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?

No it doesn’t. Depends on your passport.

I've scanned the internal page with my photo and details on already. But then it asks you to scan the cover of your passport and I cannot do it.

Cover? It's the details page you need!

I had the same problem on the app. I used my laptop and the webcam picked up the info fine.

Just double check the details though because I found it picked out a 7 as a 2 in my DS's passport number.

I think you are remembering the old landing card and customs declaration, which were filled in on the plane. The ESTA has been electronic for a long time and you had to have it before boarding.

We had that once with our family's. We thought it might be because that family member had been on holiday to Egypt a few years before and that might be flagged as higher risk / suspicious. But maybe it was another reason or just random.

Do you have any idea why yours took so long?

Is it scanning the chip that you are struggling with? Remove all cases from your phone and place the phone flat on the cover of your passport then move it slowly around.

When we all went to NY our ESTAs came back within about 3 hours, fingers crossed Op! And we're ex military so could have been contentious I guess.

I've never had to do a US ESTA, but I recently did similar for Australia (contrary to a PP's comment it isn't free). Took me a long time but finally worked out that you have to angle the phone so that the top part is against your passport (not having it fully flat). Think of the part of the phone you'd tap when paying something using your phone (which makes sense, since it is using the same technology, from what I read).

This is wrong and out of order. Your sarcasm could well be mistaken for advice.

Two different things. You take a photo of your details page. Your phone uses the NFC to read the chip on the front cover, you don't take a photo of it. It's like using your phone to pay in a shop.

Use the website instead of the app, it avoids that.

What happens if you have a spent minor conviction ? Do you have to go to the American Embassy to get a visa ? I believe even if you have been arrested and there was no conviction you have to do this too ?

Yes this, lots of colleagues apply at my company as we have an office in the US, the time varies a lot. Any abnormalities, including visiting some holiday countries will result in a full visa being required. Cuba is one that throws people a lot.

Which is why people need to take responsibility for finding out the correct information when travelling for themselves!

I'm not sure, but when we booked our flights the seat numbers also came through on the other 2 tickets but not mine, they came later. I was pulled at Manchester Airport for a security check too.

It was very weird.
I must say I've never broken the law and hadn't been any weird places previously, so in my head I was a random choice for a higher level security check?

I had no issues in New York.

Yes, I believe so. A friend of mine had a minor drugs possession warning from 20 years earlier and was refused an ESTA. The question is usually "have you ever...", so it being classed as spent here is irrelevant.

Of course, they don't actually cross check your information to the UK criminal conviction records, so they are relying on you being honest in answering the questions...

This is correct - they have no way of finding out about spent convictions as it would be illegal for the UK government to share this with them. My advice to a friend would be to treat spent convictions as irrelevant for the purposes of this question.

@Arraminta - Does your phone have NFC (ie can you pay in shops with your phone?). Not all phones have it.

It's been this way for much longer than 2012. I remember doing the ESTA process in 2011 and 2012, and I think once before that.

You're remembering the other paperwork you have to complete on the plane.

OP, don’t bother with scanning your passport if it’s not working it’s not working. Use a laptop or similar and do it via the website.

as everyone has said, make sure you’re not using any of the rogue sites out there that rip you off

whenever I’ve applied, it’s come through within an hour and if you don’t have any issues, it should be very speedy. Download a copy of the confirmation for peace of mind but you don’t need to show anything to the airline or border force because it’s automatically linked to your passport. This doesn’t mean you can try and wing it without one as your passport will simply be turned down at check in if the computer doesn’t register it.

Just to remind everyone on this thread that you will have to do this for the Schengen area (ie most of the EU and EEA) next year.

I expect to see lots of sad face stories on the Daily Mail website (though I can't get onto it due to the cookie wall) about people who didn't get it before they tried to fly and were denied boarding, like the 10 years that isn't actually 10 years passport debacle.

And just a reminder, we, that is UK nationals, need to complete an ETIAS (exactly the same thing as the ESTA, but for Europe), to travel anywhere within the European Union. They say it will be operational from mid 2025. Thanks Brexit!

Was that really necessary?

Maybe you have the same name as someone quite dodgy?