The country has the most diverse culture in the world, many awesome sites to explore, and inarguably the most civilized population in the modern world. That’s why the country welcomes at least a million visitors on a daily basis, all year around.
Visiting the USA is as intimidating as it is interesting, particularly if you don’t understand the basics of surviving in the country. Do you know how to prepare for the visit? Do you know what to expect while there? If you answered no to any of the two questions, then it will be wise for you to read on so as to get all the answers you yearn for. Here are the 5 most important things you need to know about the USA before traveling there:
1. Passport and Visas
First off, all non-Americans must show their passports at their port of entry, and the passport must have a validity of at least 6 months from the arrival date. The American Customs and Border Protection officers will check to confirm whether your visa is valid before letting you into the country. There are two types of visas:i. The ESTA visa for USA
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is a permit that allows citizens from the 38 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) member countries to travel to and throughout the USA for up to 90 days. If you hold a passport of any of these 38 countries, you can apply for the ESTA visa three days before your date of travel and you will be free to enter or leave the USA for a period of two years, after which you will need to renew the permit.ii. USA Visitor Visa
If you hold a passport from a country that’s not a VWP member, you will need to apply for a visa at a USA Embassy or Consulate near you. You will find officers at the embassy who will interview you to confirm your intentions of visiting the USA, your financial ability to tour the country, and your suitability to live in America. If your application succeeds, you will receive a USA Visitor Visor after which you will be at liberty to book your plane of choice.2. Travel insurance is necessary
Although not a mandatory requirement, you will be better off with a valid travel insurance cover. Healthcare is insanely expensive in the USA; too expensive to render some visitors bankrupt.3. Public transport in the USA isn’t visitor-friendly
Finding your way through the ever-busy streets isn’t the easiest thing to do in the USA. You may not even make it out of the airport on your own. The best thing to do, therefore, is to book your airport transfer beforehand and once you start touring the country, hire a car or taxis when need be.4. Americans are friendly people, but...
You will easily get along with Americans provided:• You understand and can speak Basic English.
• You tip everyone who offers any kind of service to you; housekeepers, taxi drivers, valets, bartenders, name them. The tip could be anything between $1 and $10 depending on how generous you feel.
• You avoid racial and political arguments. These two are very divisive and emotive in the USA today. Utter the wrong word to the wrong person and you won’t like the alterations that may ensue.
• You keep negative observation about America and its people to yourself.
5. America is diverse. Know your destination
Unlike in most countries, the USA is so vast that there are six different time zones within it: HST, AKST, EST, CST, PST, and MST. You will need to know the time zone of where you are planning on visiting. Apart from that, the country is governed by federal laws, state laws, and local laws which vary from one locality to the other and one state to the other. You will get a ticket in LA for recklessly crossing an intersection, for example, but you will go away with such in New York. Some states will impose a 5% to 10% sales tax on all the goods and services you purchase while others will not.6. Americans measure things using the imperial measuring system
If you are used to measuring weight and distances in the metric system, then you will need to familiarize yourself with the imperial system before traveling to the USA. It’s not kilograms in America, it is pounds. It is not centimeters, it is inches. It is not kilometers, it is miles.If you are interested in traveling and/or working in the USA but find the application and traveling processes cumbersome, you can always contact a travel company to handle all the traveling logistics for you.
They will help you to apply for a visa and then follow the process until you receive a visa for your trip. America is a good travel destination; don’t allow any inconveniences to hold you back.
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