Transet Visa??

[Forrey]

I hold a polish passport and have booked a flight to New Zealand for early in the new year.I have obtained a visa to enter New Zealand but am flying via San Francisco (5 hour stop over both ways).Do I need a visa or transit visa?

[Forrey]

Hi thanks for your response.  I tried calling the US embassy in London this afternoon and at a charge of �1.30 per minute it ate all the credit on my mobile phone!!!! I have tried surfing the net for an answer and after over an hour gave up!

[Pinotage]

Contact your airline. They will know the details of the transfer at San Francisco and whether you can do it without passing through US immigration.

If you need to pass through immigration - e.g. to go to another terminal - then you'll need a visa as Poland isn't eligible for the visa waiver programme.

If you do need a visa and haven't got one then the airline won't let you board your flight to the US as they will be fined and have to fly you back.

[chrisn]

As long as your stay in the US is not longer than 24 hours and US immigration has no reason to suspect you will be denied entry into New Zealand (resulting in your deportation back to US), then most US airlines and BA will issue you with a TWOV permit (Travel WithOut Visa).  This is according to the IATA Travel Information Manual, Sept 2003.