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USA Practical Travel Info

Visa & ESTA rules by passport, money, tipping, safety, and getting connected.

Whether you need a visa depends entirely on your passport: citizens of 41 countries (most of Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and others) get visa-free entry for up to 90 days via ESTA (a $40.27 online authorization, not a visa); everyone else needs a full B1/B2 tourist visa. Tipping is close to mandatory in restaurants and bars (18-20%). Prices shown never include tax, which is added at checkout and varies by state.

This is the section that quietly makes or breaks a US trip: whether you actually need a visa (and no, ESTA doesn't count as one, even though everyone calls it that), how tipping actually works in a country where it isn't optional, and what genuinely goes wrong versus what's just internet paranoia.

USA Visa & ESTA Requirements (2026)
Practical Info

USA Visa & ESTA Requirements (2026)

The real answer, broken down by passport — ESTA is not the same thing as a visa.

Money, Safety, Tipping & eSIM in the USA
Practical Info

Money, Safety, Tipping & eSIM in the USA

Cards, sales tax, tipping by situation, real safety context, staying connected.

Questions people actually ask

Do I need a visa for the USA?
It depends on your passport — see our ESTA & visa guide. Citizens of 41 countries get visa-free entry for up to 90 days via ESTA; everyone else needs a B1/B2 visitor visa, applied for in advance through a US embassy or consulate.
Is tipping really necessary in the USA?
Yes, in restaurants, bars, taxis and salons it's treated as mandatory, not optional — many service workers are paid a lower base wage specifically because tips are expected to make up the rest. See our money & tipping guide for exact percentages by situation.
Is the USA safe for tourists?
Yes, overall — the areas and experiences a typical international visitor sticks to (major cities' tourist zones, national parks, resorts) are very safe day to day. Normal city awareness (bag security, well-lit streets at night) covers almost everything that could realistically go wrong.