Only VISA Waiver needed for flight training in the US

[SR20flyDoc]

Below is the reaction of AOPA (US) of which you of course :p are also a member.

Final; no visa needed, except if you plan to stay longer then 90 days.

No need to train at a school that arranges a visa for you, if your country is a member of the visa waiver program.

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J,

Thanks for the email. Below is the link to our Guide on the Alien Flight Training rule. If you are training for an MEL
you will have to register, get finger printed and pay the fee.
On the VISA requirements, the INS as you probably know does have a list of countries where the VISA is waived. If
you are from one of these countries, then no visa is required and simply state this to the TSA when registering.

Regards,

Larry B.
Aviation Services Department

http://www.aopa.org/tsa_rule/

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[S-Works]

Is this for real? All that effort to download forms, arrange embassy visits etc and now aprt from the fingerprint thing we are back to the way it was?

[englishal]

Its because of the campaigning on another thread. George W saw it, and had a word with the INS boys...he realises that we're staunch friends you see.....:}

[S-Works]

So if someone wants to go on holday as already qualified for a couple of weeks, do a BFR or an IR or add a PPL (H) which is less than 18 hrs per week they can go in on a visa waiver but still have to go through the TSA process?

[chopperpilot47]

Have a look at the thread below this one. As I said on that one tell the Immigration officer at the airport of entry AOPA says you don't need a visa for flight training. Say the same thing to the TSA. Just don't say you are coming to my school please.

Regards,

Chopperpilot 47

[chrisbl]

It says nothing on the AOPA info page about visas not being needed. In fact it implies the reverse where it refers to aliens undergoing flight training as being in one of two categories either a green card holder ie resident or a visa holder.
The guy at AOPA is talking through his ass.

[englishal]

Visa schmeeza...

There are a million and one different visas which allow entry to the USA: M / K / F / J /B / H / L / C1-D / H etc....So you cannot just talk about a "US Visa".

Now the USA say that as friends of the US we don't need to get a visa before travelling. We still get stamped in by the INS guy as "B" on entry, but the requirement to be "pre-issued" a visa is waived. We're still there under a "B" visa.

I believe the AOPA chap at any rate....;)

[chrisbl]

I went back to AOPA on the basic of the response from Larry B and this is what they now say:

After further review of your correspondence with Larry Barnes from our Aviation Services Department, I would like to provide some clarification. Possessing a visa is not required to register with TSA for flight training, but it may or may not be required to come to the U.S. for flight training. Step number 4 of 9 in the TSA online registration provides clarification on this:

http://www.flightsafety.com/tsa/tsa_instructions_files/frame.htm

Notice it states that you need to enter your visa information, if you possess one.

We know that the TSA rule may be very redundant to the requirements for obtaining a visa - but the government agencies want to have their own databases to compare with each other. Of course, this doesn't lessen the burden on your part.

Overall, we are not the authorities on obtaining visas, and don't have the resources to answer some of your questions. You may need to contact the visa agency for more clarification.

Best Regards,

Paul Deres, CFI, A&P
Aviation Technical Specialist
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Note the line that says:

Overall, we are not the authorities on obtaining visas.........

best to check it out with the embassy.

[SR20flyDoc]

posted 31st January 2005 13:44
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@Chopperpilot 47



quote:
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SR20Flydoc,

Yes, try that approach when you arrive in the USA. Tell them AOPA says you don't need a visa for flight training. Also tell the TSA you don't need a visa for flight training.

Please don't say you are coming to my school.

Chopperpilot 47
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Yes, I did go to the US on a VISA waiver for flighttraining, without probems, and without lying to the immigration officer, and added a rating, before I even knew PPRUNE and the advertisements.

I just want to make sure I do / did everything by the book.

No I don't want to be forced to go for my multi only to a school that issues I20's. (like Naples)

I fly for fun. And flight training in the US [I]is[/] a holliday to me.

So, still no clear answer yet, but it still seems a waiver is allright.

:p