Do I need a Visa to fly to New York?

[Arraminta]

Flying to New York this week and noticed something about needing a Visa on our tickets? I vaguely remember filling out a Visa actually on the plane when we last visited the USA, but that was years ago?

Is it the same now?

Social media accounts is mandatory now?

And BA flyertalk is full of people who cant board as there's doesn't come through.

Much quicker if you have already had an esta on that passport.

There is an app that you download as part of the process and it come through on that.

You def need to get onto it today. In many cases it will come through almost immediately but some take a lot longer

Oh mate......

Google ESTA and do it now. They generally come through pretty quickly but you have to allow for possible issues - fingers crosses none of your group have recently been to any of their current list of "dodgy" countries.

I can't believe that people book expensive flights and hotels without even checking the visa requirements to that country.

@Arraminta you need to use the ESTA system here to see what applies to you. Hopefully you will just get an online authorisation:

esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

@tokyolunchbowl and @WhatYouPutOutComesBack fair enough I stand corrected! Looks like the ETA is ££, but you can get a eVisitor for free and it's basically the same thing? Silently fuming now - that trip was expensive enough 😂

An ESTA is fine unless you’ve visited one of the “banned” countries, in which case you need a visa via the American Embassy.

Oh yes if you've been to Cuba since 2021 then you're not eligible. Social media is not mandatory.

Or if you have a criminal conviction - even a very minor one from a long time ago.

Also, sorry for derailing your thread OP! Definitely apply for an ESTA now as long as you qualify - obviously it can take longer but mine took 12 hours or so.

I think it's quite easy to miss to be honest. I've flown into the states a fair few times over the years, and on my last trip I had a minor panic a few days before thinking "shit, I haven't done my Esta."
People have busy lives and it's way too easy to take your eye off the ball and miss something.
Though reading MN you'd think everyone's perfect.

My ESTA was approved within a few hours last year, do it asap!

@ScupperedbytheSea true enough. We went to Boston earlier this year as Mr Monkey was running the marathon. About a month before we were applying for our ESTAs the month before and he messaged his running club friend who we were sharing an Airbnb with for the exact address as we needed the exact address for the ESTA.

He replied back with "what's an ESTA?" 🤦‍♀️

US border security are notorious dicks, so I check thoroughly every time.

This!
😬

In the time you spent writing this post, you could have just googled it?

Without an ESTA you won’t see US border security, you won’t be allowed to check into your flight. The checkin staff can see if you have an ESTA. When I had an actual visa in my passport they always had a panic because the system showed no ESTA.

Apply for an ESTA online and pray that it all goes through smoothly. If it's approved it should be sorted in about 24 hours. If it's not, you won't be going.

If you are planning to travel to another country, any other country, surely you would check to see if there are requirements for a visa (and I don't mean the small plastic credit/debit card that fits inside a wallet) and any other requirements, such as vaccinations required before you would travel there??

No??

Ok then.

And another piece of info to put in the general North America pot - you need an ESTA (or ETA for Canada) to transit through a North American airport, even if you're not entering the country. You won't be able to check in to your flight to NZ via LA without it.

Yes that's the last I heard. But not counting weekends so don't leave it until the last minute.

@Chemenger yep I know, my (badly phrased) point was given US border security as such notorious dicks, entry requirements and ensuring I have passed them are one of the first things I check if planning to go to the US.

How long ago was that?!! ESTA’s have been around for a long time now!

I did ours and they came through the same day, the process was pretty quick so hopefully yours will be too OP.

Make sure you are using the correct website, there are loads out there that will charge you more money for a 'fast track' service, but its just the same service!'.