PASSPORTS & VISAS
Most UK citizens will be allowed to enter the USA on the Visa Waiver Scheme - this allows you to stay for up to three months as a visitor. But please check with the American Embassy whether you need to apply for a visa if you hold any other type of passport.
Their website is located at: www.us-immigration.org/visa_index.htm
If you do need a visa, you will need to apply for this in good time before your departure.
It is important that your passport has six months to run AFTER your return date - if yours has less than this, you should apply for a new passport in good time for your departure from UK.
If you are eligible for the Visa Waiver Scheme, you will be given a green Visa Waiver Form on the aircraft to fill in for Immigration.
IMMIGRATION
If you are on a direct flight from UK, after leaving your plane, you will first arrive at Immigration.
There are sometimes quite long queues here, depending on the number of staff working and how many planes have arrived. Make sure that your family/party keep together as the Immigration officials like to see you all at the same time.
If you change planes within the US, you will pass through Immigration & Customs at your stopover airport. This involves a similar system in most US airports.
When you arrive at Orlando International Airport, you do not need to clear Customs again.
US CUSTOMS
You will collect your luggage from the baggage carousel - these baggage reclaim turntables are much the same as at other airports
There are free luggage trolleys (similar to those in some supermarkets) at Orlando International Airport. You take your luggage with you and pass through US Customs.
During your flight from the UK, you will be asked to fill in a white customs declaration form for US Customs.
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to take into the USA. ANY food items (even chocolate bars!) or plants and you will be signing the declaration form to confirm that you do not have these items with your family/party.
You also confirm by signing the form that you are not importing more than $10,000 into the USA. If you wish to import more than this amount, you need to make a declaration to the Customs Officer
Some surprising types of medication (sleeping pills, anti-depressants, to name two) need to be declared at US Customs.
Please check out www.customs.ustreas.gov
OR
www.customs.ustreas.gov/travel/travel.htm
to see if your medication is on the list and for other US Customs restrictions.