Do I need a apply for a visa to travel to America?

Question

I hope to travel to america next april. I have two passports (british and Irish) do I need a visa before I go? Where do I get them and how much are they?

Answer 1

No, not under the visa waiver scheme- you will ahve to fill out a card to be allowed entry but you do not require a visa.

Answer 2

If you're travelling as a tourist on a machine-readable British or Irish passport, you have a return ticket, are not staying more than 90 days, have never been arrested anywhere for any reason, and have never been refused entry to the US, then you're eligible to enter the US on the Visa Waiver Program - currently you fill in the I-94 form on the plane, but note that from next January it will be compulsory for you to file your details online at least 24 hours before your flight, so they know you're coming before you get on the plane.

If any of those conditions don't apply to you, then you will need to get a visa - you have to get an appointment to be interviewed at the US Embassy in London or Dublin, or the Consulate in Belfast, and you have to pay a non-returnable fee of over $100 when you apply, regardless of whether or not they give you a visa.

Answer 3

Provided you have a valid UK machine-readable passport (most new ones - with barcodes) and don't have criminal convictions, haven't been involved in genocide, aren't intending to use your visit for terrorist purposes or to deal drugs, or haven't done other bizarre/bad/random things that many US citizens have themselves done, then you should be fine on the 'visa waiver' scheme - just fill out a green form on the plane, know where you're staying and be prepared to answer some questions from immigration (ranging from incredibly polite 'where are you staying' to intensely hostile if your name happens to be mohammed or anything else even vaguely-islamic sounding!).

If you're going to study or work, however, you will need a visa - the above info is for tourist visits only...check out the US consultate website (in London) for more info.  

Answer 4

You need a Visa but you can get one when you get there.  They will give you a card to fill in on the plain then you hand it over at the airport and pay and they give you a Visa.  

Not sure of the exact cost but it'll be between £10 and £20 per person.