Consulate General Belfast
Travel Information & Crisis Preparedness
Travel Information
The U.S. State Department provides Country Specific Information for every country of the world. These include information on the location of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the subject country, entry regulations, health conditions, crime and security information, and Safety/Security in the subject country. This Country Specific Information can be accessed on the following website: www.travel.state.gov. Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts are also posted on this site. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Travel Alerts are a means to disseminate information about short-term conditions posing significant risks to the security of American travelers. For British citizens seeking information on travel overseas, including travel to the United States, the British government has its own travel advice website: www.fco.gov.uk. The Irish Government also provides some travel information on its Department of Foreign Affairs website: www.irlgov.ie/iveagh.
Crisis Preparedness
The U.S. Department of Homeland
Security has also set up a website: www.ready.gov which provides advice on the simple
things you can do now to better prepare yourself and your loved ones to react
to a terrorist attack. The
British Home Office offer similar advice on their own website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security.
Some other internet sources of information on questions
regarding security in the UK and the US:
www.dhs.gov (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
www.tsa.gov (U.S. Transportation of Security Administration)
www.cdc.gov (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention)
www.fema.gov (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
www.redcross.org (American Red Cross)
www.ukresilience.gov.uk (U.K. Civil
Contingencies Secretariat – for information about civil situations such as heightened
security at Heathrow, fire service strikes, etc.
www.met.police.uk (Metropolitan Police)
www.direct.gov.uk (UK Government information
and services on-line)
www.doh.gov.uk (Department of Health and National
Health System)
www.redcross.org.uk (British Red Cross)
Other Useful Information For Travelers To The
United States
New Procedures in the United States
for Checked-In Luggage
Since December 31, 2002 the Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) in the United States has been screening all checked bags. TSA has developed
bag search plans with each U.S. airport, and screening will include explosives
trace detector machines, explosives-sniffing dogs, passenger-bag matching and
hand searches. In some instances, the screening includes opening luggage after
it has been checked in by the passenger. TSA is moving toward providing travelers
with free padlock-like seals that screeners can snip open if a search is necessary,
but for now air travelers (in the United States) are advised to use cable or
zip ties as an alternative to baggage locks. If a checked bag is searched,
a statement to that effect will be inserted in the bag to notify the owner.
The following
packing tips are provided:
Leaving bags unlocked will avoid the potential need for them
to be opened forcibly.
Do
not pack food or beverages in checked bags.
Pack
footwear on top of other contents.
Spread
books out- do not stack books.
Put
personal belongings in clear plastic bags to reduce chances of a TSA screener
having to handle them.
You
may not wish to place film in checked bags, because screening equipment will
damage it.
Leave
gifts unwrapped in case screening requires them to be opened.
Put
scissors, pocketknives and other sharp items in checked bags (never carry on
luggage).
You might wish to keep a written inventory of the contents of
your suitcase, and place a copy inside the suitcase. With an inventory, it
might be easier to make a claim against the TSA or the airline if items are
missing.
What happens at an U.S. port-of-entry?
All non-United States citizens are required to complete an Arrival/Departure
Record I-94 or I-94W for submission with their passport to an U.S. Immigration
Inspector. Those traveling with a non-immigrant visa should complete the I-94.
Those traveling visa-free should complete the I-94W. The forms ask for basic
identification information and the address where you will stay in the United
States. The Immigration Inspector must determine the purpose of your visit
to the United States, whether you have the appropriate supporting documentation,
and if you are determined to be eligible for admission to the U.S., how long
you may be admitted for. The completed form I-94 that the Inspector attaches
to your passport will indicate what immigration classification you were given
and how long you are allowed to stay in the U.S. Visa-free travelers are admitted
for business or pleasure for up to a maximum of 90 days.
If it is determined that you are not eligible for admission to the U.S., you
will either be placed into detention, or temporarily held until return flight
arrangements can be made. Those who are refused admission and who hold a visa
may have that visa cancelled. The inspection process at a land border port-of-entry
and at a sea port-of-entry is similar.
Those using a valid visa to apply for admission and whose application for admission
is denied, may request a hearing before an Immigration Court, where an administrative
law judge will determine your case. A judge’s decision can be appealed to the
Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). Those traveling visa-free waive the right
to appeal. The Immigration Inspector’s decision is final.
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Travel Info/Crisis Preparedness