Surprise holiday- please help!

You only need to do the video thing if doing the on the ESTA app. If doing on the website, you don’t need to and can do it for other people fairly easily (just did for me and DH two weeks ago)

Social media accounts section has been there for years and remains optional as it always has been.

so much misinformation about at the moment!

We’re off to the states in 2 weeks and we didn’t need to do videos for our ESTAS

Gosh that has changed! I did my ESTA in April and that wasn't there. Although they had added the section where you have to put social media accounts by then.

OP I'm sure you'll have a fab time. Top of the Rock is the best place for views. Miles better than the Empire State. When we surprised my husband for his birthday we wrote a poem full of riddles for him to solve.

Make sure you have got a good wodge of spenders though. The USA is wildly expensive these days. We stopped in Vegas for a few days on the outskirts, just to chill by the pool as part of a road trip. A take away Chinese meal for three on the first night cost well over a hundred dollars. In an Aldi in Florida in 2022 a small bag of apples cost 6 dollars even before sales tax. And the less said about the current prices in San Francisco the better!

I did my son's using the app 3 days ago. He had to be with me because it asked for him to look into the camera and move the phone as instructed to prove he was real. It didn't show anywhere that he needed to do that until we got to that stage of the application.

We surprised our young son with a trip to Disney with a LEGO Captain America figure.

When asked where he thought we were going he excitedly exclaimed "SMYTHS"

Get her a personalised scratch card. I did this for DH when I bought him a surprise holiday recently. Have a look on Etsy and do a search for "holiday surprise scratchcard" . There are loads to choose from.
This is the one that I got for DH.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1736561938/scratch-and-match-3-to-win-personalised
Hope that you both have a fabulous time.

How lovely!!!! Enjoy ☺️

Make sure you both have travel insurance

What a lovely birthday surprise for your Mum @Bigapple2456

An open top tour bus is a great way to see the sights.
You can do a Movie or TV location bus tour that is fab.
Ellen’s Stardust Diner is great fun - singing waiters and waitresses. Near Radio City.

we got back 2 weeks ago it was AMAZING!!!

didn’t have to do a video for the esta’s and I’ve got working visas for some obscure countries!

Staten Island ferry

we did the tourist bus for a day was great

walk over Brooklyn bridge and spend lunch in dumbo

empire state was the best sky scrapper for us.

What a lovely daughter you are!

I hope you both have an AMAZING time x

Enjoy it, your lucky Mam.

So many ‘downers’ on here (or is it just jealousy)…it is expensive, check insurance, hope she hasn't visited Cuba…

Go and enjoy. Well done for your hard work.

NY is VERY expensive now!! Just in Telegraph last week picture of deli sandwiches - ham and cheese -$29, egg $25. that was just for 2 pieces of bread and filling!

I can’t top the great suggestions for the surprise… ok maybe one, a Frank Sinatra cassette or CD Amazon link There also appear to some on eBay.

This is so sweet of you I hope you have the best of time. Remember to pack your warm woolies… it will be cold in December.

Mini Statue of Liberty. (Amazon have them). Or a keyring of it. Sex and the city gifts. Play ‘Empire state of mind’ when you do the reveal. Mets or yankees related gifts. Have a great time, you sound like you appreciate your mum which is lovely ☺️

Is she on long term meds that need a hospital or GP letter for Customs and Immigration?

Health insurance?

Is she taking controlled drugs?

What a fantastic daughter you are, your mam will be sooo excited, well done

There's a new ban on US tourism to Cuba. No idea if it'll mean no entry for non nationals.

What a lovely daughter you are. No ideas about the planning, but some of my favourite things in NYC at Xmas are:

walk 5th ave
get a big apple greeter if you can
take a walking food tour
have a drink in the plaza
go up the Rockefeller Centre, not Empire State. You can see empire state, and it’s cheaper.
The Nutcracker is an awesome ballet to see at Xmas

enjoy!

Rather than paying to visit the statue of liberty you can do a crossing on the Staten Island ferry and it goes past, it's also free!

I have never heard about a "live video" and neither is it on the web site assuming you both have UK passports (or one from a country part of the visa waiver programme).

Aah how lovely. Your Mum is so lucky to have such a wonderful daughter.

• Would you go to the theatre? Maybe some (mock up) tickets but you’d scrub out west end for broadway?
• NY style brunch? Get some friends / central perk coffee cups etc and some bagels and cream cheese?
• NY is gonna be cold. Get her a home alone style hat / scarf?
• buy a little guide book (they’re cheap on WOB)

And when you’re there have the BEST time. Keep lots of space in your suitcase for shopping - esp places like Century21.

Is this true? We transited through SF in February, ESTA took five minutes online.

Make sure she’s got a valid passport and can get an ESTA first (hope she’s not been to Cuba since 2021).

Well, I've been to Cuba 3x and am on my second ESTA.

not going near the place with the orange horror at the controls

Enjoy New York! It's fantastic!