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Cars 4 Rental Information on United States

General

General: Information on the USA is provided in two parts: a general overview and individual State profiles, each of which has its own section.

Area: 9,809,155 sq km (3,787,319 sq miles).

Population: 290,809,777 (official estimate 2003).

Population density: 29.6 per sq km.

Capital: Washington, DC. Population: 572,059 (2000).
20 other cities have a population larger than that of Washington, DC. New York is the largest city, with a population of over 8 million. Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio and San Diego, had populations of over 1 million in 2000.

GEOGRAPHY: Covering a large part of the North American continent, the USA shares borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south and has coasts on the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The State of Alaska, in the northwest corner of the continent, is separated from the rest of the country by Canada, and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific Ocean. The third-largest country in the world (after the Russian Federation and Canada), the USA has an enormous diversity of geographical features. The climate ranges from subtropical to Arctic, with a corresponding breadth of flora and fauna. For a more detailed description of each region’s geographical characteristics, see the individual State sections.

Government: Federal Republic since 1789. Gained independence from the UK in 1776. Head of State and Government: President George W Bush since 2001.

Language: English, with significant Spanish-speaking minorities.

Religion: Protestant majority with Roman Catholic, Jewish and many ethnic minorities. In large cities, people of the same ethnic background often live within defined communities.

Time: The USA is divided into six time zones:
Eastern Standard Time: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Central Standard Time: GMT - 6 (GMT - 5 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Mountain Standard Time: GMT - 7 (GMT - 6 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Pacific Standard Time: GMT - 8 (GMT - 7 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Alaska: GMT - 9 (GMT - 8 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Hawaii: GMT - 10.

Note: When calculating travel times, bear in mind the adoption of Daylight Saving Time (DST) by most States in summer. From the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October, clocks are put forward one hour, changing at 0200 hours local time. Regions not observing DST include most of Indiana, all of Arizona and Hawaii.

Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz. Plugs are of the flat two-pin type. European electrical appliances not fitted with dual-voltage capabilities will require a plug adaptor, which is best purchased before arrival in the USA. The television system is NTSC I/II and is not compatible with the PAL and SECAM systems used in Asia and Europe, although cassettes can be converted.

Communications:

Telephone

Full IDD is available. Country code: 1. Outgoing international code: 011. For emergency police, fire or medical services in major cities, dial 911. The following area codes denote toll-free (freephone) numbers: 800, 855, 866, 877 and 888. Telephone numbers with the prefix 900 are usually expensive.

Mobile telephone

GSM 1900 network, with a mixture of cellular and digital (especially in major centres) coverage. Most foreign mobile telephones, unless tri-band, do not work in the USA and charges are high. Most visitors choose to hire a mobile telephone. Network operators offering the closest to nationwide coverage include AT&T Wireless (website: www.attws.com), Cingular (joint venture of SBC and Bell South; website: www.cingular.com) and Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic and GTE, now in joint venture with Vodafone; website: www.verizonwireless.com).

Fax

There are bureaux in all main centres, and major hotels also have facilities. Public fax services are widely available; these often require a credit card.

Internet

There are Internet cafes in most urban areas. ISPs include America Online (website: www.aol.com), AT&T Business Internet Services (website: www.attbusiness.net), Cable & Wireless (website: www.cw.com) and MSN (website: www.msn.com).

Telegram

These can be sent at all Western Union offices, by telephone or Internet (website: www.westernunion.com). Check the website for office locations.

Post

There are numerous post offices throughout the States. Stamps can also be bought at stamp machines in hotels and shops and at ATMs, at an extra cost. Airmail to Europe takes up to 1 week. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700 (24 hours at main offices in larger cities).

Press

The most influential papers are the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Owing to the high degree of self-government of each State, newspapers tend to be region specific, although recent economic pressures have resulted in large-scale mergers. Even so, the USA publishes more newspapers than any other country, and has perhaps the bulkiest Sunday newspapers in the world, particularly the Sunday edition of The New York Times.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: US Dollar (US$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of US$100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. Coins are in denominations of US$1, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 cents.

Currency exchange: Hotels do not, as a rule, exchange currency and only a few major banks will exchange foreign currency, so it is advisable to arrive with US Dollars.

Credit & debit cards: Most major credit cards are accepted throughout the USA, including American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services that may be available. Visitors are advised to carry at least one major credit card, as it is common to request prepayment or a credit card imprint for hotel rooms and car hire, even when final payment is not by credit card.

Travellers cheques: Widely accepted in hotels, stores and restaurants, provided they are US Dollar cheques; Sterling travellers cheques are not acceptable and few banks will change these. Change is issued in US Dollars. It should be noted that many banks do not have the facility to cash travellers cheques (the US banking system differs greatly from that of the UK) and those that do are likely to charge a high commission. One or (in some cases) two items of identification (passport, credit card, driving licence) may also be required. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions: There are no limits on the import or export of either foreign or local currency. However, amounts in excess of US$10,000 or the equivalent (including foreign currency, travellers cheques, money orders and ‘bearer bonds’) must be registered with US Customs on Form 4790. Failure to do so may result in civil and criminal prosecution, including seizure of the money. There is an embargo on transactions of US currency with Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya and North Korea.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the US Dollar against Sterling:

Date Aug ’03 Nov ’03 Feb '04 May '04
£1.00= 1.59 1.77 1.82 1.79

Banking hours: Variable, but generally Mon-Fri 0900-1500.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No No
Cholera No No
Typhoid and Polio No N/A
Malaria No N/A

Other risks: Rabies may be present in wildlife. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.

Health care: Medical insurance providing cover up to at least US$500,000 is strongly advised. Only emergency cases are treated without prior payment and treatment will often be refused without evidence of insurance or a deposit. All receipts must be kept in order to make a claim. Medical facilities are generally of an extremely high standard. Many medications available over the counter in other countries require a prescription in the US. Those visiting the USA for long periods with school-age children should be aware that school entry requirements include proof of immunisation against diphtheria, measles, poliomyelitis and rubella throughout the USA, and schools in many States also require immunisation against tetanus, pertussis and mumps. HIV-positive visitors must apply at the Embassy for a waiver of inadmissibility before entry.

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Climate

There is no one climate to describe the USA. Depending on your location the weather can vary between hot, dry and arid, to freezing temperatures and snow.

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Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes No/2/3 Yes
Australian Yes No/2 Yes
Canadian Yes No/1 No
USA N/A N/A N/A
OtherEU Yes No/2 Yes
Japanese Yes No/2 Yes

Restricted entry: The following are not eligible to receive a USA entry visa:
(a) people afflicted with certain serious communicable diseases or disorders deemed threatening to the property, safety or welfare of others;
(b) anyone who has been arrested (except for very minor driving offences) or who has a criminal record;
(c) narcotics addicts or abusers and drug traffickers;
(d) anyone who has been deported from or denied admission to the USA.
Note: Those who are ineligible may be eligible for a waiver of ineligibility.

PASSPORTS: Valid passport required by all; validity varies - for most countries it is required for the duration of the stay; check with the Embassy (see Contact Addresses section).

Note: (a) For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program, passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry (except for nationals of Andorra, Brunei and San Marino, who must hold passports valid for at least six months from date of departure from the USA).
(b) As of October 26 2004, all travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program will require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport will require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) citizens of countries under the Visa Waiver Program (see 2. below);
(b) 1. nationals of Bermuda and Canada, provided holding valid passports;
(c) nationals of Mexico, provided holding a valid passport and a US Border Crossing Card.
Note: Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are no longer eligible to enter the USA without a visa.
Note: The Transit Without Visa (TWOV) and International-to-International (ITI) transit programs have been indefinitely suspended as of 2 August 2003. All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are now required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (see below).

Visa Waiver Program: (a) 2. The following nationals, upon presentation of a valid passport (see Note above), do not require a visa under the Visa Waiver Program: Andorra, Australia, Brunei, EU countries (except nationals of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa), Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Singapore and Switzerland.
To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport (see Note above), for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days.
If entering the USA by air or sea, hold a return or onward ticket or itinerary (if onward tickets terminate in Bermuda, Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands, travellers must be legal permanent residents of those countries), hold a completed form I-94W and enter aboard an air or sea carrier participating in the Visa Waiver Program (lists of participating air or sea carriers are available from most travel agents or the carriers themselves).
If entering the USA by land from Canada or Mexico, hold a completed form I-94W* issued by Immigration at the port of entry and a US$6 fee (only payable in US Dollars).
Note*: Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form.
Note: Members of Visa Waiver Program countries who want to work, study or remain more than 90 days in the USA must apply for a visa before travelling, as should those who have been previously refused a visa, have a criminal record, or are in any way ineligible for an unrestricted visa.
(b) 3. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. Persons unsure about visa requirements (including those defined in ‘Restricted Entry’ above) should contact the US Consulate General or the Visa Department of the US Embassy (see Contact Addresses section).

Types of visa and cost: Tourist, Business, Transit and Student. Other types of visa are also available, contact the US Embassy (website: www.usembassy.org.uk) for further details. The visa application fee is $100 (currently equivalent to £60), regardless of whether the visa is issued or denied and regardless of the duration of the visa or entries required. The Embassy will provide a paying-in slip, which is attached to the application form DS-156. The fee must be paid in cash at a bank prior to submitting a visa application to the US Embassy, and the bank will issue a receipt of payment, which must be attached to the application form. The fee receipt, once paid, is valid for one year. Some nationals may also have to pay a reciprocal visa issuance fee – details are available from the State Department (website: www.travel.state.gov).

Validity: Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires, or if marked ‘valid indefinitely’ for up to 10 years. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally 6 months; there is however no set time.

Note: (a) The Embassy no longer issues visas valid indefinitely. Any new B-1/B-2 visa issued will be valid for a maximum of 10 years. (b) A visa does not expire with the expiry of the holder’s passport. An unexpired, endorsed visa in an expired passport may be presented for entry into the USA, as long as the visa itself has not been cancelled, is undamaged, is less than 10 years old and is presented with a valid non-expired passport, provided that both passports are for the same nationality.

Application to: Visa branches at Consulates General. Those residing in England, Scotland or Wales should apply to the Embassy in London (see Contact Addresses section).

Application requirements: (a) Completed visa application form DS-156 and form DS-157, if required. (b) Valid passport (validity dependant upon nationality) and with at least one blank page. (c) One recent passport-size photo. (d) Embassy copy of the fee receipt endorsed by the bank. (e) Evidence of sufficient funds to cover all expenses while in the USA. (f) Documentation of intent to return to country of residence. (g) Supporting documents (such as purpose of visit) and/or issuance fees, where relevant. (h) Stamped self-addressed, special delivery envelope, for return by post. Business: (a)-(h) and, (i) Evidence of intended business activities in the USA, such as a letter from their employer.
Important Note: All applicants aged 14 to 79 are required to schedule an appointment for an interview. Applicants under the age of 14 and those 80 and over may be eligible to apply for a visa by mail.

Note: Additional processing requirements and information are required for: (a) males aged 16-45; (b) nationals of Cuba, Iran, Korea (Dem Rep), Libya, Sudan, Syria. (c) nationals of China (PR), Northen Cyprus, the Russian Federation, Somalia and Vietnam. Please note that requirements are subject to change at short notice and any applicant should check with the US Embassy (website: www.usembassy.org.uk).

Working days required: Varies with each embassy; interview appointment waiting time is usually 25-30 days (27 days for London Embassy), and visa processing time is usually five to seven working days (three days for London Embassy). It is important to allow sufficient time for processing the visa, and final travel plans should not be made until a visa has been issued. Applications lodged during the peak travel season may take longer.

Temporary residence: The law in the USA is complex for those wishing to take up residence. More information may be obtained from the Embassy (see Contact Addresses section).

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