Given the diversity of US land that ranges from moist rain forests to barren deserts and craggy mountains to flat grasslands, it’s little surprise that most Americans travel only on native soil. Some 38 percent of US citizens have never even had a passport before!
Unlike the locals who’d rather travel closer to home in California, Texas, and New York, you do need a passport to tour the States, and a visa, perhaps. Whether you plan a trip to the frostbiting polar regions of Alaska or the humid subtropics of Florida, it pays to be prepared. Here are some essentials plus 7 practical tips on entering the USA:
The Nuts and Bolts
Aside from your e-passport with an embedded microchip and biometric image, you will need electronic travel authorization by a system called ESTA to enter the USA without a visa.
What’s more, your e-passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the day of your departure unless the issuing country is a member of the Six-Month Club.
Note that you have to apply for ESTA – Electronic System for Travel Authorization – before you travel and are only entitled to do so if your homeland is one of the participating countries of the Visa Waiver Program.
While ESTA is an easy way to get an entry permit to the USA, you’d better take these points into account:
An ESTA refusal due to blanks or errors in your application will result in a lifelong ban. To avoid this, you can get assistance from Dream of USA’s competent consultants.
It takes a minimum of 72 hours for the authorities to greenlight your ESTA application; real-time approvals are a thing of the past.
You can only use your electronic travel authorization for leisure trips or one-off business meetings. To study, work, or grow your professional network in the States, you’ve got to have a work visa.
It’s upon the border protection and customs officer at the point of entry to make the final decision regarding the validity of your ESTA authorization.
You can use ESTA within a period of two years as many times as you want.
Now let’s discuss the seven tips that’ll make things easier at the airport:
Use the Automated Passport Check at the Terminal
These days, many US airports have automated passport control terminals. Whether you enter the USA with a Green Card or ESTA, the electronic passport check will save you a ton of time. Follow the machine’s instructions and present the receipt to the US border patrol officer.
Call Them Up if Things Are Taking Ages
Phone the relevant US authority if you think you’ve been waiting too long for an interview appointment or paperwork to get done. More often than not, that solves misunderstandings and speeds things up if there’s something urgent or extraordinary.
Be Wary About Your Social Media Posts
While border officials aren’t allowed to get your passwords, rumor has it that travelers have had to unlock their cell phones and hand them over for inspection. And even before that, when you apply for ESTA, you have to provide your social media accounts. Now imagine there’s some US-critical content or anything that indicates you’re not traveling as a tourist.
Leave the Banter for Later When You’re with Your Friends
We can’t stress enough how important this one is: Do not make any jokes when talking to the border control officer. You don’t want them to revoke your ESTA. Respond matter-of-factly, and speak the truth.
Know What US Border Guards Want and Don’t Want to Hear
There’s something almost like a US customs code: a language that’ll either facilitate or complicate matters. If an officer asks you why you’re visiting the States, say, “Pleasure.” Were you to respond that you were traveling for work, study, or to start a business – you get the picture.
Keep Translated Employment Reference Letters at Home
Do not take anything with you on your vacation that may make a border officer suspicious, e.g., job certificates, diplomas, degrees, and the like. If the guys check your carry-on luggage and find work certificates, you will be struggling to convince them this is not for work. And they do perform random checks to prevent illegal employment.
Check the Entry Stamp and I-94 Details
Check the dates in your passport immediately after stamping to make sure that the admission and departure dates correspond with the validity period of your visa. Moreover, the now electronically filed I-94 form registers you with the CBP or US Customs and Border Protection. To err on the side of caution, you should double-check all your information is correct. If you detect an error, approach the border control officer directly because it’ll be challenging to make any amendments once you have left the airport.
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