Flying in the USA - another visa question - sorry!
Join Date: Oct 2005
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IO540
What happened then? I've got two M1 visas in my passport and have always got straight through US immigration.
But be prepared for an extended interrogation on future visits to the USA, due to the M1 visa having once been issued.
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Forum,
This is what I did to add an FAA Instrument Rating to my piggyback FAA PPL.
1. I trained in European airspace with a European CFII on European airplanes. I did the training under a TSA approval. No visum required because I didn't enter the US.
2. My European CFII signed me off completely while still in Europe.
3. I did some 'review' training with a Part 61 school in the US. I did NOT obtain TSA approval for this, neither did I apply for a visum because a) I combined this stay in the US with a longer business stay; b) I limited my 'review' training to 10 hours (to get acquainted with the area, ATC, airplane); c) I was signed off for my IR course already (see 2.)
4. Both the chosen part 61 school as well as the designated examiner in the US were very helpful and contacted themselves both the FAA as well as TSA to double-check above statements. On top I did a lot of work myself: if you don't take ownership of your case with the authorities, nobody will as nobody wants to risk any liabilities. Also www.pplir.org was instrumental in me finding more information.
5. I obtained my IR on my piggyback FAA PPL, but I had to redo the validation checking of my foreign PPL before the designated examiner could issue the new license with the added rating. I did a lot of phone calls with both Oklahoma as well as the foreign CAA to add oil in the bureaucratic process ... but it worked well.
Finally, I'd advise the starter of this topic to simply obtain the piggyback FAA PPL. The other routes are prone to delays, frustration and lack of know-how.
Good luck.
This is what I did to add an FAA Instrument Rating to my piggyback FAA PPL.
1. I trained in European airspace with a European CFII on European airplanes. I did the training under a TSA approval. No visum required because I didn't enter the US.
2. My European CFII signed me off completely while still in Europe.
3. I did some 'review' training with a Part 61 school in the US. I did NOT obtain TSA approval for this, neither did I apply for a visum because a) I combined this stay in the US with a longer business stay; b) I limited my 'review' training to 10 hours (to get acquainted with the area, ATC, airplane); c) I was signed off for my IR course already (see 2.)
4. Both the chosen part 61 school as well as the designated examiner in the US were very helpful and contacted themselves both the FAA as well as TSA to double-check above statements. On top I did a lot of work myself: if you don't take ownership of your case with the authorities, nobody will as nobody wants to risk any liabilities. Also www.pplir.org was instrumental in me finding more information.
5. I obtained my IR on my piggyback FAA PPL, but I had to redo the validation checking of my foreign PPL before the designated examiner could issue the new license with the added rating. I did a lot of phone calls with both Oklahoma as well as the foreign CAA to add oil in the bureaucratic process ... but it worked well.
Finally, I'd advise the starter of this topic to simply obtain the piggyback FAA PPL. The other routes are prone to delays, frustration and lack of know-how.
Good luck.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Following that grossly misleading ABC article, US AOPA has done another writeup on the TSA/Visa business
http://www.aopa.org/tsa_rule/index.html
In the comments after the ABC article, a TSA official debunks the article's claims, but few people are going to read that far.
http://www.aopa.org/tsa_rule/index.html
In the comments after the ABC article, a TSA official debunks the article's claims, but few people are going to read that far.
