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ENTRY to the U.S. and Arizona

You must have a passport that's valid for at least six months after the scheduled return date of your trip. International visitors must also possess a tourist visa, which is available at any U.S. consulate, at no charge. Exceptions to these two rules exist for Canadian citizens, who may enter the United States without the visa. Canadians must only show proof of residence in Canada. The U.S. also has a Visa Waiver Program with select countries. This program allows for visa-less entry of citizens from select countries for visits up to ninety days. You can find out about which countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program from any U.S. consulate or embassy. If you find that your country is part of the Visa Waiver Program, you need only present a valid passport and a round-trip ticket when you arrive in the US.

For those travellers from countries which are not part of the Visa Waiver Program, you can obtain a visa application online at the U.S. State Department's website. You will still have to either present the application in person or send it through the mail, but you can download the application from the website. You'll also ned to present a passport photo (1.5 inch square size) and prove binding ties to a residence abroad. Leave at least a couple of days to get the visa, although often you will receive yours in twenty-four hours. Summertime means slower visa processing times. It's best to go to in person, but you can also get your visa by mail. To find out how, contact your nearest US emabassy or consulate for instructions. Some travel agents can help you, too. Things like restrictions on your visa, or whether it's a single- or multiple-entry visa will be decided by the US consulate or embassy issuing your visa.

If you plan on driving in the United States, you'll be ok if you have a foreign driver's license. Most foreign driver's licenses are acceptable especially if they are written in English. If you home country's licenses are not written in English, you can get an International Driver's License.

Most countries now require passports from every person travelling by air internationally, regardless of age. Even children under 16 are now required to have passports. This is on recommendation from the International Civil Aviation Organization. If while in the US you lose your passport, go to your country's consulate immediately and report it. It's also recommended to make a photocopy of your passport before travelling, making sure you copy all the important pages and your passport number. Keep the copies in a safe hidden place separate from your actual passport. Keep your passport as safe and hidden as possible, close to you at all times.

If you want to bring things into the US, make sure you are aware of the customs regulations. Regulations are assuming traveller is over 21, since bringing alcohol is allowed. So, if you're over 21 years old, and you will spend at least 72 hours in the United States and haven't brought in anything duty-free within the last 6 months, you can bring in, duty free:

1 liter of wine OR 1 liter of hard liquor
200 cigarettes OR 100 non-cuban cigars OR 3 pounds of tobacco
$100 worth of gifts
Less than $10,000 in US or foreign currency

Items that are absolutely forbidden for entry into the US include:

Food, especially meat and fruit
Plants, including seeds
More than $10,000 in US or foreign currency without declaring it by filing a form CM4790. If you file, it's ok to bring in large amounts.

If you want to take things home with you, you should also be aware of the rules concerning what you can bring back to your own country. It’s always a good idea to contact your native country’s customs department for info on what can be brought back in after visiting the United States.