Do I need an ESTA for USA?

[PAULJ5555]

Hi

Off to New York and Vegas for 1 week soon, I have read that I dont need a visa for less that 90 or was it 60 days. People are now saying I need to Fill in an ESTA form online.

Anyone been to the US latley?

[Deva Link]

Yes you need to do an ESTA in advance.

[TheHeretic]

Go to the website..

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

You should get a response pretty quick.

[PAULJ5555]

Thanks, I have no worries about getting rejected, can you fill one out on the plane?

[TheHeretic]

PAULJ5555 said:

Thanks, I have no worries about getting rejected, can you fill one out on the plane?

No, it has to be in advance. Just go to the ESTA website. It tells you all you need. The only thing you need to fill out on the plane is the white form.

[BertB]

As above you need an ESTA, the website is very easy and it only takes 10 mins, plus some money! (£14 I think)

[HOGEPH]

$14

[randlemarcus]

BertB said:

As above you need an ESTA, the website is very easy and it only takes 10 mins, plus some money! (£14 I think)

Chiselling swine! When did that start? Was free last year

[Deva Link]

randlemarcus said:

Was free last year

Not for new applications. It was free until Sept 2010, but they last 2 yrs.

[randlemarcus]

Deva Link said:

Not for new applications. It was free until Sept 2010, but they last 2 yrs.

You're right. Last USA trip was 2010. How exciting was 2011 that I completely forgot it?

[Deva Link]

randlemarcus said:

How exciting was 2011 that I completely forgot it?

It's an age thing. Gets worse the older you get.

[pembo]

They last 2 years... buggar!!

I went in Sept 2010 last and I'm going back again next week and I paid for the bloody ESTA, probably should have checked but at least I now know that I am allowed to go.

I paid online, once they had charged for a foreign transaction and given me the worst exchange rate possible it worked out at about £11

[Crafty_]

Must be done 72 hours before your flight leaves I believe.

[Deva Link]

Crafty_ said:

Must be done 72 hours before your flight leaves I believe.

That's what they say, but I wonder if it's true. There must be people who turn up at airport not realising and I haven't heard stories of people being turned away.

[BrabusMog]

Deva Link said:

Crafty_ said:

Must be done 72 hours before your flight leaves I believe.

That's what they say, but I wonder if it's true. There must be people who turn up at airport not realising and I haven't heard stories of people being turned away.

I filled mine out on my phone at the airport last year and got through OK but we always strongly advise our clients to do it a week prior to departure.

[Puggit]

Mine was approved immediately, the wife's within 20 minutes.

We needed them for an international transit

[IM NUTS2]

Deva said:

There must be people who turn up at airport not realising and I haven't heard stories of people being turned away.

Yep they do! I had a family in the summer going to Orlando and they filed online at the airport but couldn't get their daughter approved, so the dad and son went leaving the mum and daughter behind. They did get a flight the next day but the gutting thing is they were approved 25 mins after the flight left, myself and the captain agreed to hold the flight for 15 mins after departure in hope they would get on.

[thehawk]

Deva Link said:

That's what they say, but I wonder if it's true. There must be people who turn up at airport not realising and I haven't heard stories of people being turned away.

You will be turned away, however the ESTA online is usually instantaneous unless you are on a watchlist or from a dodgy country

[fizz47]

Seems like I'm a dodgy person. Took 3 days to get my answer back

[Viper_Larry]

Wow, didn't know anything about this. Glad I randomly read this thread prior to my US trip in 2 weeks time!