Travelling to the US: do you need a visa?

Most British citizens visiting the US for less than 90 days do not need a visa. This is becase of the US Visa Waiver Programme (US VWP). The US VWP allows nationals of certain countries, including the UK, to travel to the US without a visa for tourism or business for visits of less than 90 days.

If you think you are covered by the US VWP and are travelling on or after 12 January 2009, you have to apply for authorisation before you travel. You can do this through the US Department for Homeland Security website using their Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

Not every traveller from the UK is covered by the US VWP so it is always best to check well before you book any travel.

You can find further information on the US Department for Homeland Security website, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website or the US Embassy website.

Where can I obtain tourist information?

The U.S. no longer operates a national tourist office in the United Kingdom. The U.S. Travel & Tourism Administration in Washington has also ceased to exist. There is currently no central office for tourist information either within the American Embassy in London, or elsewhere in the U.K.

The Visit USA Association , a private non-profit group, offers a selection of information and literature on U.S. travel. Visit USA do not offer visa information.

A number of tourist destinations have representation in the U.K. Following is a list of contact telephone numbers. Do please remember that none of the below are qualified to answer visa-related information for which you should call tour Operator assisted visa information line.