Polish National travelling to USA for holiday

Rovers_Andy

Rovers_Andy

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Hi everyone

Could really do with some help/advice here.

I have booked honeymoon to go to USA in august. My wife is from Poland and it looks like she does not qualify for ESTA Visa Waiver Program.

I know its a long shot but has anyone on here had to apply for a visa for a holiday to USA and how long did it take? did you have to go to embassy for a visa?
 
Rovers_Andy said:
I know its a long shot but has anyone on here had to apply for a visa for a holiday to USA and how long did it take? did you have to go to embassy for a visa?
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It was a fair few years ago, but I applied for a 6 months visa for the states, before this "waiver" existed, I certainly didn't go to the embassy,
it was done on the phone and then through the postal system.
(forms sent, signed and returned)
I think that had I gone to the embassy, it would have speeded it up, though. IIRC it took about 6 weeks, all in.

As I say it was a few years ago, now, but would assume that it can be done via email and post, rather like applying for a passport.
 
I don't know the details, but saw something on the local news a few weeks ago about a retired couple who were on a cruise & refused entry to the USA.
Even though they asked why, they refused to give them any explanation.
They THINK it was because (even though everything was in order) they had left it on the late side sorting visas/waiver. Some travel guy reckoned everything should be sorted at least a month before travelling.

Hope everything goes smoothly for you both & you have a fabulous time. :cool:
 
An ex-colleague of mine went to the USA on Holiday around 4-5 years ago now, with his wife, a colombian national. She was refused entry so they both ended up coming straight back. I don't know the reasons - he wasn't the talkative type, but it's always made me wary of dotting the i's and crossing the T's when dealing with the USA. When we went on holiday I was a tad obsessive over making sure all the forms were filled in well in advance.
 
Poland is not a member state of the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme. A visit to the US embassy for a visa will be required.
 
I wrote this is in 2009 for a sub forum on TripAdvisor. A lot might have changed but this was my take on getting a visa.

My USA Visa experience at the London US Embassy and costs

I have written my experience of getting my visa for anybody who might be interested.

I am a British male who lives in the UK!

Ok so I have been charged for drink driving and I had a separate caution for drunk and disorderly. When I booked my holiday back in January I was totally unaware of visa restrictions to the US, but I soon discovered if you have been arrested you need to get a visa.

First visit the US embassy website and it will tell you how to apply and what forms you need to fill in, a lot of the forms you have to fill in online and send them automatically when you finished filling them out, you also need to print the forms to be able to take them with you.

Book your appointment as soon as you can as when I phoned there was a 2 month waiting list for the interview. When you have booked and paid for you interview you are emailed a receipt which you need to print and take with you.

Also you need a police report, the info on how to get it is also on the embassy website this takes about 10 days to come through the post so get it as soon as you can. You will need 1 passport photo for this and it has to have the back signed and you need to send a copy of a household bill for proof of where you live with the application.

you also need a separate photo for the US visa which is a different size, I went to a local Jessops to get mine done, they do have a booth at the embassy but it was not working when I went so I am glad I did it before.

My only strong bit of advice is read the Embassy website thoroughly and check you have filled out all the forms you need to (they have a list on the website) as it’s a long wait as it is without being pushed to the back of the queue as you have not filled in all the forms you should have!

There is a video on you tube of what to expect on the day

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzZOvF1EEXE


What they don’t tell you is you spend about 2 hours just sitting and waiting, about 1 minute having your documents checked and 5 minutes having your interview, which for me were just a few basic questions.

I did take with me bank statements, proof of address, payslips, and other bits of info but I was never asked for them.

When you go to the embassy you are not allowed to take any electrical devices no ipod no phone not even a key fob!! And they don’t have anywhere for you to store them either so if you turn up with then you are sent away to find somewhere to store them

I arrived at 0830 and was finished by 1100

The cost of the visa

Visa $131.00 (£80)

Police Report £35

Passport Photos £5

Visa Photograph £6

Courier to return passport £14.20

Travel Expenses £50

Total £ 190.20
 
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