Visa and Passport Requirements and Information

Not eligible for USA visa:

• Anyone with a disease that could prove detrimental to others (communicable)
• Anyone with a criminal record or people who have been arrested in the past
• Drug users or traffickers
• Anyone who has, in the past, been denied entry or been banned from entering the USA

Visa Waivers apply to citizens of the following countries:

Andorra, Australia, Brunei, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Singapore and Switzerland.

The Visa Waiver applies to all EU Countries except nationals of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Slovak Republic. Citizens from these countries would require a VISA for their USA holiday.

Citizens who apply for the waiver program above must make note that their passports must be valid for at least 90 days before their entry to the USA and must be valid for 6 months post their departure date.

As of October 26 2004, all tourists using the VISA Waiver program require 'machine-readable' passports. Children who used to travel on their parents' passport, now require such a passport of their own.

Visas are required by all entrants to the USA except those who are part of the Visa Waiver Program and the following groups:

Citizens of Bermuda and Canada*
Citizens of Mexico*
*both require valid passports

Tourist, Business, Transit & Student. Visa applications cost in the region of $100 per application. It's wise to note that this fee doesn't guarantee application approval. The fee will not fall away should the application be denied.

Most visas have a specific period of validity, unless marked as valid indefinitely in which case the Visa is valid for 10 years. Length of stay, as decided upon by immigration officials, is usually 6 months, but there isn't any set time hereupon.

Application Requirements

• Application form (DS-156 and DS-157)
• Valid passport (if required as per above conditions)
• Passport photo
• Embassy copy of payment receipt
• Funds to cover entire stay in the USA
• Proof of intent to return
• Miscellaneous documents (reason for visit, insurances etc)
• Self addressed envelope
• Proof of intended business activities (if visit for business reasons)