VISA requirement for Type rating course?
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Join Date: Nov 2010
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VISA requirement for Type rating course?
Probably a commonly asked question, but as a british passport holder does one require any kind of visa to do a three week type rating course in the states?
I know that the TSA approval is a must and can take time to get.
I also know that for longer courses where you need longer than the 'Visa Waiver' allows then you need a student Visa but is this also the case for the short courses?
Any advice is much appreciated...
Thanks in advance
I know that the TSA approval is a must and can take time to get.
I also know that for longer courses where you need longer than the 'Visa Waiver' allows then you need a student Visa but is this also the case for the short courses?
Any advice is much appreciated...
Thanks in advance
Join Date: Feb 2007
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As you said, TSA approval is a must, but not a visa (if your country belongs to the visa waiver program). That is, for simulator training. If your training involves flying the real airplane then I am not sure if you need a visa or not. The best would be to ask your training provider.
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Thanks so much guys, the difference between sim and flight hadn't even come into my head. Brilliant. Well there's another easier step in the right direction 
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And don´t forget to fill your ESTA form before travelling (it doesn´t matter if your passport is included in the visa waiver program). You will be asked 14 US dollars, which you can pay on line. Fortunately, this is fast; after paying you will instantly receive yor approval. Print it and take it with you, just in case.
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You will need some form of visa, M1, B1 etc , TSA approval (this may take some time, so be sure to apply well in advance ) plus dont forget the finger printing ( I got this done at Flight safety Farnborough )
I was all set to go on a visa waiver until provider told me I would need visa so I would suggest you contact the school and talk to someone who deals with foreign students. Provider policies may vary.
I was all set to go on a visa waiver until provider told me I would need visa so I would suggest you contact the school and talk to someone who deals with foreign students. Provider policies may vary.
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There is A LOT of confusion about visa situation for type training between students, training providers AND STATE OFFICIALS. Especially state officials - for example, I have two absolutely contradictory letters from different governmental officials regarding this. And if CBP officer has a different opinion than you were told in US consulate, training facility etc, you are not allowed into the country and there is no one to complain to...
There is ONLY one way to be 100% legal in this situation - to have student visa (in most cases, M1).
There is a very big possibility your training provider is NOT registered with SEVIS and can't provide I-20 form required for M1 visa. What to do ? No one knows...
There is ONLY one way to be 100% legal in this situation - to have student visa (in most cases, M1).
There is a very big possibility your training provider is NOT registered with SEVIS and can't provide I-20 form required for M1 visa. What to do ? No one knows...
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You must have a Visa.
This is info from Simuflite:
You MUST HAVE a visa (no visa waver) to take a type rating course.
If you are send to the course by any company and they pay for it, B1/B2 visa is ok, bcz you are on business.
If you are doing it as a private person, than you need a some kind of student visa (M1).
Good luck.
You MUST HAVE a visa (no visa waver) to take a type rating course.
If you are send to the course by any company and they pay for it, B1/B2 visa is ok, bcz you are on business.
If you are doing it as a private person, than you need a some kind of student visa (M1).
Good luck.
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Yep FSI confirm as well as delta and CAE, Visa Waver okay; TSA and finger print a must.
Try contacting your training provider and follow their advice, after all they have to answer to home land security as well. When you do arrive, your training company may well take a photograph of you to send over to TSA, or send someone down to check and verify. Happened on our course last summer.
WW
Try contacting your training provider and follow their advice, after all they have to answer to home land security as well. When you do arrive, your training company may well take a photograph of you to send over to TSA, or send someone down to check and verify. Happened on our course last summer.
WW
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January 2008, I did my type rating at Simuflite, DFW, and travelled on Visa Waiver. This was before the ESTA. Don't know if it's changed, so it might be unuseful information 
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A visa is not the responsibility of the training institute or your employer BUT the passport holder - YOU.
A couple of years ago there was a Saudi guy who did his bi-annual without the appropriate visa (i assume he had a tourist visa). He was subsequently fined, deported and banned for life to return to the USA.
My suggestion is to take the training syllabus and see the nearest US embassy or just apply straight for a student visa. You don't want to go awry with the US immigration guys who, by some, are said to posses more direct power than the President - go figure.
A couple of years ago there was a Saudi guy who did his bi-annual without the appropriate visa (i assume he had a tourist visa). He was subsequently fined, deported and banned for life to return to the USA.
My suggestion is to take the training syllabus and see the nearest US embassy or just apply straight for a student visa. You don't want to go awry with the US immigration guys who, by some, are said to posses more direct power than the President - go figure.
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I received this visa information from CAE at the beginning of 2009.
Made me to ask my US friend to arrange the training through his company as I had a B1/B2 visa only.
Now I feel it was/is a personal preference of the clerk you are dealing with.
Made me to ask my US friend to arrange the training through his company as I had a B1/B2 visa only.
Now I feel it was/is a personal preference of the clerk you are dealing with.
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My suggestion is to take the training syllabus and see the nearest US embassy or just apply straight for a student visa
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My 5 Pence worth.....
Went to Simcom in Orlando in July this year to do an FAA ATP flight test (already had the written) and a J41 type rating on the FAA licence - both in a sim. I`m British, and apart from the pain-in-the-arse TSA approval and fingerprinting at Flightsafety in Farnborough, all I did visa wise,was fill in the standard visa-waiver (ESTA). At Orlando I was asked by both Immigration and Customs what I was going to be doing there and I quite truthfully said I was there for Simulator training and they had no problem with that. Simcom seemed only to be interested that I had the TSA approval-that was very important to them, but they were'nt at all interested in what visa I had.
By the way this isn`t the first time I've done this - I`ve been going to the States for over ten years for sim training for various things - all on the visa-waiver...
Thats just my experience.
Regards
By the way this isn`t the first time I've done this - I`ve been going to the States for over ten years for sim training for various things - all on the visa-waiver...
Thats just my experience.
Regards
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For a Bombardier training in DFW, we all needed B1/B2 visas and our younger colleagues also (who participated typerating couple months ago), despite our country visa waiver program.
So go figure.
Off the record - we have heard that you might succeed to go without a visa in typerating, but if someone in TSA has a bad day - you might have a big problem..
So go figure.
Off the record - we have heard that you might succeed to go without a visa in typerating, but if someone in TSA has a bad day - you might have a big problem..
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If you have TSA clearance, then it does not matter how you enter the country. ESTA or a visa is good.
If you travel to USA as pilot of a private aircraft you will need a visa.
I think!
If you travel to USA as pilot of a private aircraft you will need a visa.
I think!
Last edited by deefer dog; 16th Mar 2013 at 19:42.