Visa for USA??

pixiearoo

Hi,

Do i need a visa to holiday in USA going for 3 weeks in june!

thanks

Linoge

You only need a visa if you plan to work there. Other than that, you can stay there for up to 3 months (ie. a holiday)

BuffyBot

Not nessecarily. Most people who hold an Irish passport are eligible for to enter the USA without a visa, but not all.

Check out http://dublin.usembassy.gov/ireland/cons_faq.html

pixiearoo

thanks for that tip

LAAngel

Hi
I was in New York last year for 10 days, and although I have an Irish Passport, you get a little slip to fill out for a visa (up to 3 months) on the plane on the flight to America and you hand it in when you go through the customs, Its just standard questions on the form. One thing I will tell you is depending on what time of year you go be prepared for the wait in customs, I had to stand in a queue for 1 hour 45 mins cause a few planes landed at the same time.

Its only if your going to work or going for more than 3 months that you have to get the full visa. Anyway enjoy yourself, you'll love it. (Wish I was going now haha)

Benedict XVI

LAAngel wrote:

Hi
I was in New York last year for 10 days, and although I have an Irish Passport, you get a little slip to fill out for a visa (up to 3 months) on the plane on the flight to America and you hand it in when you go through the customs, Its just standard questions on the form. One thing I will tell you is depending on what time of year you go be prepared for the wait in customs, I had to stand in a queue for 1 hour 45 mins cause a few planes landed at the same time.

If you are flying direct from Dublin or Shannon you go through the Immigration at Dublin or Shannon therefore avoiding the queues when you land in the US.
You go trough customs when you collect your bag on the other side but that is very quick (depending on how fast your bag appears on the belt)

pixiearoo

great! thanks for the help

LAAngel

Good point, the first time I went to USA I flew out from Dublin and I went through Immigration there, but last year I flew out from London and thats when I had to go through Immigration in America.

mikedragon32

Similar query, so I'll post here...

Next year, I'll be flying into Chicago from Vancouver, Canada, then back to Dublin, via Boston.

Does anyone know if I have to get a visa before travelling to Canada or do I go through the same routine in Chicaco as I would have done had I flown from Dublin (if you catch my drift)...

Benedict XVI

mikedragon32 wrote:

Similar query, so I'll post here...

Next year, I'll be flying into Chicago from Vancouver, Canada, then back to Dublin, via Boston.

Does anyone know if I have to get a visa before travelling to Canada or do I go through the same routine in Chicaco as I would have done had I flown from Dublin (if you catch my drift)...

Yea you will go through Immigration in Chicago, you should have no problem as long as you have your ticket to Ireland (or printout from web whichever) to show that you are leaving the US within 90 days

mikedragon32

Benedict XVI wrote:

Yea you will go through Immigration in Chicago, you should have no problem as long as you have your ticket to Ireland (or printout from web whichever) to show that you are leaving the US within 90 days

Sweet. Thanks for the quick response!

ardmacha

Actually most large Canadian airports have an pre-clearance arrangement similar to Dublin/Shannon, so you will meet the US immigration there. Either way you need to fill out the Visa Waiver form. At Canadian pre-clearance facilities there can sometimes be long queues, so make sure you have the correct form before joining the queue, US and Canadian citizens don't need these.

Ruu_Old

Dont forget when you are leaving to the US to use the proper procedure (think its in most airports right now. Machines like the ones below, theres always an attendant who will help you there.

mikedragon32

Ruu wrote:

Dont forget when you are leaving to the US to use the proper procedure (think its in most airports right now. Machines like the ones below, theres always an attendant who will help you there.

Since when? Was flying out of JFK in January and didn't see these? In fact I can't remember going through any departure procedure! The green slip was taken from my passport though.

Ruu_Old

Eh for a good while now, at least a year Id say. Unless its only at certain airports (I fly from Chicago O'Hare)

BuffyBot

I think it's being phased in gradually

KELTICKNIGHTT

question
lined in usa for 11 yrs illigeally/came back in 98/got maaried etc/friends of ours are going back to usa as its costing them to live here/will l have a problem getting in to visit them/think you banned for 5 years/whats best way to handle it
want to visit them next year for 2 weeks as that all the time l can get off work

Ruu_Old

Since there is probably no record of you leaving after the 11 years, there is probably a fair chance the INS have you down as an overstayer (and a very long one at that). There is a good chance you will refused entry so.

KELTICKNIGHTT

could ask the embassey here,

Ruu_Old

You could give them a call I suppose, but it might be a waste of time because at the end of the day its up to the customs and border patrol in Dublin or wherever (its probably all they will tell you) Sorry

KELTICKNIGHTT

dont want to book flights for the familya nd at airport to be told rest can go and not me,as wife and kids wont go without me and loose money on flights,

KELTICKNIGHTT

dont want to book flights for the family and at airport to be told rest can go and not me,as wife and kids wont go without me and then we all loose money on flights,

BuffyBot

could ask the embassey here,

I suggest you do that as soon as possible. Don't leave it until the last minute.

KELTICKNIGHTT

BuffyBot wrote:

I suggest you do that as soon as possible. Don't leave it until the last minute.

Will give a call/could meet them in canada as they will be living in maine

Snickers Man

Good luck. The Americans have the most arbitrary system of immigration control in the world. And since 9/11 it basically means that if they have grounds for not letting you in, like ANY grounds at all, they will refuse you.

What do you do for a living?

If you're a journalist, professional sportsman, actor or soldier DON'T TELL THEM IF THEY ASK YOU. Just say you work on a checkout for a department store or something. You need visas for all these things and are NOT covered by a visa waiver. They will have no compunction about turning you away if they here you are one of these things.

There are probably other jobs not covered by the visa waiver scheme too.

Good luck surfing through the Website looking for answers as well. Not so much impenetrable as Kafka-esque.

KELTICKNIGHTT

used to be steel erector when states,walked steel for living there,

Benedict XVI

Snickers Man wrote:

What do you do for a living?

If you're a journalist, professional sportsman, actor or soldier DON'T TELL THEM IF THEY ASK YOU. Just say you work on a checkout for a department store or something. You need visas for all these things and are NOT covered by a visa waiver. They will have no compunction about turning you away if they here you are one of these things.

Do you have any links to the above ?, I have never heard that the visa waiver program is based on occupation, only on nationality.

KELTICKNIGHTT – Did you make many trips home in the 11 years ?.
Do you have many stamps in and out of the US on your passport ?

I heard from a reliable source (Immigration lawyer) in about 2000 that immigration only keep record of entry/exit for 2 years, this might have changed since 9/11 but based on that they have no records of your entry and overstay seeing as you left in 1998.

In March a guy who acted in an Irish film that won an Oscar got stopped at immigration cos he told them he overstayed a few weeks in 1994. A guy from the US embassy was on the radio and he said that if someone like the actor was in a similar situation just make an appointment with the embassy and they would have no problem giving you a visa if you could prove that you had no plans on staying in the US and as a result would have no problem with immigration at the airport.

If you just want to try and wing it at immigration then seeing as you have been out for so long (8 years) and have a family with you they will probably take no heed. Bring evidence of work, bank accounts etc if you want to make extra sure

Or you could go to the Embassy and prove to them that you have strong ties in Ireland, wife and kids, house, job etc. and they will more than likely give you a visa.

KELTICKNIGHTT

when l first came to usa.had a j1 six months visa and got it extened to another 6 months,didnt come home in 11 years l was there,family came over twice when l lived there,knew when l left in 98,wouldnt be back soon,

BuffyBot

I have never heard that the visa waiver program is based on occupation, only on nationality.

It's not based on occupation as such..but if you intend to take part in any activity there (i.e. you work for RTÉ and are going there to do a report for RTÉ News etc) then you would require a visa.

jjbrien

mikedragon32 wrote:

Similar query, so I'll post here...

Next year, I'll be flying into Chicago from Vancouver, Canada, then back to Dublin, via Boston.

Does anyone know if I have to get a visa before travelling to Canada or do I go through the same routine in Chicaco as I would have done had I flown from Dublin (if you catch my drift)...

You will go trough us immigration and customs in Vancover so you just walk out of the airport in Chicago. I know I used to live in Canada.

Puck

Right, just a question to clarify things for me guys. I'm going to America for 2 weeks (€365 round trip to O'Hare! Not bad eh?!) in September. This is my first time ever leaving the country. I have my machine-readable passport (but with regular, stuck-on photo, not a digital one) and the tickets should be arriving by post shortly. Will I need to have any other forms or bits of paper?

BuffyBot

You shouldn't do (assuming your passport is an Irish one, or from another country who is part of the Visa Waiver program), and you don't fufill any of the reasons you might need a visa (criminal records, etc).

Puck

Irish passport and no criminal record (and they laughed when I refused to kill that guy!).

BuffyBot

Sounds like you'll be fine

Ruu_Old

Remember to use the proper exiting procedures if they exist in the particular US airport you depart from going back to Ireland Good luck.

Naked Lepper

Ruu wrote:

Since there is probably no record of you leaving after the 11 years, there is probably a fair chance the INS have you down as an overstayer (and a very long one at that). There is a good chance you will refused entry so.

Its the Dept. of Homeland Security that control the borders post 9-11

Before 9-11, if you didnt hand back your visa waiver slip when leaving, it probably wont make much of a difference, its only since 9-11 that they started to clamp down.

If you want to be sure, book a direct flight, that way if you do get refused, at least you will still be in ireland when you do.