British passport owners had been enjoying lots of benefits and facilities with their passports. Innumerable countries allowed British citizens to enter their country without any kinds of troubles. It has also been seen that countries which are strict with visa requirements with other nationalities are often open and cordial with British citizens. Whether it is expat living or international travel, British passport holders had been having a good time with almost no restrictions and limitations.
Among the many such destinations, which are easily accessible by the Brits, USA needs a special mention. It has been seen that almost 3.8 million British nationals visit the various places in USA for business as well as for leisure purposes. Among the many destinations in USA, Florida is a hot favorite destination with the Brits. Infact it is one of the most popular retirement destinations for many British people – thanks to the sunshine and great weather that the place has all throughout the year. Two main reasons why British people are comfortable in USA are similarity in the language and cultural resemblances.
It is quite interesting to see that even after the heart wrenching attacks of 9/11 travel was quite smooth to and from USA for the British nationals. However, things might not be as simple as before as terrorist activities are increasing rampantly globally. As a result British holiday makers and businessmen might feel the brunt of the restrictions that the US government is making regarding passport policy.
Currently, the US government is using greater powers and forces to monitor the borders of the country. And this is being done by maintaining biometric data of travelers who are traveling to and from USA to any part of the world. British nationals are also included in the same. With this, the country has complete list of detailed data of the entrants who visited USA. Passport upgradation is also being done in the country at a rapid rate. Now US passports will contain microchips which store entire data of the passport holder along with biometric information. People who do not have such a passport will need a visa for entering USA. To put in simple terms, the costing of visiting USA is going to increase.
British nationals visiting USA can stay in the country for 90 days at a stretch without any visa currently. But this convenience is not made available to people of other nationalities. It is interesting to note that innumerable British nationals already have the micro-chipped passports. For them entering the USA will not be a problem at all. However, almost 5 million Brits still have the old passport only without the microchip. Two options remain open for these nationals – either they apply for visa like other nationalities or they can renew their passport (though validity might be there) by paying renewal fee so that they have the new version of the passport with the microchip. Though this involves spending some amount of money for renewal, it is a safe option.
Now if you are intending to visit USA in 2016, you either need a micro-chipped passport or a visa. In case you do not have the micro-chipped passport, it is recommended to get one immediately as this will become mandatory in a short while. So before the spring holiday seasons starts, sort out your passport issue and keep things ready.
Angelina is a professional blogger and avid traveler. she loves to travel around the world and shares her experience with all.