what forms do i need for usa holiday

guspoppy

I am getting boggled by this , please help!

phatbear

Assuming your passport is a brit one then all you need is an esta, official link here:

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

However given your going in oct you should have sorted this by now cos no esta = no entry to the u.s

Ohh and dont forget travel insurance

luci

If you want a copy of the ESTA, print it out once it has been approved as they don't email anything to you.

The only other form you will need is a Customs Declaration which you will get on the flight.

claire16c

phatbear wrote: »

Assuming your passport is a brit one then all you need is an esta, official link here:

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

However given your going in oct you should have sorted this by now cos no esta = no entry to the u.s

Ohh and dont forget travel insurance

Why should she have sorted it by now?

It only lasts 2 years.

Macca83_2

phatbear wrote: »

Assuming your passport is a brit one then all you need is an esta, official link here:

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

However given your going in oct you should have sorted this by now cos no esta = no entry to the u.s

Ohh and dont forget travel insurance

i applied for my esta in June. My holiday is in October. It took all me 2 minutes and it was approved. Its hardly an issue. You could probably do it the night before at a push

dzug1

Macca83 wrote: »

i applied for my esta in June. My holiday is in October. It took all me 2 minutes and it was approved. Its hardly an issue. You could probably do it the night before at a push

You can do it the night before at a pinch - but there is a risk that it will be refused or a decision deferred. (72 hours is the official deadline)

The airline will want API (Advance Passenger Information). Most will take all the info they need when you book.

phatbear

claire16c wrote: »

Why should she have sorted it by now?

It only lasts 2 years.

because its a pre requisite to gain entry into the U.S and therefore it makes sense to get it sorted asap to ensure no issues arise

phatbear

Macca83 wrote: »

You could probably do it the night before at a push

you could but last year i applied for 3 estas for the famliy and 2 got instant approval and one took 3 days to approve, therefore if it had been left to the night before he wouldn't have been on the plane with us, not that I would have minded

dzug1

phatbear wrote: »

because its a pre requisite to gain entry into the U.S and therefore it makes sense to get it sorted asap to ensure no issues arise

And because if there are any issues you have time either to get a full visa or rethink your plans and visit somewhere else

ferf1223

with most airlines, once you have booked you can log in and see what other info needs to be completed before you travel - on the Advance Passenger Information most airlines we fly with will show what more detail is needed and that can be completed online in advance...things like passport numbers, etc. aren't necessarily requested or required when you book but the airline will ideally want the info completed before you check-in...it can usually be done at check-in as a worst case scenario I think but just easier to get it done beforehand.

Like on our Virgin flights coming up when we log in and choose our flight there's a section that says:

APIS / Secure Flight / SFPD entered (change details)? And we can go in there and enter all the necessary info in advance. AA has a similar thing but will actually show a red X if you haven't filled out all the info needed.

So once you've booked your flights you should be able to log in and complete the rest of the necessary info.

And agree that ESTAs should be done sooner rather than later...just in case there's an issue/delay.

claire16c

phatbear wrote: »

because its a pre requisite to gain entry into the U.S and therefore it makes sense to get it sorted asap to ensure no issues arise

Unless you tick yes to one of the questions - in which case you would need a visa anyway and therefore shouldnt be using ESTA anyhow, (or your name is on some watch list) and you havent put anything in wrong, it will go through straight away. Its just a computer checking it.

The person who decides if you are going to be let into the US will be the immigration officers, not the form on the computer, which is essentially just a way to make money instead of filling in the old green forms like you used to.