How long for ESTA approval?

[Acourtof]

Starting to panic!! We’re flying to the US tomorrow afternoon and I only just remembered that we all need ESTAs 🤦🏼‍♀️

Submitted applications online. Website says up to 72 hours to come through. We’ve got 24 hours…

DH and I have travelled to the US several times and never had an issue. Our young DC have never been to the US, so I’m worried that it will need extra time for a first application.

Any comfort please on your own recent ESTA timelines, especially for DC? Thank you 🙏

That’s fantastic news! Thank goodness! Now relax!

Safe travels!

Absolutely thrilled for you OP, have an amazing time!

Wonderful news! Have a great holiday!

Never have I felt so invested.

Fabulous news. Have a great holiday OP.

Hurray!!
@Acourtof where are you staying? Have the best time.

So pleased for you all, you deserve a stiff drink on the plane!!

I think my heart rate is back to normal. I’m not even sure what to do for the next hour till the taxi comes 😂

Phew , good news ! Was going to add ours took about a week but that was 2018.

Woo!!!! So pleased for you! Have a great holiday!!

Congrats!
Thank you for the update!

Happy travels!

Brilliant! Have a fabulous time.

Amazing! I just read this page by page praying for you and your family!
Have the best ever trip, 5 and 7 are such good ages for Disney. Mine are a little smaller and I can't wait for trips like this (if we save up!) Enjoy a gin at the airport, you're all going on holiday!!!!

So pleased for you... have a great holiday!

Fantastic update, now go and enjoy your holiday

Have an amazing trip. Disneyworld is epic… Enjoy.

Oh thats fantastic. Enjoy your holiday 😁

Fantastic! Enjoy!

I read this last night and had nothing to add so kept quiet. I’ve been so stressed reading this, this morning, I can’t imagine how you felt! Have a wonderful holiday.

That sounds so stressful! I have very nearly done the same thing. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday and you can have a nice relax on the plane

Whoop whoop!

@KatieKat88 You should do them now. If for some reason they get declined (and they can get declined due to silly errors/mistakes) then you'd have to go down the visa route which can take up to 6 months.

99.9% of the time of you should in theory get an approval but I have seen first hand where someone's name clashed with someone on a no fly list or where they clicked the wrong answer on the ESTA and then couldn't correct it. Most questions can be corrected by just doing the ESTA again, but there's a certain question on there which you can't undo the answer to it.

So I really recommend doing them now so they're sorted. They're only $21 each and last 2 years. It's a very small price to pay relative to the holiday 😁

I've just gone and checked all of ours for our holiday in January. Ours expire 5th Feb 2024 and we fly home on the 5th February 2024 😬. I double checked though and they only need to be valid on arrival anyway 😅

Amazing! Will make the holiday all the more sweeter now!

have an amazing time!

Yes!

I was so gutted for you, my heart was in my mouth.

DH once typed his passport number in wrong on his NZ visa. His lack of visa was picked up leaving the UK but he was still allowed to board the flight to Doha but then had to sort it out in Doha airport before being able to board the onward flight to NZ. Major stress at the time, funny looking back on it though.

So glad you're all sorted!

Well done OP, so very pleased for you. Have a fabulous holiday ❤️

Yay OP have a fab time. The ESTA thing always worries me.