First timer! - how do I complete the visa waiver?

[Andrew2005]

Hi all,

I've just come across this board, as my family are going to Florida for the first time in October, staying at the Caribbean Beach resort at Disneyworld

I'm a bit worried about filling in the Visa Waiver forms I've read we have to complete, and I was wondering if I could ask for some advice to set my mind at rest.

I've downloaded a sample form to practice on, and I've got a few questions:

1. What do we fill in for "Country of Citizenship" and "Country where you live"? - I'd have assumed we put United Kingdom in both boxes, but the second box isn't big enough - so am I OK to just put "UK" in both boxes?

2. Next, "Airline and Flight Number" Do I just write the number of the flight - VS075? as obviously I can't squeeze in Virgin as well!

3. Then "city where you boarded" - Manchester won't fit! Do I just put in the airport code for Manchester - MAN? Or abbreviate manchester to M'chester?

4. And finally - "Address while in the United States" - "Disney Caribbean Beach" won't fit, so can I miss out a space "Disney CaribbeanBeach"?

Sorry if these questions are a bit stupid - - but I just wanted to make sure there were no problems when we get to Orlando. Just out of interest what would happen if you've completed the form wrong?

Thanks again for any assistance!

Andrew

 

[jen_uk]

I dont know whether they have changed or not but last time I completed one (2003) there was enough room on there to fit in all answers. Dont worry about it, you can ask the airline staff if you have any problems and they will happily help you and if you make a mistake on one they have loads extra! If the immigration people say theres a mistake they just give you a new one to fill in.

 

[Andrew2005]

It's a relief to hear the airline staff have lots of spares.

But on the form I downloaded, it's the type with a box for each letter, and as I say, I can't fit all the information into the boxes provided!!!

 

[karentan]

firstly if you do any mistakes on the form, you will need to get another from the flight attendants, and start again, US immigation can refuse to accept it and send you to the back of the queue to fill another one in
you'll have to squeeze the required information into the small boxes cos if they think you havent given enough info, they'll make you fill it in again (at the back of the queue)

sorry couldn't be of more help

 

[jen_uk]

I think I must have used abbvs then, its ok to out UK and Im sure the flight number is enough, I usually make a few mistakes each time and its never a problem cos they have stacks of them!

 

[Andrew2005]

firstly if you do any mistakes on the form, you will need to get another from the flight attendants, and start again, US immigation can refuse to accept it and send you to the back of the queue to fill another one in
you'll have to squeeze the required information into the small boxes cos if they think you havent given enough info, they'll make you fill it in again (at the back of the queue)

sorry couldn't be of more help

So they don't mind if you squeeze more than one letter per box on the form then?

 

[Andrew2005]

I think I must have used abbvs then, its ok to out UK and Im sure the flight number is enough, I usually make a few mistakes each time and its never a problem cos they have stacks of them!

Thanks for that - I'll go with UK in the 2 country boxes, and the flight number in the airline box! If I know the worst that can happen is you go to the back of the queue to fill in another form, it's not such a worry! I was worried they might deport us!

 

[kevin harrison]

Just out of interest what would happen if you've completed the form wrong?
Andrew

The men with the rubber gloves come for you........

You'll be fine, the worst that happens is they send you to the back of the queue to start again. Don't worry.

 

[Andrew2005]

The men with the rubber gloves come for you........

You'll be fine, the worst that happens is they send you to the back of the queue to start again. Don't worry.

Thanks - I can relax and look forward to my holidays now!

 

[wicket2005]

Usually on the plane there is a video telling you exactly what to fill in. Personally I would just put one letter in one box. Take a little note pad and as the video is being shown just make notes of what goes where. I just put NEW for the place you departed from (Newcastle).

UK is fine.

Just the flight number as you have written it you don't need to write Virgin on it.


I put the actual address down for the Rosen Centre Hotel 9840 I Drive, Orlando. I am not sure what you would do for a Disney hotel.

 

[carolfoy]

You'll be fine with just VS%)! etc, that tells them everything they need to know, also just put Disney Hotel in address, if they DID need to get hold of you then central reservations can track down which resort you're in, oh, and MAN for Manchester is fine, same as LHR for London is fine!

 

[gbrchill]

I travel to the USA on business about 4 times a year. I have always put Britain in the country box and not had a problem, until this last time, when the imigration official gave me a really hard time and crossed it out and put UK.

So, a toss up between Britain and UK for that one.

For the flight you can put down VS 075. For the departing city if you can't squeeze Manchester in to the boxes you should be OK with MAN [1].

Make sure you fill in the correct boxes with the answers to the questions. My favourite mistake is to put the answers to question 3 and 5 (Birth Data and Sex) in the space above the question and not below.

Don't forget the second side of the forms. You end up filling in the same information three times. Don't forget to sign the forms.

You should get given them when you check in. Take your practice one you are sure is correct and copy the information out whilst you are waiting for the gate to be announced. You can always go back to the check in desk and ask for another form if you get it wrong. It is much easier to fill out the form with a clear head than after having been stewing for 8 hours on the flight and getting rather tired [2].

The address of the Caribbean Beach Resort is:
Number and Street: 900 Cayman Way
City and State: Lake Buena Vista , FL
Zip Code: 32830-1000

Each member of the party needs their own I94W form completed and signed. Each family can have one customs declaration between them.

When it comes to going through customs at MCO join a queue for non US citizens and wait your turn. Don't cross the red line until invited by the imigration agent. Be polite and answer the questions of the imigration officer. Some are really nice and friendly others can be a bit officious.

Chris.

1. I tend to travel through Vancouver, Canada, and then down to Portland, Oregon. In Vancouver they have a passenger preclearence area, so that passengers to the USA can do their immigration and customs clearence before they get on the plane and leave Canada. Ths can cause confusion with some people, because they have to fill in the forms as if they have just arrived before they depart. To make this simpler they prestamp YVR as the originating city on the I94W forms they have available.

2. I have a stack of I94W and customs forms that I keep at home. I always fill them in a couple of days before I travel, being careful to put the correct dates on the forms. If you are thinking of going back again soon it may be worth grabbing some spares from the piles that they have available before you go through imigration.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

And don't be surprised when they ask you to put your fingers into a machine and take your photo at immigration. thats for all members of the party exept the very young and very old

 

[lexie32]

Hi Andrew2005, where did you find the sample forms? it would be a good idea for me to have some to copy from on the flight as i always manage to put something in the wrong place!

Thanks Alex

 

[gbrchill]

where did you find the sample forms?

There appears to be some good stuff, including instructions on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Website, I'd post the URL but I don't have enough posts. (hint - all the ws dot cbo dot gov /xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/vwp)

Chris.

 

[Andrew2005]

I travel to the USA on business about 4 times a year. I have always put Britain in the country box and not had a problem, until this last time, when the imigration official gave me a really hard time and crossed it out and put UK.

So, a toss up between Britain and UK for that one.

For the flight you can put down VS 075. For the departing city if you can't squeeze Manchester in to the boxes you should be OK with MAN [1].

Make sure you fill in the correct boxes with the answers to the questions. My favourite mistake is to put the answers to question 3 and 5 (Birth Data and Sex) in the space above the question and not below.

Don't forget the second side of the forms. You end up filling in the same information three times. Don't forget to sign the forms.

You should get given them when you check in. Take your practice one you are sure is correct and copy the information out whilst you are waiting for the gate to be announced. You can always go back to the check in desk and ask for another form if you get it wrong. It is much easier to fill out the form with a clear head than after having been stewing for 8 hours on the flight and getting rather tired [2].

The address of the Caribbean Beach Resort is:
Number and Street: 900 Cayman Way
City and State: Lake Buena Vista , FL
Zip Code: 32830-1000

Each member of the party needs their own I94W form completed and signed. Each family can have one customs declaration between them.

When it comes to going through customs at MCO join a queue for non US citizens and wait your turn. Don't cross the red line until invited by the imigration agent. Be polite and answer the questions of the imigration officer. Some are really nice and friendly others can be a bit officious.

Chris.

1. I tend to travel through Vancouver, Canada, and then down to Portland, Oregon. In Vancouver they have a passenger preclearence area, so that passengers to the USA can do their immigration and customs clearence before they get on the plane and leave Canada. Ths can cause confusion with some people, because they have to fill in the forms as if they have just arrived before they depart. To make this simpler they prestamp YVR as the originating city on the I94W forms they have available.

2. I have a stack of I94W and customs forms that I keep at home. I always fill them in a couple of days before I travel, being careful to put the correct dates on the forms. If you are thinking of going back again soon it may be worth grabbing some spares from the piles that they have available before you go through imigration.

Oh wow! That's really detailed! Thanks very much!

There appears to be some good stuff, including instructions on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Website, I'd post the URL but I don't have enough posts.

Chris.

Yep, that's the website I found as well - if you just go to google and type in "sample i-94w" the site will be the third one down in the results.

 

[homerdog]

I hate to say this, but if you can't manage to fill out the Visa Waiver form (there's a Customs declaration, as well), then that's the least of your worries. You've got to find your way out of the airport, pick up the hire car (with the wheel on the wrong side), drive on the right, pay tolls, get off at the correct exit, find your hotel and check in (might have to fill in a tricky form here, too). And you haven't even got to the parks yet! Good luck, a few of you sound like you might need it

'flame suit on'

 

[Andrew2005]

Well, we're not driving - so that's all the other problems dealt with - we just have to find the shuttle bus at the airport!

 

[gbrchill]

I hate to say this, but if you can't manage to fill out the Visa Waiver form (there's a Customs declaration, as well), then that's the least of your worries.

In all fairness it can be quite hard to get it right if you wait until the show the video on the plane, just before they start the descent and approach to the destination. Doing it as soon as possible, preferably before you go or get on to the plane it is much easier. Starting with a filled in example does make it much easier.

As for finding your way out of the airport that can be difficult. I understand though that they have improved the signage over the last few years. I've experienced the magical mystery tour around the airport neighbourhood, having taken a wrong turn. Fortunately I knew roughly where we were going and it wasn't a real big problem.

Chris.

 

[traceycooper]

This thread has made me smile - it brings back memories of our flight last November, i must have filled the form in wrong at least 4 times!!! & i kept asking the stewardess loads of questions!!! Got it in the end though & i was glad i pestered the staff cos the cue at customs was huge & people who had filled them in wrong were not happy at having to go to the back again to re-do the forms!
We had never beem to MCO before either & managed to find our way around ok (a lot down to the fantastic advice & info on here) Although we did get confused when they took our cases off us again, we had to put it on a conveyor belt & we walked around the corner expecting the cases to be there & they had gone!!! The nice man informed us we collected them further on!!!