New United States Government Regulations

Will Soon Affect Persons

Traveling to the U.S. from Bermuda

PASSPORTS:  As of January 8, 2007, all persons flying from Bermuda to the United States – including U.S. citizens and Bermudians – must present a passport.  Machine-readable passports are preferred; however, Americans, Bermudians and Canadians with valid passports that are not machine-readable may continue to use those passports until they expire.

 VISAS:  Bermudians and others who did not previously require a U.S. visa (e.g. Canadians, UK citizens) will NOT be required to obtain visa now.  British citizens traveling on British passports do not require a visa for most short trips, but must have a machine-readable passport.

Travelers who do need visas are required to complete an application on-line, then print it out and bring it to the Consulate.  As of October 15, 2006, the Consulate will not accept handwritten or typed application forms.  Applicants will still be required to appear in person to pay the necessary fees and have fingerscans taken.  Visa applicants may access the forms at http://evisaforms.state.gov.

 Please visit the Consulate’s website at http://hamilton.usconsulate.gov

for further information about passport and visa requirements.

Exemptions

Visa Exemption and Passport Requirement for Bermudian Citizens Traveling to the United States

The American Consulate and the US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection are providing the following information - in cooperation with the Bermuda Department of Immigration - for Bermudians seeking to travel to the United States.

Not everyone who lives in Bermuda is a Bermudian. In order to benefit from the visa exemption allowed under U.S. law for Bermudians, a person must provide proof that she or he is a citizen of the British Overseas Territory (BOT) of Bermuda and possesses Bermudian status.

What is Proof of Bermudian Status?

After January 8, 2007 when new U.S. passports regulations will go into effect, Bermudian travelers will be required to present a passport to enter the United States.

• The cover should say British Passport and Government of Bermuda.

• The data page of the passport should list the bearer’s Nationality as either “British Dependent Territories Citizen” or “British Overseas Territories Citizen”

• The passport should have a stamp – usually placed on the Observations page – which states one of the following:

a) “Holder is Registered as a Bermudian”
b) “Holder Possesses Bermudian Status”
c) “Holder is Deemed to Possess Bermudian Status” and the expiry date has not passed.

A stamp in a foreign passport regarding Bermudian status is not sufficient to enjoy visa-free travel privileges. For example, the bearer of a Jamaican passport with a Bermudian status stamp will still have to apply for a visa.

It is important to emphasize that being a British citizen is NOT the same as being a citizen of the BOT of Bermuda. British citizens are not entitled to the visa exemption that applies to Bermudians, unless they provide proof that they also hold Bermudian status. Nevertheless, eligible British citizens with machine-readable passports may apply for admission to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.