British citizenship, Polish passport, travelling to the US
I might have to travel for work to the US - for the first time ever. I am currently a holder of a Polish passport (where I was born) but also acquired British citizenship (didn't apply for a passport though). How does the process look for me when it comes to entering the US? Since UK citizens do not require a visa for entry and Polish citizens do. The trip could be in two weeks.
EDIT: Filled in D160 on the 1st, had my interview on the 6th, got my passport back on the 9th
Best Answer
To elaborate on Patricia Shanahan's comment:
Nationality rules are complicated enough that it is not reasonable to expect officials of one country to reliably determine whether someone is a citizen of another country. The passport system allows each country to give its citizens a document that is sufficiently standardized that it can be read and relied on by officials of other countries. If you want US officials to treat you as a British Citizen, show them a British passport.
In fact, US law is explicit on this question. From 8 USC 1187:
... an alien who meets the following requirements:
(1) ...
(2) National of program country
The alien is a national of, and presents a passport issued by, a country which ...
(emphasis added)
Therefore, presenting a Polish passport will not qualify you for the visa waiver program, regardless of your other citizenship, and regardless of other evidence you may have of that citizenship.
As Peter Green notes in his answer, your can either get a British passport and use that for the VWP or get a US visa with your Polish passport.
As it's only two weeks before your trip, I would recommend making an urgent application for a British passport if you are in the UK. The cost (GBP 111 to 137, about USD 150 to 180) is similar to the cost of a US visa (USD 160, about GBP 120), but success is far more probable, and the usefulness of the British passport is probably far greater than that of the US visa.
You can look up US visa processing times at https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/wait-times.html/. The current times in London are 7 days for an appointment and 5 days for processing. Belfast is somewhat better, at 3 days and 2 days, respectively. The consulates in Edinburgh and Cardiff are not listed, so I suppose they do not process visa applications.
If you are not in the UK and cannot travel to the UK, you cannot make an urgent passport appointment; instead, you can apply for an emergency travel document. To enter the US with one of these, however, you need a visa, so there's no reason for you to pursue that.
Pictures about "British citizenship, Polish passport, travelling to the US"
Can Polish citizens travel to USA?
Beginning from November 11, 2019, Polish citizens have been able to travel to the United States without visas, upon obtaining an approval from the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) online. Travelers are encouraged to apply for ESTA at least 72 hours before the planned trip.Can I enter the US with a UK passport?
Are one-year passports issued by the U.K. government valid for travel? Yes, the passport is valid for travel to the United States. The fact that it may not be valid for at least six months beyond your date of departure from the United States will not affect your eligibility to travel.How long Polish citizen can stay in USA?
Q: How long can Polish citizens stay in the U.S. when traveling there without a visa within the Visa Waiver Program? A: Polish citizens can travel on the Visa Waiver Program for short tourism or business trips of up to 90 days. Extensions are not possible.Do you need a visa to travel from Poland to the US?
Citizens and nationals of Poland are now eligible to visit the United States for tourism and business purposes for up to 90 days without obtaining a U.S. visa. Under the VWP, they can apply online for authorization to travel to the United States through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).British citizenship of six million people could be threatened by Home Office plans
More answers regarding british citizenship, Polish passport, travelling to the US
Answer 2
Assuming you intend to travel to the US by an approved air or sea carrier and haven't done anything that would make you ineligable for the US visa waiver program you have two options.
- Apply for a US visa on your Polish passport.
- Apply for a British passport, then once you have the British passport apply for an ESTA.
When they ask about any other nationalities you have you should tell the truth, you do not want to get caught lying by the US immigration authorities.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Ethan Wilkinson, Pixabay, Pixabay, Pixabay