For most visitors, a passport and a visa are the two critical documents you will need to enter the United States. To check if you need a visa, use the quick check tool at www.visaornot.com The process for obtaining a passport varies from country to country, and you will have to work through your home country’s own foreign ministry to secure one.
Currently, travel to or from Canada by land or sea (including ferries) by Canadian and American citizens requires two forms of identification, one being a driver's license and the other a birth certificate. Canadian citizens do not require a visa for U.S. visits of up to six months, unless they plan to work or study while in the United States. For more about the documents needed to cross the U.S./Canada border, see the topic Entry into the U.S. from Canada.
For citizens of other countries, a visa tells the United States government who you are, why you are traveling to America, when you are arriving and when you plan to leave. To obtain a visa for travel to the United States, you must fill out an application for a visa and submit it to the American embassy in your country. Application forms and details are available at the U.S. State Department’s website.
There are a few things you should know about obtaining a visa. First of all, the approval rate for visa applicants is very high (about 75%), and even higher for those applying for student visas. However, a visa does not guarantee entrance to American borders. At the port-of-entry where you clear immigration, the immigration officer present has the final say on whether you may enter the country. The visa only tells the immigration staff the purpose for your travel to that port-of-entry. That said, it is rare for a traveler with a valid visa to be held at the borders.
If you are from one of 27 (mostly Western European) countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program, you don't need a visa to enter the U.S. You can stay for up to 90 days. You must have a machine-readable passport (one with two lines of letters and numbers along the bottom of the photo page). If you have a recently-issued passport it must also have a chip in it. If you enter the U.S. on the Visa Waiver Program you are waiving your right to appeal or contest a decision not to let you enter the U.S. - ie. the immigration officer has the final say as to whether you can enter the U.S., and you have no right of appeal. It is recommended to dress smartly and be polite to the immigration officer. Do not under any circumstances suggest you may be seeking work, getting married to a U.S. citizen, or intending to stay longer than 90 days in the U.S. as this is not permitted under the Visa Waiver program - you need to get a proper visa (see above).
Due to high security and to prevent illegal immigration, at the port-of-entry, the immigration process includes taking pictures and information of non-U.S. citizen/residents who enter. This allow the government to track visitors who enter and leave the United States.
Please allow at least 30 minutes at the port of entry. Border Wait Times can be checked online.
Crossing the Border from San Diego- You can drive to the border, park in the parking lot (lock doors and use extra security like the Club) and walk over (recommended) or drive your car to Mexico. If you drive, there is the possibility of being asked for a bribe by Mexican police. Remember that your U.S. insurance is not valid so you'll have to purchase Mexican Insurance, which you can do right at the border. Most people choose not to drive and walk over and hop into one of the cabs. You should haggle the cab fare. There are also buses/ trolleys that will take you into town and back to the border. Lots of people speak English, so no need to worry if you can't speak Spanish.
