Non-Immigrant Frequently Asked Questions

If you have traveled or wish to travel to the U.S. without a visa:

(Click on the question to get the answer.)

1. What should I do if, on a previous visit, I stayed beyond the date the Immigration officer gave me in my passport or on my I-94 form upon entering the U.S.?
2. What should I do with the I-94/I-94W (the green or white form stapled in your  passport) from my last visit to the United States?
3. Can I enter the United States from anywhere in the world?
4. I have visited a country that does not have diplomatic relations with the United States.  Can I still travel visa free if I meet all conditions of the Visa Waiver Program or travel with my current, valid visitor's visa?
5. How can I obtain a copy of the I-94W before traveling to the U.S.?
6. If I enter the United States for a holiday, can I then travel to Canada/Mexico/Bermuda or the islands in the Caribbean?
7. What if I want to stay in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the islands of the Caribbean?  May I still use the Visa Waiver Program?
8. If I travel to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, will I be able to get the 90 days extended?
9. Can I enter the United States by land from Canada or Mexico?
10. Why do I have to pay a $6.00 fee?
11. My passport is not valid for six months. May I still travel visa free?
12. I have been refused a visa under Section 214(b) of the Immigration & Nationality Act, can I travel visa free?
13. I am entering the United States aboard a private plane. Can I travel visa free?

14. I am entering the United States on a private yacht; do I qualify for visa free travel?

15. Is there a limit to the number of times I may travel to the United States visa free in any given period of time?

1. What should I do if, on a previous visit, I stayed beyond the date the Immigration officer gave me in my passport or on my I-94 form upon entering the U.S.?

• You must apply for a visa.

2. What should I do with the I-94/I-94W (the green or white form stapled in your  passport) from my last visit to the United States?

• Click here for instructions.

3. Can I enter the United States from anywhere in the world?

• Yes, provided you meet all of the requirements for visa free travel. More...

4. I have visited a country that does not have diplomatic relations with the United States.  Can I still travel visa free if I meet all conditions of the Visa Waiver Program or travel with my current, valid visitor's visa?

• Yes.  Visiting a country that does not have diplomatic relations with the United States does not make you ineligible for entry into the United States.

5. How can I obtain a copy of the I-94W before traveling to the U.S.?

• The airline or shipping company will give you the I-94W when you check-in for your flight or on board the aircraft.  In the case of a cruise, aboard the ship.  But you can preview this form by clicking here.

6. If I enter the United States for a holiday, can I then travel to Canada/Mexico/Bermuda or the islands in the Caribbean?

• Yes, provided you have a return or onward ticket. If your return journey will take you back through the United States, even if only in transit, the total trip, including both periods of time spent in the United States/Canada/Mexico Bermuda, or the islands in the Caribbean cannot exceed 90 days. If it does, you will require a visa.

7. What if I want to stay in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the islands of the Caribbean?  May I still use the Visa Waiver Program?

• 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. If you are not and your stay will extend beyond 90 days from the date on which you first entered the United States, you will require a visa.

8. If I travel to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, will I be able to get the 90 days extended?

• No, the maximum period of time you may remain in the United States, if you enter visa free, is 90 days.

9. Can I enter the United States by land from Canada or Mexico?

• Yes. If you enter by land there is no requirement that you be in possession of a round trip or onward ticket. The immigration authorities at the border crossing will issue you with the arrival/departure record card, I-94W. You will be charged a $6.00 administrative fee; the fee is payable in U.S. dollars only.

10. Why do I have to pay a $6.00 fee?

• This fee is charged to all travelers. For those entering the United States by air or sea, the fee is included in the cost of their ticket.

11. My passport is not valid for six months. May I still travel visa free?

• With the exception of passport holders of Andorra, Brunei, and San Marino, the requirement that a passport be valid for six months beyond the holder's stay in the United States does not apply to citizens of countries eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program, such as the Netherlands. If your passport is valid for less than 90 days, you will be admitted into the United States until the date on which the passport expires.

12. I have been refused a visa under Section 214(b) of the Immigration & Nationality Act, can I travel visa free?

• No. If you have ever been refused a visa, you cannot use the Visa Waiver Program.

13. I am entering the United States aboard a private plane. Can I travel visa free?

• If you are entering the United States aboard a private aircraft of a U.S. corporation that has entered into an agreement with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to carry passengers under the Visa Waiver Program, you will not require a visa, if you are otherwise qualified to travel visa free. If you are entering aboard any other private or official aircraft, you will require a visa.

14. I am entering the United States on a private yacht; do I qualify for visa free travel?

• No. If you are entering the U.S. on a private yacht, you will require a visa.

15. Is there a limit to the number of times I may travel to the United States visa free in any given period of time?

• There is no limit to the number of times you may travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program in any given period. There is also no minimum period of time you are required to remain outside the U.S. before reapplying for admission. However, if you are a frequent traveler to the United States you should be sure to carry with you, for presentation to U.S. Immigration, evidence of your residence abroad to which you intend to return at the end of your visit, together with evidence of funds sufficient for your support while in the United States. If the immigration inspector is not convinced that you are a bona fide visitor for business or tourism, you may be denied entry to the U.S.