A White House tour is a rare chance to see one of America's greatest landmark's up close. By strolling through its rooms, you can almost feel all of the presidents and families who have lived there in the past. The White House offers public tours; however, to schedule a tour, follow very specific instructions. Schedule your own White House tour for the next time you visit Washington, D.C.
Plan ahead. Tour requests can be submitted up to six months in advance, but not less than 21 days in advance. Tours are normally scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. If you arrive at the White House unannounced, you will be turned away, and if you ask to schedule a tour less than 21 days before the time you plan to visit, your request will be automatically rejected.
Act fast. Only a limited number of White House tour slots are offered for each day and they fill up quickly. As soon as you know when you plan to be in the area, begin the scheduling process.
Write to your congressional representative. Your request for a White House tour must be processed through your congressional representative. Visit house.gov and use the "Representative" link in the upper left section of the page. After you click the link, the representatives are listed by state and then district number. Click on the member's name to be directed to their site and contact the member directly to get assistance scheduling the tour. Your Congress member's staff will contact you to let you know if a White House tour is available for your proposed date.
Use your embassy if you are not a U.S. citizen. The international embassies in Washington, D.C. can help you schedule a tour if you contact them with your potential tour dates.
