Hour building in US...You need a Visa !
 

I have read the thread from Naples in relation to the Visa requirements. In particular item 1 states that you don't need a Visa to hour build. Only 2 days ago i faxed the American Embassy in London, explaining i intended to hour build, that i held JAA PPL and FAA PPL, and that i required no training. The consulte were quite clear in their reply. I needed to obtain a B-2 tourist Visa as i was flying, and without it entry would be refused. This will also require the aircraft hirer/school to provide a letter of verification on headed paper.This has to include your licence details, and details of aircraft you will be flying and it's MTOW.
Current turn around time is 10 working days....just a thought before you cross the pond;)

avrodamo,

I last spoke with the U.S. Embassy in London Friday afternoon. The assistant to the Ambassador was telling me they are getting changes to the rules just about daily now. They are trying to keep up themselves, let alone keep everyone else informed. I was not told about the B-2 requirement (up till now the B-2 was preferred, but Visa Waiver was acceptable.), I will look into it and update my post accordingly.

Thank you for the heads up,

Capt. Richard J. Gentil, Pres.
Naples Air Center, Inc.

avrodamo,

I Just heard from Homeland Security in response to your question.

If you already hold a U.S. Licence, whether a Full FAA Licence or a Restricted FAA Licence issued on the basis of your Foreign Licence, you can enter the country on a Visa Waiver as long as it is just flying for pleasure. You cannot take any instruction or work on any ratings other than the aircraft checkout for insurance purposes.

Happy Flying,

Capt. Richard J. Gentil, Pres.
Naples Air Center, Inc.

There is obviously considerable confusion here then. Both myself and another guy who is also coming out to hour build have both been told by the NIV Chief at the embassy in London if your flying for pleasure you will need a B-2 Visa.
It is clearly an area that needs some clear guidelines, as its clear the US and London embassy are not singing from the same song sheet!

Avrodamo
Agree, I was informed by the US visa section in the UK about 2 weeks ago "if you are flying in the USA, you now need a visa". I note NAC states you don't need it for a bi-annual etc, but in the UK that's not how they are interpreting it. It probably needs a little time for the dust to settle - then thay might be able to see the song sheet!

Speaking to the FAA , I believe I understood that if you are flying for recreational purposes using an FAA licence that was not issued on the strength of an ICAO licence , a visa is not required for a British citizen . However , things change on an almost daily basis & the consensus was that the system would become more restrictive for non-U.S. citizens wishing to fly in the U.S.

Johnny 7
That is not how the visa section at the USA embassy here in the UK were interpreting the new regs which came into force 1 Aug 2002, about 2-3 weeks ago. It might be what the FAA wanted, but that has not filtered through to the UK visa section. They stated to me all flying required a visa - they even faxed me confirmation of same. I have a FAA licence only. Visa should arrive this week.

Blimey, talk about muddy waters. Good thread though, keep any info coming guys.

I'm planning to go over in a couple of months purely for hour building. I've only a JAA PPL and just sent off my documents for the FAA background checks to be carried out. Up until now I've been led to believe no visa required. I take it this is now superceded ? Any ideas what type of visa I would possibly need ?

thanks folks.

Gonvil - are you aware that part of those checks done by the FAA require a response from the UK CAA.......and that the UK CAA are refusing to do it??

There is, currently, a major stumbling block with regard to the "conversion" of CAA to FAA licences.

It would do you well to start studies towards gaining a full FAA PPL - by means of both written test and skill test (known to them as "check ride").

The written can be done in UK before you come here - and is information that you will need to know anyway.

Cheers GW, yeah I knew the CAA had a hand in providing the FAA with the required info, I didn't know they are refusing to take part though.

Is that official (I don't doubt what you say, nothing the CAA will/won't do surprises me), but do the FAA know this ? I take it then nobody has successfully tried this route ?

So the only way of doing the conversion now is the writtens and checkride ? I don't mind doing it this way, as you say, it needs to be done one way or the other anyway, just hadn't banked on it that's all.

Where did you hear GW that the CAA are not co-operating with the FAA background checks ?

cheers,
Gb.


Edit to add links:

http://www.caa.co.uk/caanews/caanews.asp?nid=566

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/srg_fcl_flying_in_USA.pdf

Not looking too good, certainly for anyone in a rush anyway.

avrodamo,

I have verified from the head of Homeland Security and the head of the Visa Issuing Department of the U.S. Embassy in London, that the scenario I described earlier:

...Is in fact correct.

Take Care,

Capt. Richard J. Gentil, Pres.
Naples Air Center, Inc.

Aha !

The FAA told me that training is permissable providing you have a full FAA licence & that the a/c MTOW is 12,499Lbs or less . My situation is different in the sense that I hold a visa , although it is nearly 3 years old & I've had no additional background checks since issue - seems like a case of closing the stable door ....

The discussion with the FAA was as recently as last Friday .

Johnny 7
 

Alas, the FAA has not got a clue what the Immigration rules are! In fact, with the speed that the rules are changing, even the Embassy in London admitted that things are going crazy and they are trying to catch up whilst being understaffed!:rolleyes:

To stir the muddy waters even more:

What is the visa requirement, if any, for a pilot on a UK licence requiring annual aircraft type safety training on a simulator in the USA?:confused:

Hi All,

FWIW, the consulate in Vienna just now told me that I need a B-1/B-2 visa if I want to fly for pleasure with my FAA certificate.

Just filled out the paperwork, took me about two hours. Supposedly takes one day to have the visa issued. So, not a big hassle, and whether I enter on the visa waiver program or on a B-visa makes not difference to me.

KR, Mike

ShyTorque

A visa is required for anyone holding a non-FAA licence , who is not a U.S. citizen , and is not flying for recreational purposes . The real problem as I see it is the weight limitation imposed on foreign licence holders , although if you are rotary this may not be as relevant . I understand it applies to the sim as well as the a/c .

Anyone care to enlighten us ?

Great News.

It seems that you no longer need a Visa for JAA training in the States. You can train on any aircraft just as long as you do not do any FAA training. IFTA is currenty offering specials to anyone that will come over and they have all the information explained.

Take a look,

THE 'INS' SPECIAL OFFER

Here is the documentation and how they did it.

http://internationalflighttraining.c...ris%20INS1.jpg

http://internationalflighttraining.c...ris%20Visa.jpg

http://internationalflighttraining.c...ris%20INS2.jpg

I am so glad we do not need to worry about Visas.

TTF

Hmmmmmm.........

Strange how all these budding student pilots are being told direct from the Embassy that they need a Visa, but that one school on the US says not!!!!

How about, rather than the one student's paperwork that managed to get through Immigration, we see the actual offer from the Immigration dept. posted!

All students should verify with the US Embassy concerning the need for Visas to fly in the US.

The situation sounds ridiculous to me. Suppose I go on holiday to the US. I don't need a visa. I happen to hold an FAA licence issued earlier this year, and while I'm over there, I might on a whim decide to do some flying. What then?

I spoke to the U.S. Embassy today and was informed that you must have a visa for any type of flight training. It does not matter if it is training under the FAA, JAA, or even Mars. If it is flight training that you receive, the proper visa you must have.

Sorry if I confused the issue,

TTF