Visas for The USA

A U.S. visa grants you permission to travel to the United States to apply for admission. As a British resident, you’ll be required to have one of these or you’ll be forbidden entry to the country once you reach your destination - and once you’ve been refused entry to a nation, especially the U.S., further international travel becomes much more complicated (and it’s quite likely you’ll need to apply for a ‘restricted’ visa if you attempt to travel to the U.S. again) - you have been warned.

Also, bear in mind that the process for gaining a student or work visa in the United States is nowhere near as simple as it is for New Zealand or Australia. We suggest you keep the headache tablets on hand.

90-day Tourist Visa

One of the easiest ways to get into the United States is to own a valid, individual, machine-readable passport - these were brought out in 1988, so it’s quite likely yours will meet the necessary criteria. Britain is part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), and this means that a British resident, travelling only for business, pleasure or transit for less than 90 days within U.S. borders, can enter visa-free. A British resident is not the same as having been granted Right of Abode or an indefinite leave to stay in the UK. After October 2005, all passports issued must contain biometric information (such as your fingerprints) in order to be valid for visa-free travel. The American Embassy in London goes to great lengths to make it clear that, as long as you meet those requirements, you’ll be able to explore the U.S. without a visa.

Unfortunately, because of American border security, things aren’t quite that simple.

If you’re flying or sailing to the United States, you must have a return ticket or proof of an onwards itinerary to present at Immigration - and if that itinerary ends in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean, you are required to be a permanent resident of that country. The plane or ship by which you enter the U.S. must be a participant in the Homeland Security program - so those gappers with their own yachts moored beneath their personal Lear Jet, take note! You must also have filled in form I-94W, which is obtainable from airline and shipping companies. >>An example I-94W can be found here. The VWP visa is valid on return trips if you’re using the U.S. as a transit point on your journey, as long as your entire trip has not lasted longer than 90 days.

If you’re entering the States by land (via Mexico or Canada, natch - if you’re entering overland from somewhere else something’s wrong with your map) you’re only required to possess a completed I-94W form and a US$6.00 fee with you at immigration.

There are also plenty of restrictions on the VWP - if you’ve ever been arrested (even if there was no criminal conviction), you won’t be able to apply. If you do have a criminal record, a ‘serious communicable illness’, have previously overstayed on the VWP or have been refused admission into or deported from the States, you’ll also be unable to enter visa-free, and will be required to apply for a ‘restricted visa’.

Student/Exchange Visas

This is where things get a little more complicated, so don’t get embarrassed if it takes a while to sink in - imagine how long it took us to research and decipher this for you!

As is the norm with studying abroad, an international student visa is required to enter the American educational system. However, the type of visa you apply for depends on the type of education/work you’re going in to. Conveniently, the U.S. government has split potential students into three categories - exchange students and immigrants (classified J) and non-immigrant students (F and M).

Regardless of which visa you apply for, if you’re between the ages of 14 and 79 (and we’re assuming most of you will be), you’ll be required to attend an interview at the American Embassy consular section. Make sure you book your interview well in advance, as the waiting time can vary.

Exchange Students and Gap Workers (J)

The J category of international students covers all visitors that fall under the U.S. Exchange Visitor Program guidelines. This includes au pairs, summer camp counsellors or other summer workers, exchange students at colleges or universities, and teacher trainees.

As with the F and M-class visas, make sure to start arranging the details of your visa well in advance of your planned trip. When applying for a J-class visa you’ll be assigned a sponsor from the U.S. State Department, and they’ll send you a DS-2019 form, which needs to be included in your visa application along with forms DS-156, DS-157 (if applicable - it’s only for the guys aged between 16 and 45) and DS-158 (example forms can be found below). With all student visas, regardless of category, you’ll be required to attend an interview at the U.S. Embassy.

Click here >> to see a sample DS-156 form.
Click here >> to see a sample DS-157 form.
Click here >> to see a sample DS-158 form.
Click here >> for more information about J-class visas.

There are also plenty of opportunities on our site to find a company that can get you a work placement and sort out a visa for you! Here a just a few links:

Click here >> for CCUSA.
Click here >> for BUNAC.

Non-Immigrant Students (F and M)

If your chosen course is an academic or linguistic course, you’ll need to take a completed Form I-20A-B to your interview, while vocational courses need Form I-20M-N. Both these forms assert your eligibility to study in the United States. A SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) I-20 form will be supplied to you by your chosen college to sign. The I-20 registers you with the SEVIS program, and allows U.S. Immigration to keep track of you. There will also be a fee to pay for each program of study you’ve picked, so bring the receipts for every payment you’ve made with regards to your visa application.

Also (it’s not over yet!) your interviewer will require completed Forms DS-156 and DS-158, and the boys between 16 and 45 have an extra form - DS-157. They sure do like their paperwork! It’s possible that they’ll ask you for your results for all standardized school tests (like your SATs) so bring those along too, along with proof you or your parents will be able to offer you financial support for your entire period of study. Phew!

Click here >> for more information about F and M-class visas.

The fee to apply for a student visa, whether F, M or J-class, is currently US$100. Many companies that organise summer camp placements for foreign nationals will assist in the visa process, handling a lot of the paperwork for you, so if you’re planning on getting a job as an au pair or a camp counsellor, consider doing it through another organisation instead of going it alone - you’ll find it much less stressful!

As a couple of final notes, make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after you’re planning to enter the United States, and don’t travel to the US on a student visa longer than 30 days before the start of your course - the Homeland Security people don’t like it.

Graduate Working visa (H1B)

If you aren’t planning on studying in the United States but want to earn some money in a professional capacity while you’re over there, you’ll need to apply for an H1B working visa. The application process is easier than that for the student or exchange visas, but the rewards don’t allow the same freedom - you’ll be tied to a full-time job in one of a limited selection of fields, like architecture, or engineering - whatever you apply for, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. If you’re just looking for gap year-friendly work, the Exchange (J-1) visa will be of much greater use to you.

You aren’t allowed to just work in any old job in the U.S. - certain employers/sponsors offer H1B-friendly jobs ideal for backpackers. Once you have applied for the job (and achieved the position), your employer will file your visa application with the U.S. government for you. All that’s left is for the State Department to approve your visa, and you’re able to work in the States!



Arrange USA Work Experience Visas through CCUSA >>