U.S. Arrivals
How to complete US entry forms 1 Everyone entering the US (or one member of a family) must complete a customs declaration form. 2 Depending on your circumstances, you’ll also be given either a white or green immigration form. You DO NOT need to complete an immigration form if you are a US or Canadian citizen, a [...]
How to complete US entry forms
1 Everyone entering the US (or one member of a family) must complete a customs declaration form.
2 Depending on your circumstances, you’ll also be given either a white or green immigration form. You DO NOT need to complete an immigration form if you are a US or Canadian citizen, a Green Card holder or a new immigrant.
Who needs to fill out the green immigration form?
Fill out a green form (Visa Waiver) if you hold a passport for one of the countries listed below and you are either:
• Travelling to the US without a US visa under the Visa Waiver Programme or
• In transit to a country outside the US without a US visa under the Visa Waiver Programme.
NATIONALITIES TO COMPLETE THE VISA WAIVER*:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom***Subject to change. **Only British Citizens qualify under the Visa Waiver Programme. |
Who needs to fill out the white immigration form? Fill out the white form (Arrival Departure record) if:
• You are a non-US citizen, hold a valid US visa and your final destination is the US, or if you are in transit to a country outside the US.
• Please complete items 1-13 on the Arrival Record and items 14-17 on the Departure Record. Make sure you keep the departure record
somewhere safe as it MUST be given to your airline when you leave the US.
| DOS AND DON’TS Use a pen, not a pencil, and write in capital letters. • Make sure you write in the correct space, below the numbered question, and fill in every line. • If you make a mistake, don’t cross anything out – ask a cabin crew member for a new form and start again. • For most visitors, your US address is the address of the hotel where you’ll be staying. If you are continuing your journey beyond the US today, print the word ‘transit’ here. • Ask the cabin crew if you are unsure. |
What kind of checks should I expect when I arrive ?
To travel to the US you must now be in possession of a machine-readable passport or a valid US visa, the lack of which may prevent you from travelling. Non-immigrant US visa holders and Visa Waiver Programme nationals are required to enroll in the US-VISIT programme on entry to the US. Under this scheme, biometric data (digital fingerprints and photographs) will be collected during the immigration clearance process. US authorities also collect biometric data at exit kiosks at most points of departure, but if there isn’t one at your departure point, you won’t be penalised. This means that biometric data will be collected for nearly all citizens of the European Union on entry to the US and, where exit points are set up, on exit from the US. For further information, visit www.dhs.gov/us
Personal information:
In the interests of combating terrorism and serious crime, bmi is required to pass records to some
government agencies concerning the information we hold about you.
