View Full Version : Do i need a visa?
Can anyone please help me clear up something?
I would like to go to florida this december. My passport runs out feb 07.
When i was looking at flights today, there was a important notice thing saying that anyone getting a passport after october 2005 but before the new biometric passports came in would have to get a visa to go to florida. Is this really the case? Really dont want the hassle of going to london just to get a visa!
I suppose technically my passport will still be valid for travel in december, but...
1.i didnt want to travel on a passport with not much validity left ( although i hear u dont have to have the 6month validity left anymore)
2. I hear the price of a passport is going up, so i thought, if possible i would renew it earlier.
If anyone could clear this up for me i would be really grateful
The deadline was extended to October 2006, so the notice that you saw was incorrect, so don't worry. It's really irritating when these large companies don't bother to check the info that they give to their potential customers.
No need to consider getting a visa. Your current passport will be valid for travel in December, but you might as well get a new one now while it's cheaper, as it is very likely that it will be a biometric one (they are trialling these and take the bio data from your photo) and the passport office will credit you with up to 9 months of unused time on your passport. So if you bought a new one in August, you'd get a passport that ran out in February 2017.
Both my kids' passports run out in April 2007, so we're replacing them in August. No sense in paying more if you don't have to.[msnsmile2]
Have a great time in December.[msnsmile2][msnsmile2]
Thanks Carla
So basically if i get a new passport before this october i will not need to get a visa?
I shall do that then, especially since i will not lose out on the months i still have left on my passport.
Still not nooked anything for definite for december but i am secretly saving up and hoping to go kinda last minute. That way my other half wont have time to protest that we cant afford it!
Thanks for the advice
We renewed our youngest son's passport last week and received the new biometric type.
TracyAndDean
28-07-2006, 12:54
We have just received our 7 month old daughters passport which is the biometric type.
Do i need a visa if i haven't got a new biometric passport? just want to be 100% certain as fly out to florida for the first time in 3wks.
Tony
If your passport is:
> machine readable (ie it has <<<<<<<xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>>>>> at the bottom of the photo page) and was issued prior to 26 October 2005
> or it was issued after 26 October 2005 and has a digital photograph
> or after 26 October 2006 and has a biometric chip
> you're otherwise eligible to travel on the visa waiver programme
check here http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/niv/vwp.html
you don't need a visa.
For passport info check here. http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/niv/mrp_bio.html
There's also a nifty passport wizard on the US Embassy website here. http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/visa_wizard.html
Sorry Blott, forgot to thank you for the information.
Cheers.
Tony
My pleasure - have a great time! :)