How do you travel to the US without trouble?

August 9, 2007 1:02 PM

Things to be aware of for a citizen of an EU country visiting the US on the visa waiver program. If my passport is from 2004, will I be okay? How do I find out? Also...

Will it cause problems if I have visas from several west african countries? I worked for a UN funded program in the area and traveled for work. Should I bring paperwork to show why I was there or is that overkill?

re: passport. This page seems to imply that since my passport is machine readable and issued before 2005, it does not need to meet the additional requirements. Is this correct?

posted by Nothing to Travel & Transportation (3 answers total)

I don't think you're going to have any problems with the West African visas, and as long as your passport is machine-readable (ie, has the codes at the bottom of the photo page as in this example on that website you linked), your entrance to the US should be trouble free. They might ask you what you were doing over there, and if the work was recent, then it might be worth bringing some documentation, but I wouldn't worry about it, in all honesty.

Now, if you've ever overstayed a visa here in the US, or had any other problems with our authorities, then I'd expect that to be an issue, but since you don't mention that, I hope that won't be a problem.

And if it's any consolation, here's a whole thread on Metafilter proper about people having all sorts of unpleasant run-ins with immigration officials all over the world.

Welcome!
posted by mdonley at 1:29 PM on August 9, 2007

My EU passport was issued in 1999, is fully machine-readable and has given me no problems when I visit the US (which is fairly frequently).

On entry you fill out a green entry form (you'll be given this on the plane) and the tear-off bit is usually stapled into the passport by the immigration officer. It is essential that you do not lose this, and that you ensure it's collected (usually by airline staff at the gate) when you leave. Otherwise after 90 days you'll show up on Immigration Dept computers as an overstayer even though you may have left the US weeks earlier.
posted by essexjan at 2:00 PM on August 9, 2007

If anything, I would say less than more. I guess any time you open your mouth it starts becoming suspicious. I was going to London to visit my friends from school -- I'd just finished getting my masters there -- and I told the lady admitting me this. All of a sudden she started asking me all these questions -- when I was leaving, what I was going to be doing there, whether my friends knew I was coming, when I was heading out and where I was going. Then, to make her feel better, I told her I was going on to Egypt to take a TEFL class. All of a sudden she wanted to see my invitation letter to the program (in Egypt) and then started asking me about whether I had a visa to work and teach English in Egypt (I fail to see how this would concern a British immigration agent).

So my suggestion? Keep your paperwork hidden in your briefcase if necessary. Just hand them your passport and smile. When they ask you what you're doing there, just say "tourism" and then shut the heck up.
posted by Deathalicious at 5:27 PM on August 9, 2007