http://www.usvisaservice.org/

Just give yourself plenty of time if you need to apply

 

[wideeyes]

hi you don't need a visa as there however there are conditions
people need a visa if your passport does not have the bar code that is scanned, i.e the red passports.(I think most people do now)
Your are a British resident and NOT a British Citizen.
You have HIV.
you have a criminal record.
You do not have details of where you are staying when entering the country.

Other wise you don't need a visa and just need to fill in some forms.

I would of thought you would have been given this information when you booked a flight.

 

[florida sun]

Just going to pop this over to Trip Planning for you

 

[patdavies]

hi you don't need a visa as there however there are conditions
people need a visa if your passport does not have the bar code that is scanned, i.e the red passports.(I think most people do now)
Your are a British resident and NOT a British Citizen.
You have HIV.
you have a criminal record.
You do not have details of where you are staying when entering the country.


Other wise you don't need a visa and just need to fill in some forms.

I would of thought you would have been given this information when you booked a flight.

Wideeyes is right that you don't need a visa if you meet certain conditions. Hpwever the conditions listed above are misleading. The definitive answer is as posted elsewhere in the thread,

You must have a UK passport
It must be machine readable
It must have a digital photograph (not laminated) if issued since October 2005
You do not have a criminal record (minor motoring offences are not recordable and do not count)

Whether or not you need a visa, you will always need the address of at least your first night in the USA. This is part of API and without it you will not get on the aircraft, never mind enter the USA!

Whether ir not you need a visa, you will need to fill in forms, it is just that they are different forms with a visa (I-94 as opposed to I-94W)

You will not have been given this information when you booked your holidsay.flight because the advice differs as to nationality, type of passport,,etc. All airlines and holiday companies will do is advise you that passport/visa arrangements are your responsibility.

 

[mozzman]

i have arranged my own flights and villa for the trip,i should have looked on the flight details i suppose,i dont have any of the above exceptions ie:criminal record except i do wear loud shirts after the hours of darkness,and are in possession of an offensive wife,other than that no prob,my 4 daugters passports are older than 2005 so i will have to check them,thanks everyone

 

[UKDEB]

i do wear loud shirts after the hours of darkness,and are in possession of an offensive wife

 

[wideeyes]

This is the information I was given when I booked are holiday this year.

"British Citizens (with some exceptions listed below) can travel to the USA free on visa wavier program, providing they have a 10 year old machine - readable passport.

A British Passport is machine readable when there are 2 lines of letters, numbers and the chevrons(>>>>>>) printed across the long edge of personal information page.(The page with the photograph and personal details). The machine readable text will appear on a white strip on older passport and directly on the pink on newer passports. its is very rare that a passport is not machine readable.

If a child under the age of 16 are traveling on there parents passport, then they will require a visa.

Who Must Apply for a Visa.

Anyone who is not a british subject

Anyone who does not have a machine readable passport

Anyone who has ever been arrested or has a criminal record

Anyone who is planning to stay longer than 90 days

Any child travelling on their parents passport

Anyone who has previously overstayed the 90 days.

Anyone who has previously been refused entry or been deported fron the USA.

There are other restrictions on entry and requirements may change.
Please see embassy website or foreign office advice.

www.usembassy.org.uk or call them om 020 7499 9000"

 

[patdavies]

This is the information I was given when I booked are holiday this year.

If a child under the age of 16 are traveling on there parents passport, then they will require a visa.

A child cannot travel without his/her own passport, with or without a visa. Everybody, including babies, must have their own passport

 

[wideeyes]

A child cannot travel without his/her own passport, with or without a visa. Everybody, including babies, must have their own passport

I think it said that as you when they introduced the rule you did not have to get the child a new passport untill the existing parents had expired, my sister was still on my parents passport till last year when she got her own as she turned 16.

 

[Minniespal]

i do wear loud shirts after the hours of darkness,and are in possession of an offensive wife,other than that no prob

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I think it said that as you when they introduced the rule you did not have to get the child a new passport untill the existing parents had expired, my sister was still on my parents passport till last year when she got her own as she turned 16.

When the existing parents expire, do you get new parents then??

 

[paulh]

mate of mine lost 4 days of holiday because he had dd on his pasport. had to drive birmingham for new pasports she had to have her own.that rule came in last year.Seams they are making it harder to get into the staes now.Florida is moaning about the lack of eruopens going
Paulh

 

[alisonbestford]

mate of mine lost 4 days of holiday because he had dd on his pasport. had to drive birmingham for new pasports she had to have her own.that rule came in last year.Seams they are making it harder to get into the staes now.Florida is moaning about the lack of eruopens going
Paulh

Yep, our friends in Orlando have noticed a difference.

It'll turn around eventually as no-one can afford to lose money generated through tourism

 

[mozzman]

i think my 4 daughters passports are pre 2005 so the do not have the machine readable photo aaahhh more exspence i will check with the post office to make sure they deal with these things,but its annoying i have possibly 4 to change,i might have not booked if i had known this,i can see why numbers are down i went to majorca a week ago no problem.

 

[wideeyes]

hi

I don't think that you need to get a new passport for your children

"From October 26, 2005 passports issued on or after that date must contain a digital photograph of the holder."

It seen to be for new passports that are issued.

though if you mean the passports don't have the >>>> they might in a new one however I think most passports have this now.

might be worth checking it out with the passport office first.

Does any one know more about this?

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Two things,

First of all, the child having their won passport has nothing to do with the USA. this is a European initiative to stop child traffiking and baby selling.

These pre 2005 passports, if they have the code line in the bottom rather like
P"GBRWANKENOBI""OBI"WAN""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
123456789234545676545""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""09

(But on your passport the " will be a right arrow, on this board it won't let you put that symbol)
then these are ok until they run out then they will need to be changed for biometric passports.

 

[paulh]

from the usa gov web site
Passport requirements for travelers under the Visa Waiver Program
Visa free travelers, including children, entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) require individual machine-readable passports (MRP). This requirement has been in place since October 26, 2004.

andfrom later this year we will have more changes if you have to renew

Passports issued on or after October 26, 2006, must also include an integrated circuit chip capable of storing the biographic information from the data page, a digitized photograph and other biometric information. Follow this link for an example of a such a passport.
if you want to check out yourself link
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/mrp_bio.html
Paulh

 

[mozzman]

all our passports have the 2 lines of v on its side type which is i believe machine readable,2 of our photos are not the new ones you have done in say snappy snaps photo shops,but i can use these until it runs out of date and needs to be renewed i think thats the general view.correct me if i am wrong but be gentle,GULP

 

[alisonbestford]

all our passports have the 2 lines of v on its side type which is i believe machine readable,2 of our photos are not the new ones you have done in say snappy snaps photo shops,but i can use these until it runs out of date and needs to be renewed i think thats the general view.correct me if i am wrong but be gentle,GULP

Pretty sure you're okay

DH's passport expires in 2007 so his photo is definitely just your 'bog standard'
kiosk type