Arriving in the United States

Arriving in the United States

Being such a huge country, the United States can be entered by many different means, including by plane, by car, by boat and even by train.

Entering the United States by Plane

Most visitors from outside Canada and Mexico arrive in the United States by plane. While many medium sized inland cities have an international airport, there are limited flights to most of these and most travelers find themselves entering the U.S. at one of the major entry points along the coasts:

1. From the east New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Miami are the primary entry points from Europe and other transatlantic points of departure. All the major east coast airports have service from a few key European cities.
2. From the west Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland (Oregon), and Honolulu are the primary entry points for travelers from Asia and other transpacific points of departure. Several carriers are already offering nonstop flights between South East Asia and New York. Of course, if you arrive in Honolulu, you must take another flight to get to the mainland. Foreign airlines are not allowed to transport passengers to/from Hawaii or Alaska and the other 48 states (except for refueling and in-transit).
3. From the south Miami, Florida is the primary entry point from Latin America, primarily South America. Also, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Charlotte are major international waypoints. From Mexico, most major U.S. airports have non-stop service.
4. From the other side of the world New Delhi, India has non-stop service to Chicago and Newark (New Jersey). From Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Dubai you can also fly to New York (JFK). Qatar, and Saudi Arabian fly to Washington, DC, and South African Airways goes to New York (JFK) and Washington, DC (Dulles).

Note that the United States requires entry formalities even for international transit, and the current state of international affairs means that this is not going to change anytime soon. You must have a valid visa to enter the United States if required by your citizenship, even if you are immediately continuing on a flight to a different country. If your citizenship requires a visa to enter the U.S., avoid transiting through the U.S. unless you want to spend time and money to obtain a C-1 transit visa. Further, when booking flights to the U.S. note that you will be required to clear customs and immigration at your first U.S. stop, not at your final destination, even if you have an onward flight. Allow at least 2 hours of stop-over (ideally more than 3) at your first U.S. stop. Warning: ALL persons wishing to enter the United States by air must possess a valid passport or similar travel document (such as a NEXUS card or Laser Visa).

Entering the United States by Car

Traffic on American roads travels on the right hand side (as it does in Canada and Mexico). If you are entering under the Visa Waiver Program, you will need to pay a US$6 fee, in cash, at the port of entry.

Warning: ALL persons wishing to enter the United States by land must possess a valid passport or similar travel document (such as a NEXUS card or Laser Visa) as of 2009. Until that time, proof of citizenship and a government-issued photo I.D. are both valid and accepted for Canadian, Bermudian, and U.S. citizens.

Entering the United States by Boat

Entering the U.S. by sea, other than on a registered cruise ship, may be difficult. The most common entry points for private boats are Los Angeles and the surrounding area, Florida, and the Eastern coastal states. Some passenger ferries exist between Canada and the U.S., notably from the Atlantic Provinces to New England, and from Victoria, British Columbia to Seattle. Cunard offers transatlantic ship travel between the United Kingdom and New York City.

Warning: ALL persons wishing to enter the United States by sea must now possess a valid passport or similar travel document (such as a NEXUS card or Laser Visa).

Entering the United States by Train

Amtrak offers international service from Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal into the U.S.

More info on USA available in the USA Tourist Information main page.

Information on this page may be printed out for your use when you visit USA.

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