Traveling to the United States of America offers travelers a diverse array of experiences, from the bustling streets of New York City to the relaxing beaches of California. However, before you can visit, you need to be sure you meet all of the United States’ entry requirements. This includes navigating the passport, visa, vaccination, customs, and currency requirements that travelers need to meet before being allowed entry.

Failure to meet any of these requirements may result in travel delays or denial of entry to the country. To ensure you meet the United States’ entry requirements, I have provided an outline of all the requirements in this article for your careful review. Furthermore, I have also created a handy checklist, linked below, that you can use to track the criteria as you meet them.

Download the United States Entrance Requirements Checklist

United States Passport Requirements

One of the most important United States entry requirements that you will need to consider when planning your trip is the country’s passport requirements. To be allowed into the United States, your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay in the country. If your passport is set to expire before you return from the United States, you must renew your passport before traveling.

United States VISA Requirements

In addition to ensuring your passport is valid, another United States entry requirement that travelers need to consider is the country’s visa requirements. Depending on your nationality, you may qualify for America’s Visa Waiver Program (VWP). If you qualify, this allows you to stay in the United States for up to 90 days without having to apply for a tourist visa. However, these travelers will need to obtain an electronic travel authorization before their visit.

Travelers who do not qualify under the Visa Waiver Program will need to apply for a B-2 tourism visa before traveling to the United States. Please note that this process can take a while to complete, so you should start the visa application process well before you plan to travel to the United States.

Travel Within the United States

Once inside the United States, you won’t need to go through US Customs and Immigration when traveling from one state to another. However, depending on how you plan to travel, you should be sure to have the proper identification with you at all times. For example, if you plan to fly between US states during your visit, you will need to have your valid passport with ESTA authorization with you.

Similarly, if you plan on taking a train between destinations within the United States, you will need to provide your valid passport to do so. For those who plan on driving while visiting the United States, you must have a valid driver’s license from your home country with you at all times.

If your driver’s license is not in English, you will need to obtain an international driver’s permit (IDP) before traveling. Please note that while a passport is not required to drive within the United States, most car rental companies require you to present a valid passport at the time you rent the car.

Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Eligible Travelers

Per the United States Department of Homeland Security, there are currently 42 countries that are participating in a VISA waiver program with the United States. The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) permits citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa.

If you have a valid passport from one of the countries listed below, you will not need to obtain a VISA to enter the United States for your visit.

Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)

Even if you qualify for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), you will need to apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before you travel to the United States. Without this authorization, you will not be allowed to board your plane to the United States. For more information, please see the Customs and Border Protection Frequently Asked Questions for the VWP and ESTA programs.

All Other Travelers

If you do not have a valid passport from one of the countries listed above, you will need to obtain a Tourism (B-2) VISA from the United States State Department.

Here is a summary of the process you will need to follow to apply for a tourist visa to the United States:

1. Complete the online DS-160 visa application form.
2. If you are between the ages of 14 and 79 years of age, you will need to schedule a visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live.
3. Pay the non-refundable USD 185 visa application fee. If your visa is approved, you may also need to pay a visa issuance fee, if applicable to your nationality.
4. Bring your current valid passport, DS-160 visa application form, receipt for the visa application fee, and a passport photo that meets the photo requirements to your interview.

Important Note: Even though you are required to upload a passport photo when completing the online DS-160 application form, it is recommended that you also bring a physical copy of your passport photo to your visa interview in the even there were upload issues with your photo.

United States Immunization Requirements

Important Note: I am not a medical doctor and don’t have medical experience. The information provided in this section is a summary of information that I got from Passport Health for travel to the United States. I am providing you with this information to help bring awareness of the necessary vaccinations to you. Still, consultation with my guide should not replace a discussion about your travels with your doctor or a travel medical clinic.

Currently, the only vaccination requirement to enter the United States is for the Yellow Fever vaccination for travelers who are visiting from a high-risk area. This includes travelers who have had a layover of longer than 12 hours in a high-risk area. I have included some recommendations on general vaccinations and travel vaccinations for the United States below.

Recommended Vaccinations for the United States

There are several vaccinations that are recommended before traveling to the United States, which I have outlined for you below. Please pay special attention to the details in this guide section and ensure you discuss all vaccinations with your doctor or travel health clinic.

Routine Vaccinations for Travel

In addition to the vaccinations recommended for travel to the United States specifically, there are other routine vaccinations you should be current on before traveling anywhere in the world. For an overview of the routine vaccinations recommended by the CDC, please review the chart that I have included below.

Non-Vaccine Preventable Diseases

In addition to the recommended vaccinations, other health precautions should be taken when visiting the United States to avoid getting sick. While these health precautions aren’t on the list of the United States’ entrance requirements, they are important measures that you can take to make sure you don’t get ill while traveling.

AVOID CONTAMINATED WATER

When traveling, one of the easiest ways to get sick is to come into contact with contaminated water. There are illnesses found in the United States that can be spread by either drinking or swimming in contaminated water. Before you depart for your trip, you will want to be aware of the illnesses below. To avoid getting sick, make sure you stick to drinking bottled water and avoid swimming in stagnant pools.

BE AWARE OF AIRBORNE AND DROPLET ILLNESSES

Out of all the ways that illnesses can be spread, airborne diseases are the hardest to protect yourself against. After all, you don’t have to physically touch or be touched by an infected person or animal, and there isn’t a repellent that you can spray on to avoid catching these illnesses.

This is why it is always important to be observant of those with whom you interact while traveling and make sure you don’t expose yourself to potentially harmful airborne illnesses. According to the CDC, the particular airborne illnesses that you should be aware of while traveling to the United States are as follows:

AVOID INSECT BITES

Another easy way to get sick while traveling is to be bitten by bugs that carry illnesses. The most common insect that spreads diseases to humans is the mosquito, but ticks and flies can also spread serious illnesses through their bites.

While you won’t need to worry about mosquito bites if you are traveling to the northern states in America, there are some spots in the southern Gulf states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida) where mosquito-borne illnesses are a concern. To make sure you don’t fall ill from an insect bite while in the United States, I would recommend bringing insect repellent with you when you visit and avoiding getting bitten by bugs as much as possible.

United States Customs Restrictions

Another important aspect of travel to the United States that you must be aware of is the country’s customs regulations. Like other countries, there are certain goods that you are restricted or even prohibited from bringing into the country. To ensure you don’t make the costly mistake of having one of these restricted items in your baggage, I have outlined the United States entrance requirements for customs regulations for you to review below.

FREE IMPORT

According to the VISAHQ.com website, the following items are considered free-import items when entering the United States, but with limits (as described below).

• Tobacco products – 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars.
• 1L of alcohol for persons 21 years or older.
• Other goods for non-commercial use.
• USD 100 worth of dutiable items as a gift.
• * Non-residents are allowed up to $100 worth of merchandise.

* To qualify for the exemption, you are required to stay in the United States for a minimum of 72 hours, and the gifts must be in your possession during this time. This $100 gift exemption is available for claim only once every six months.

Important Notes: Travelers must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcohol and at least 18 years of age or older to purchase and use tobacco products in the United States.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

Before you are allowed into the United States, you will also need to clear customs to be sure you aren’t carrying any prohibited items with you. For instance, travelers are strictly prohibited from bringing the following items into the United States:

• Narcotics and medications that contain prohibited substances.
• Absinthe (unless thujone-free).
• Plants, seeds, vegetables, and fruits.
• Soil, livestock, or animal pests.
• Biological (bacteria cultures, fungi specimens, viruses, and others for research and etc., permissible only with APHIS permit).
• Unprepared fish and fish eggs.
• Imports from embargoed countries (Iran, Cuba, Myanmar, Sudan) and leather souvenirs imported from Haiti (drums).
• Endangered wildlife species and products thereof (for example, clothing and accessories).
• Cultural artefacts from the Byzantine period, the Pre-Columbian period, and Khmer sculptures (unless with permission).
• Dog and cat fur.
• Items infringing trade and copyright regulations.
• Fully automatic weapons and semi-automatic weapons (see the restricted section).
• Pornographic materials.
• Articles infringing on copyrights.
• Traitorous material and material igniting agitation.
• Hazardous articles like fireworks, uncertified toys, health hazardous substances.

CONTROLLED ITEMS

In addition to these prohibited items, the government of the United States has placed limits on other items that can be brought into the country. If you plan to travel with any of the following items when visiting the United States, you will want to plan accordingly so that you do not violate the United States’ entrance requirements:

• Pets – cats and dogs must be accompanied by:
  • Health certificate, issued within 30 days at the point of origin. The certificate must state that animals have lived in an area that has not been under quarantine due to contagious, infectious, or transmissible disease;
  • Rabies certificate issued within 6 months (if the animal is over 4 months old).
• Birds require a health certificate issued immediately before shipment. The certificate must state that the birds were found free of psittacosis or ornithosis. For more detailed information, please contact the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Seafood – please contact the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Medication – all health-related drugs need to be properly labelled (preferably in their original packaging), and the quantity should not exceed the amount you would normally need for the duration of your stay. It is strongly advisable to accompany the drugs with a prescription or a written letter from your personal physician.
• Arms and ammunition (non-residents only):
  To import firearms, ammunition, and implements of war, an approved ATF Form 6-Part I). The ATF Form 6 should be submitted approximately 60 days before the intended importation. (Application and Permit for Importation of Firearms, Ammunition, and Implements of War).

United States Currency Restrictions

The final aspect of the United States’ entry requirements that you will want to ensure you comply with is the amount of currency you plan on bringing to the country. Like all countries, you can’t bring in or take out as much currency as you want when visiting the United States. Most countries have currency restrictions, and the United States is no different. According to USA.gov, the government of the United States has the following currency limits and regulations in place:

Don’t Forget to Subscribe to My Adventures!

Let Me Help You Save On Your Next Adventure!

‘Start Exploring Today’ Merchandise Available Now!