Visa Waver form ?

Hi Guys,

Just a quick question. My wifes mum is comming over to visit us for 2 weeks (who is american, i know she will have to fill out one of those visa waver forms on the plane ? i think its green or a white card ?).

The problem is she doesnt speak much english and i wanted to make the trip as easy as possible for her and maybe download a copy or a sample, and send her a letter as to how to fill it in on the plane ?

Ive searched but have come up blank........ any ideas ?

You mean a landing card, not a visa waiver. It's just basic information like name, nationality, length of stay, etc.  She should be OK.

Usually the address in which you will be staying as well.

I found lots of examples for 'landing card' when I did a Google Search, but didn't find any examples of the newer ones that ask how long you're staying, but I think historyenne's got it right.  They really don't ask for a lot of information.  

Anyway, do a Google Search for 'UK landing card', and you'll be able to see lots of photos of what they look like...don't know if they've changed much, since I haven't traveled since they now ask how long you're staying...

What language does she speak?  I'm not sure about the new ones but I know the old landing cards had 4 different languages on them, so she will probably be covered  

Here's a link to the older ones so it will give you an idea of what the new ones will look like:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Landing_Card_f.png

OK I may have totally messed that up because you didn't state which country she was coming to so I gave you the UK landing card.  Ignore my comments if she is coming to visit you in the US.

No, I think you are right - isn't she coming to visit the UK?  

Which would mean she does not need to do the online registration.

Thx guys,

No shes comming from the US to visit us in the uk and she really only speaks spanish

Then she will not need to do ESTA, as that is TO the US, not from.

Oh ok...well if we assume the new landing cards are printed in the same languages as the old ones (I don't know because I haven't had to use one yet), Spanish is one of the languages listed there so I think she will be fine.  That link should give you an idea of what the landing card will look like.  

You might want to give her a heads up to make sure she lets the flight attendant know she needs the UK landing card for non-citizens (there is a different card for citizens) which they will probably be able to figure out, but you never know.  It's not a huge deal though.  If for some reason she has filled out the wrong card, the IO can give her the correct one.  They also have IOs on staff that speak different languages so if she needs a translator when going through, she should be fine also.

I didn't know there was a card for citizens?  But, we haven't traveled in a year, so things may have changed?

OK thx very much all for the info

I didn't know there was a card for citizens?  But, we haven't traveled in a year, so things may have changed?

Maybe they don't.  I just remember the flight attendants having 2 different cards and asking me if I was a UK citizen or not, then handing me one of the cards but not the other.  Shouldn't have assumed anything though so I could be wrong on that. 

Maybe they don't.  I just remember the flight attendants having 2 different cards and asking me if I was a UK citizen or not, then handing me one of the cards but not the other.  Shouldn't have assumed anything though so I could be wrong on that.  

You are confusing your experience of travelling to the US as a non-citizen with the procedure for a non-UK citizen travelling to the UK - they are very different.

When travelling to the US, everyone on the plane (including US citizens) has to fill out a customs declaration.  Anyone who isn't a US citizen or permanent resident also has to fill in either a visa waiver form (green) or visa form (white), AND have successfully applied for ESTA before they travelled.  You were asked if you were a UK citizen so that flight attendants knew if you were entitled to a visa waiver (not all countries are)

When travelling to the UK, non-EEA citizens must fill out a landing card.  That's it.

Correct, and the newer landing cards are bigger and have a blue border with white boxes then the older all white landing cards, and I think they are in English, French and Spanish.  Maybe another language.