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Practical information United States of America
Area : 163541 sq.mi
Population : 36553215 hab.
In brief
- Visa :
- No
- Vaccinations :
- No
- Currency :
- Dollar
- Capitale :
- unconfirmed
- Languages :
- English
Our expert United States of America
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Weather United States of America
- Los Angeles 16°C 19°C 22°C 20°C
- San Francisco 14°C 16°C 16°C 16°C
- Seattle 25°C 20°C 18°C 20°C
- Tanana 14°C 15°C 19°C 18°C
- Fort Yukon 15°C 15°C 18°C 18°C
- Nome 5°C 4°C 5°C 6°C
- Anchorage 16°C 15°C 15°C 15°C
- King Salmon 13°C 13°C 16°C 13°C
- Fremont 31°C 30°C 25°C 24°C
- Denver 31°C 20°C 22°C 23°C
- Atlanta 34°C 30°C 28°C 30°C
- Miami 30°C 30°C 31°C 30°C
- Lihue 27°C 27°C 27°C 27°C
- Honolulu 28°C 28°C 28°C 28°C
- Kahului 27°C 27°C 27°C 28°C
- Hilo 28°C 27°C 28°C 28°C
- Newnan 34°C 31°C 28°C 30°C
- Houston 33°C 32°C 33°C 33°C
- Georgetown 32°C 32°C 31°C 33°C
- Dallas 32°C 32°C 33°C 35°C
- Roxboro 30°C 28°C 29°C 30°C
- Washington 31°C 30°C 31°C 32°C
- Farmville 32°C 30°C 31°C 34°C
- New York 26°C 22°C 23°C 25°C
- Chicago 29°C 34°C 33°C 26°C
- Minneapolis 22°C 31°C 22°C 15°C
- Dalton 33°C 32°C 30°C 30°C
- Boston 29°C 20°C 18°C 24°C
- Two Harbors 13°C 19°C 21°C 12°C
Practical information United States of America
Languages
English is still widely spoken, but soon to be supplanted by Spanish.
Requirements
If you have an old passport, you must request a visa because this type of passport cannot be scanned in, thus not secured according to US regulations. However, you can still use it until its date of expiration. The United States require a personal passport, whatever the age of the traveller. Thus, infants (even a few months old) and children must have a passport just like adults (or a personal visa if the child appears on one of his parents' passport, themselves holding a visa). It lasts for 5 years.
If you have a machine-readable passport (optical reading passport, known as DELPHINE model), issued on 26th October 2005 or after this date, you must request a visa.
If you are holding a DELPHINE-model passport issued before 26th October 2005, you are exempt from a visa.
If you have a biometric passport, you are exempt from a visa.
Know that since 30th September 2004, digital fingerprints and digital ID photos are imposed on foreign citizens, including countries exempt from visas. For more information on these new regulations, consult the US Department of Homeland Security's website: www.dhs.gov/us-visit
To get a visa, first consult the embassy's website or its telephone services. If you have not obtained all the answers to your questions or if you need to make an appointment, you can call and speak with someone working at the embassy. An interview can be requested. Allow four to six weeks before getting an appointment.
Note that visa requests done by mail will no longer be accepted, except for children up to 13 years old and for people aged 80 years old and more. Not forgetting the USA's newest invention: the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). From January 2009, it will be mandatory that all those wishing to travel to the USA fill in an online application. A response is sent back shortly after, confirming right of entry, which is useful to know before you buy a ticket.
If you have a machine-readable passport (optical reading passport, known as DELPHINE model), issued on 26th October 2005 or after this date, you must request a visa.
If you are holding a DELPHINE-model passport issued before 26th October 2005, you are exempt from a visa.
If you have a biometric passport, you are exempt from a visa.
Know that since 30th September 2004, digital fingerprints and digital ID photos are imposed on foreign citizens, including countries exempt from visas. For more information on these new regulations, consult the US Department of Homeland Security's website: www.dhs.gov/us-visit
To get a visa, first consult the embassy's website or its telephone services. If you have not obtained all the answers to your questions or if you need to make an appointment, you can call and speak with someone working at the embassy. An interview can be requested. Allow four to six weeks before getting an appointment.
Note that visa requests done by mail will no longer be accepted, except for children up to 13 years old and for people aged 80 years old and more. Not forgetting the USA's newest invention: the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). From January 2009, it will be mandatory that all those wishing to travel to the USA fill in an online application. A response is sent back shortly after, confirming right of entry, which is useful to know before you buy a ticket.
Religion
Protestantism is the main religion in the United States, but with the large community of Latin Americans living in California, Catholicism is also widely represented. The Jewish, Buddhist, and Muslim religions are also represented, as well as a litany of more or less eccentric sects and cults, inspired by the way of life called the "new age".
Currency
The currency is the United States Dollar (USD), the rate of which can fluctuate quite significantly (so withdraw or change a small amount at a time). The dollar consists of 100 cents. The country has many bureaux de change, and you'll have no problem cashing travellers cheques, but the exchange rates offered at the airports are higher than those you'll find in towns. There are plenty of ATM machines and 24-hour banking facilities in all the towns, enabling you to withdraw cash anywhere with any international credit card. Payment by card is common, but cheques are rarely used. Banks are generally open from 9:00am to 4:00pm from Monday to Friday and from 9:00am to 1:00pm on Saturdays.
Transport
Except in San Francisco, where walking is highly recommended, the best way of travelling is obviously by car, the ideal tool to explore California at its fullest. All the major car rental companies are here and the rental rates are reasonable. Minimum age: 21 years old, with an national or international driving license. Consider subscribing to good insurance. Beware of speed limits (55 miles per hour most of the time, up to 75 miles per hour, on some motorways); the police are strict about it. If you do not have much time, travel by plane on national flights, quicker than the bus and relatively cheap.
Health
No particular vaccine is required, but very good health insurance is strongly recommended (care and repatriation costs), in case of an illness or accident, as medical costs are very expensive in the United States.
Electricity
Voltage in the United States is 110 V, 60 Hz. Electrical plugs have two or three flat pins. Adaptor needed.
Attendance
There were 51.1 million visitors to the United States in 2006.
Taxes
Taxes do not feature on the labels of products. In the US, they add the taxes at the till. Make sure you add the state tax of 7.75%. An extra local tax can apply to hotels in certain cities, with a total amount that can vary between 11% and 14%. The marked prices in the service industry (restaurants, taxis) never include tips: the common practice is to add 15% to the marked price. If you are paying by credit card, you must add the tip and calculate the total amount yourself before signing your receipt.
Leaving a tip is a very important practice in the United States. However, no need to go overboard like the a regular customer who left a $10,000 tip for a waitress in a small-town Kansas restaurant (Midwest). She had served the client a starter, main course and two beers for a total of $26. So surprised about the tip, the waitress told CBS channel she was going to spend her money by going to a singles party in Las Vegas.
Leaving a tip is a very important practice in the United States. However, no need to go overboard like the a regular customer who left a $10,000 tip for a waitress in a small-town Kansas restaurant (Midwest). She had served the client a starter, main course and two beers for a total of $26. So surprised about the tip, the waitress told CBS channel she was going to spend her money by going to a singles party in Las Vegas.
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