Residents of Canada, Bermuda, nationals of Britain, India, among 54 others, require visas to enter U.S.
Under interim rules published earlier this year, nationals of British Commonwealth countries and Ireland, including India, who are residents of Canada and Bermuda, and were not previously required to present a passport and non-immigrant visa to enter the United States, will now be required to present these documents for entry into the U.S.
The rules, which were published in the U.S. Federal Register in January this year but contained in a Bureau of Homeland Security release in March, will affect nationals of approximately 54 countries, including India and Britain.
However, these rules do not affect the documentary requirements for citizens of Canada or the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda.
“These new requirements are among a series of measures that have been implemented to ensure the safety of the American people by strengthening visa screening procedures and monitoring,” said the Bureau of Homeland Security.
In addition to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland and Britain, nationals of the following British Commonwealth countries who reside in Canada will be required to present a valid visa and passport: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji Islands, Ghana, Granada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, The Bahamas, The Gambia, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Residents of Canada or Bermuda who are nationals of countries eligible for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) --- Australia, Brunei, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore and Britain --- may be admitted to the U.S. with only a passport if they are seeking admission as a tourist or for business, for a period of 90 days or less.
Residents of Canada or Bermuda who are nationals of VWP countries, and are seeking admission to the U.S. as nonimmigrants for any other purpose not consistent with the program must present a passport and visa.
In addition, nationals of non-VWP eligible countries who are residents of Canada or Bermuda will be required to present valid visas and passports when applying for admission to the U.S. as visitors, or when seeking entry as temporary workers, students, or for other purposes.
All noncitizens residents of Canada or Bermuda will be required to complete a Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, as evidence of the terms of their admission, even if they intend to remain in the U.S. for less than six months. Payment of the appropriate fee for Form I-94 is required for land border admissions.
