leszke.1

Hi all,

(Apologies if this topic has already been discussed on here - I have not been on this forum for about a year!!)

I have heard rumours (mainly from my British relatives back in the UK) that the news over there has broadcast the fact that, come October 2004, British tourists will be unable to visit the USA using the easy-travel I-94 Visa Waiver scheme. Is this true????

Apparently, all people wishing to visit the USA will now have to obtain a Visa proper, which also entails travelling down to London from whichever part of the UK you live in - to wait in line and apply for one!

This is ludicrous!!!

Does anybody have any more information on this matter? I would dearly like to know if the rumours are true - and if so what implications it will all have for the tourist industries in both countries - if there is no longer going to be any form of free tourist travel. Surely this will also mean that the UK will stop accepting USA toursists - as the Visa Waiver scheme was a reciprocal one?

Any tidbits of information would be much appreciated!!!!

Thanks,

Karen

-----------------------------------------------------------
AOS interview TOMORROW - MONDAY 15TH MARCH @ 1.30PM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!)

Joachim Feise

leszke.1 said on 3/14/2004 10:46:
    > I have heard rumours
    > (mainly from my British relatives back in the UK) that the news over
    > there has broadcast the fact that, come October 2004, British tourists
    > will be unable to visit the USA using the easy-travel I-94 Visa Waiver
    > scheme. Is this true????

No.
New passports issued after Oct. 2004 have to have biometric features if
the holder wants to use the visa waiver.
But people who have valid passports issued before Oct. 04 can continue to
use the visa waiver.
And it is likely that the deadline gets extended, anyway.

-Joe

J. J. Farrell

"leszke.1" <member3993@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I have heard rumours
    > (mainly from my British relatives back in the UK) that the news over
    > there has broadcast the fact that, come October 2004, British tourists
    > will be unable to visit the USA using the easy-travel I-94 Visa Waiver
    > scheme. Is this true????

No.

    > Apparently, all people wishing to visit the
    > USA will now have to obtain a Visa proper, which also entails travelling
    > down to London from whichever part of the UK you live in - to wait in
    > line and apply for one!
    > This is ludicrous!!!

Why would it be ludicrous? It's what most people in the world have to do.

Englishmum

Just go to the British Airways website (stating your country base as the United Kingdom)

On the Home Page on the right hand side it has extensive coverage of all the new rules which come into effect from 26 October for all visa waiver countries:

http://www.ba.com

Basically, if they don't have the electronic machine readable passports (and there is a photo example) then travellers can't enter the US on a visa waiver and would need a visa from the US embassy. My children have had their passports issued at the British High Commissions in Asia and they don't have machine-readable passports, it's just blank underneath the photos. However, they do have US visas so they can continue to use their passports.