Act
Now To Avoid The Visa Trap
What You Need To Know
When Planning To Visit The U.S.~ by Lisa Beam
|
|
...
| January
19th, 2004
From 26
October 2004, thousands of people, including children, will need a visa
to visit the USA, even for the shortest trip. Visa specialist, Lisa Beam
of Bristol based solicitors, Gregg Latchams Quinn, is advising travellers
to allow plenty of time to ensure their paper work is in order to avoid
frustration and disappointment.
Hopping across
the ‘pond’ for business meetings, family holidays or even a short shopping
trip has never been easier. Low cost flights, high exchange rates,
wide choices, and a warm welcome have all contributed to attracting some
4 billion Britons a year to the United States – with a visa waiver scheme
that allows visa-free visits for spells of up to three months. This
is all about to change, and the impact of the new visa ruling is going
to be enormous, affecting everyone from pop stars and politicians through
to business travellers and children (who can no longer travel on their
parent’s passports) – in fact anyone who has to renew their passport on
or after October 26th this year will find themselves caught in the ‘Visa
Trap’. It is estimated that some 450,000 passports will need renewing,
of which thousands will wish to visit the USA and will need to apply for
visas.
The situation
has come about as part of the US government’s plans to protect the country
against terrorist attacks. The new regulations require anyone entering
the United States on the visa waiver scheme to have a ‘biometric’ passport
that
holds detailed information about the passport holder within a microchip.
The problem is, the regulations are to be put in place on 26 October this
year, and the new passports will not be available for issue by the UK government
until the middle of next year at the earliest. The new regulations state
that without the biometric passports, visitors will not be allowed to travel
on the visa waiver scheme and will therefore require a visa to enter the
country.
Obtaining a
visa is neither cheap nor straightforward. Many people will find they simply
cannot obtain a visa – for example those with a criminal conviction, including
drink-driving and drug related convictions, even if dating back many years.
This will lead to countless appeals, often resulting in the discovery that
access to the States may be denied permanently. |
|
|
|
Lisa
Beam, Legal Executive, Gregg Latchams Quinn
|
|
|
...
|
|
In
addition, visa applicants have to submit detailed information to prove
they have the finances available to fund their visit whilst in the States.
This involves the disclosing of bank statements, mortgage statements and
other proof of financial means. The many families and individuals who rely
on credit cards to fund their holidays and visits, will find these are
not an accepted form of financial credibility. Not only does a visa
application require you to prove you have the finances in place to fund
your stay, visitors to the USA also have to provide evidence that they
will return to the UK after their visit, by proving they have a residence
to return to and evidence of family, professional, property, employment
or other ties and commitments to the UK sufficient to cause the applicant
to return there at the conclusion of his/her stay.
The lengthy
and often frustrating process doesn’t end with form filling and the submission
of information. It is also expensive. To obtain a visa, travellers
have to go to the American Embassy for an interview, either in London or
Belfast. The appointment is obtained by telephoning the Embassy at a cost
of £1.30 per minute. Callers are given a date and an estimated
time but upon arrival at the Embassy, the applicant is advised that interviews
are scheduled on a number-calling basis, so applicants can find themselves
waiting literally all day – no fun if you have small children in tow. |
.....
| When
and if you are granted a visa, each one for children and adults cost £65.00.
Hence a family of four travelling from the north of the country could end
up with several hundred pounds added to their holiday bill.
There are a
few loopholes and ways to avoid the visa trap, but the important thing
is to act now, and not leave it to the last minute – in fact not even to
the last couple of months.
British travellers
holding ‘machine readable’ passports, issued in Britain since 1991, can
still travel to the US without a visa for the 10 year lifetime of their
passport. However, it is advisable, for anyone whose passport expires
later this year or early next year, particularly if they are planning a
trip to the States, to renew now before the visa regulations come into
force.
It is highly
unlikely that the US will make any concessions or grant any delays on implementing
the regulations. They are taking a tough stance on terrorism, and before
the year is out, air marshals and strict entry regulations will be firmly
in place, changing forever the face of transatlantic travel. |
|
..
Gregg Latchams
Quinn is the only law firm in the South West that specialises in US visa
applications. They can be contacted on 0117 906 9400 for advice and information.
For media enquiries,
please contact Sue Turner or Corinne Page on 0117 979 3223.
To contact
Corinne Page of Gregg Latchams Quinn Click
Here
The firm of
Gregg
Latchams Quinn can be contacted by Clicking
Here
...
.
|
