Photo: Magnus Andersson / Unsplash
Practical info for the United States
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
- Single emergency number911
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Embassy WashingtonEmbassy
- Address
- 3100 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20008, USA
- Consular emergency line
- To call us 24/7 in an emergency or send us an online enquiry go to: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/usa/british-embassy-washington
- British Consulate General New YorkConsulate
- Address
- 1 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, New York City, NY, 10017-6927, USA
- Consular emergency line
- To call us 24/7 in an emergency or send us an online enquiry go to: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/usa/british-consulate-general-new-york
- British Consulate General HoustonConsulate
- Address
- 1301 Fannin StreetSuite 2400, Houston, TX, 77002, USA
- Consular emergency line
- To call us 24/7 in an emergency or send us an online enquiry go to: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/usa/british-consulate-general-houston
- British Consulate General ChicagoConsulate
- Address
- 625 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 2200, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/usa/british-consulate-general-chicago
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 18/08/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: US dollar (USD).
ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 1.1188 USD.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Several time zones: −10 h to −4 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in the US. You may need to get the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) as well. IDP requirements vary in each state.”
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: T-Mobile (Sirocco, Airalo); Verizon (Sirocco, Airalo); AT&T (Sirocco); AT&T Wireless Inc. (Sirocco); Verizon Wireless (Sirocco).
eSIM prices for the United States
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in the United States?
Single emergency number: 911
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in the United States?
British Embassy Washington, 3100 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20008, USA ; British Consulate General New York, 1 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, New York City, NY, 10017-6927, USA ; British Consulate General Houston, 1301 Fannin StreetSuite 2400, Houston, TX, 77002, USA ; British Consulate General Chicago, 625 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 2200, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for the United States?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 18/08/2026.
What is the travel advice for the United States?
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
What currency is used in the United States?
Currency: US dollar (USD). ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 1.1188 USD.
What is the time difference in the United States?
Several time zones: −10 h to −4 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in the United States?
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in the US. You may need to get the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) as well. IDP requirements vary in each state.”
Which mobile networks operate in the United States?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: T-Mobile (Sirocco, Airalo); Verizon (Sirocco, Airalo); AT&T (Sirocco); AT&T Wireless Inc. (Sirocco); Verizon Wireless (Sirocco).
Photo: Fabio Fistarol / Unsplash
New York with the family
From Sirocco, the publisher of eSIMeter
- ESTA, money, the subway, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, and our unusual places: everything you need to plan the trip and enjoy it with the children, Christmas included.
- Central Park and its rocks to climb, Little Island perched on the Hudson, Brooklyn Bridge Park and its playgrounds facing the skyscrapers: between two museums, the children run free.
- This guide takes you from planning to coming home: the ESTA, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, our unusual places, two day trips and itineraries from 5 to 9 days.