Questions most heard by travel agents

These eleven questions rank top with travel agents in the Netherlands.  The Consulate received them straight from the Visit USA SeeAmerica Center and provides you here with the answers.  Please click on the question to get to the answer.

1. From which date / day do children need their own passport?
2. How long does my passport need to be valid still?
3. Do the stamps in my passport have any consequences for entering the U.S.?
4. How long does it take to apply for a visa?
5. If I were to go to the U.S. for say, two months, then to, for example Mexico for a month, and then back to the U.S. for another month or longer (total duration of stay in US at least 90 days), is this possible without a visa? Or does the period of 90 days start again when I arrive in the U.S. for the second time and can I travel for a total of 180 days?
6. Can I enter Canada without a visa?
7. I am traveling on a one way ticket to Canada, with a transit stop in the U.S. Do I need a visa for the U.S.?
8. Can I apply for a business visa on short notice?
9. Do I need extra documents at the U.S. – Mexican border?
10. Is it better to acquire a passport or a visa for my child?
11. Can I travel through the U.S. one month before my work visa takes effect, without an extra visa?

1. From which date / day do children need their own passport?

• Children with a Visa Waiver Program nationality will need an individual passport to travel visa-free, regardless of their age. When added to a parent's passport a visa is required for the child as only the adult bearer's information is machine readable (a requirement for visa-free travel) and the added child's information is not. Non Visa Waiver Program country citizens will always need a visa, regardless of their age and purpose of their trip.

2. How long does my passport need to be valid still?

• While visa regulations state that a passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of the holder's departure from the United States, the United States has an agreement with many countries (including the Netherlands) automatically extending the validity of a passport for six months past the passport's expiration date. The result is that a Dutch passport need remain valid only for the duration of the holder's stay in the United States. If you are traveling visa free and your passport is valid for less than 90 days, you will be admitted only until the date the passport expires. For other nationalities, please check the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate in your country.

3. Do the stamps in my passport have any consequences for entering the U.S.?

• No.  Even having visited a country that does not have diplomatic relations with the United States does not make you ineligible for entry into the United States.

4. How long does it take to apply for a visa?

• When the consular officer informs you at the end of your visa application interview that the visa will be issued, you will receive it by mail within three to five working days. If there are complications, e.g. if you have ever violated the law, an application may take considerably longer.  Note that from the moment you call for an appointment it may take one or two weeks before you have your interview, depending on availability of interview slots. See our appointment information.

5. If I were to go to the U.S. for say, two months, then to, for example Mexico for a month, and then back to the U.S. for another month or longer (total duration of stay in the U.S. at least 90 days), is this possible without a visa? Or does the period of 90 days start again when I arrive in the U.S. for the second time and can I travel for a total of 180 days?

• The 90 day period starts with your initial admission into the United States. Within these 90 days you can visit Mexico, Bermuda, the islands in the Caribean or Canada and return to the U.S. Under no circumstances can your total stay exceed 90 days without violating the Visa Waiver Program conditions. So if the total trip, including the time spent in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the islands in the Caribbean will exceed 90 days, you will require a visa for the U.S. If your ticket terminates in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the islands of the Caribbean, you must be a legal resident of the area in order to qualify for visa-free travel.

6. Can I enter Canada without a visa?

• Canada is an another country, not part of the United States. For entry requirements into Candada, please contact the Canadian authorities.

7. I am traveling on a one way ticket to Canada, with a transit stop in the U.S. Do I need a visa for the U.S.?

• If you are a landed immigrant in Canada you can transit the U.S. visa-free. If you do not permanently and legally reside in Canada you must have a visa to transit the U.S.

8. Can I apply for a business visa on short notice?

• Availability of visa application interview slots determine the wait before the interview. There is however a possibility of asking for a short notice emergency interview. See our appointment instructions page.

9. Do I need extra documents at the U.S. – Mexican border?

• Not for the United States. Normal entry requirements apply here too. For Mexican entry requirements, please contact the Mexican authorities.

10. Is it better to acquire a passport or a visa for my child?

• The choice is yours. To qualify for visa-free travel each member of your Dutch family needs an individual passport. A child added to a parent's passport needs a visa to enter the U.S. as only the adult bearer's information is machine-readable (a requirement for visa-free travel) and the added child's information is not. Non Visa Waiver Program country citizens will always need a visa, regardless of their age and purpose of their trip.

11. Can I travel through the U.S. one month before my work visa takes effect, without an extra visa?

• If you wish to travel around the U.S., prior to commencing work, please discuss this with the consular officer during your H, J, or L visa interview.