USA

Brief Fact File

Capital	Washington, D.C.
Currency	US Dollar (USD)
Language(s)	English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
Local time	GMT -5 to GMT -8 (most states adopt daylight savings time in summer); Alaska is GMT -9 and Hawaii GMT -10
Telephone code	1
Major cities	New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco

Economy
The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world. In such market-oriented economy, individuals and business firms make most of the decisions. The federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the marketplace. The service sector contributes the most to GDP. The sub-sectors are financial services, travel, trade, government services and entertainment. The US is regularly increasing imports from countries with a very low production cost, like China, becoming its third largest trade partner. Bilateral deficits with China, Japan, Canada, Mexico and Germany are the first registered. The top three export and import partners are Canada, Mexico, Japan and Canada, China, Mexico respectively.

Major Exports:

• Agricultural Products
  
• Foods, feeds and beverages
  
• Automotive vehicles, engines and parts
  
• Industrial Supplies (organic chemicals)
  
• Transistors
  
• Aircraft
  
• Motor Vehicle Parts
  
• Computers
  
• Telecommunications Equipment

Major Imports:

• Agricultural Products
  
• Foods, feeds and beverages
  
• Industrial Supplies (Crude Oil )
  
• Computers
  
• Telecommunications Equipment
  
• Motor Vehicle Parts
  
• Office Machines
  
• Electric Power Machinery
  
• Automotive vehicles, engines and parts
  
• Clothing
  
• Medicines
  
• Furniture
  
• Toys

Business Practices

Business Dress

• Business suit and tie are perfect in all major cities. Do wear dark colored business suits in classic colors of gray and navy. For an important formal meeting, choose a white dress shirt and for less formal a light blue shirt.
  
• Women should wear a suit or dress with jacket. Wearing classic clothing and classic colors of navy, gray, ivory, and white will ensure to give a confident and conservative appearance.
  
• In rural areas, women may wear a business dress, or skirt and blouse.
  
• In rural areas men may conduct business without wearing a jacket and/or tie.
  

Communication Guidelines

• Offer a firm handshake, lasting 3-5 seconds, upon greeting and leaving. Maintain a good eye contact during the handshake.
  
• Good eye contact during business and social conversations shows interest, sincerity and confidence.
  
• Introductions include one's title if it exists, or Mr., Ms, Mrs. and the full name.
  
• Business cards are generally exchanged while introducing. However, they may be exchanged when one party is leaving.
  
• A smile is a sign of friendliness, and in rural areas one may be greeted with a "hello" rather than a handshake.
  
• Ask permission to smoke before lighting a cigarette or cigar. Due to health concerns, one may or may not be given permission.

Business Hour

• Opening hours for shops, offices and banks vary from city to city and from state to state. In general, stores and shopping malls are usually open from 10.00 am to 9.00 pm from Monday to Saturday and on Sundays from midday until 5.00 pm.
  
• 9.00 am to 5.00 pm - Offices (Monday to Friday)
  
• 9.00 am to 3.00 pm - Banks (Monday to Friday and until lunch-time on Saturdays)

Important Contacts

Associations / Ministries
Department of Commerce
Government of the United States
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel.: +(1)-(202)-4824883
E-mail: opaosec@doc.gov
Website: http://www.commerce.gov

International Trade Administration
Department of Commerce
Government of the United States
E-mail: ita_webmaster@ita.doc.gov
Website: http://www.ita.doc.gov

Federal Trade Commission
Government of the United States
Office of Policy and Evaluation
Room 394, Bureau of Competition
Washington, D.C. 20580
Tel.: +(1)-(202)-3263300
E-mail: antitrust@ftc.gov
Website: http://www.ftc.gov

Indian Embassy / Counsulate

Embassy of India
Chancery
2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel.: +(1)-(202)-9397000
Fax: +(1)-(202)-2654351
Website: http://www.indianembassy.org
Embassy Hours:
9.30 am to 6.00 pm

Consular Wing
2536 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel.: +(1)-(202)-9399806
Fax: +(1)-(202)-7974693

Consulate General of India, Chicago
455 North Cityfront Plaza Drive
#850 Chicago
IL 60611, U.S.A.
Tel.: +(1)-(312)-5950405
E-mail: info@indianconsulate.com
Website: http://chicago.indianconsulate.com

Consulate General of India, Houston
1990 Post Oak Blvd. # 600 3
Post Oak Central Houston
TX 77056
Tel.: +(1)-(713)-6262148/9
Fax: +(1)-(713)-6262450
E-mail: mailto:cgi-hou@swbell.net
Website: http://www.cgihouston.org

Consulate General of India, New York
3 East, 64th Street
New York 10021
(Between Madison Ave & 5th Avenue)
Tel.: +(1)-(212)-7740600
Fax: +(1)-(212)-8613788
Cable: CONGENDIA
Website: http://www.indiacgny.org

Consulate General of India, San Fransisco
540 Arguello Boulevard San Francisco
CA 94118
Tel: +(1)-(415)-6680662
Fax: +(1)-(415)-6689764
Website: http://www.cgisf.org

Visiting this Country

Business Visa Rules for USA
The documents required for visitors visa, business (B-1) visa seekers should also consider taking the following documents:

• Invitation letter from the US counterpart/Company with which you are going to conduct business.
  
• Letter from your employer or company that is sending you to the U.S.
  
• Exchanges of correspondence with U.S. purchasers, suppliers or contacts.
  
• Recent contracts, bills of lading or other documentary evidence of recent imports and exports of purchases.
  
• Any evidence of arrangements for lodging and appointments already made in the U.S. in preparation for your trip.
  
• Incorporation documents and business license(s).
  
• Tax statements for the last two years.
  
• Bank transaction statements detailing all deposits and withdrawals for the last 6 months. Include your personal and company accounts, along with evidence that you haveauthority to draw on the company accounts.
  
• Any copies of recent advertising brochures or publications.

Public Holidays

Festival	Date	Detail
New Year's Day	January 1	Federal observed
Birthday of Martin Luther King (observed)	Third Monday in January	Honors Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights leader; combined with other holidays in several states (traditionally January 15)
Inauguration Day	January 20	Observed only by federal government employees Washington D.C., and the near counties of Maryland and Virginia. Swearing-in of President of the United States and other elected federal officials. Celebrated every fourth year. Note: Takes place on January 21 if the 20th is a Sunday (although the President is still privately inaugurated on the 20th).
Washington's Birthday or President's Day	February, third Monday	Honors Washington, but also Lincoln and other past American Presidents as "Presidents' Day." (traditionally February 22)
Memorial Day	May, last Monday	Honors the nation's war dead; marks traditional beginning of summer. (traditionally May 30)
Independence Day	July 4	Celebrates Declaration of Independence, usually called the Fourth of July.
Labor Day	September, first Monday after the first Sunday	Celebrate achievements of workers and the labor movement, marks traditional end of summer.
Columbus Day	October, second Monday	Honors Christopher Columbus, traditional discover of the Americas. In some areas it is also a celebration of Italian culture and heritage. (traditionally October 12)
Veterans Day	November 11	Honors all veterans of the United States armed forces. A traditional observation is a moment of silence at 11 AM remembering those who fought for peace.
Thanksgiving	November, fourth Thursday	A day to give thanks for autumn harvest, marks traditional beginning of "holiday season."
Christmas	December 25

Travel Tips

• Tipping is customary in the US for services like restaurants, bars and pubs, taxis and hairdressers. Generally it is 15%, but the amount can range from 10-20%.
  
• Electricity is on 115 volt system at 60 hertz. Carry a voltage transformer/ converter for your electrical appliances if it is operatable on a different voltage.
  
• The US uses imperial system of measurement. However, metric system is also creeping in.
  
• Cars are almost a necessity in many parts of the US where the public transportation is inadequate or non-existent. In most of the cities, the major shopping centres are located in the suburban communities.
  
• Air travel is frequent, practical and economical within the country for large distances. Avoid travelling by train for larger distances because the fare is approximately same and time taken is much higher.