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 🙏

Did you use the official ESTA website?

Less than 24 hours 6 months ago

About 12 hours when I did mine

Still all pending.

I’ve checked the details. Definitely correct website, correct information. Payment details all confirmed.

Airline confirmed that they cannot check us in without the approvals!! We would need to be checked in and through security by 3pm to get on the flight.

I need to call them back again in 4 mins, as it’s an air mile redemption booking and connecting flight. So they have seat availability for Tuesday afternoon, but customer service guy couldn’t confirm the cost as it’s a different department that starts later on a Sunday.

Crying!! This is such a big fuck up. We’ve got new sandals, suncream, toothpaste. I wrote a packing list, did a shop, ordered currency, bought snacks for the plane, found our plug adapters. BUT DIDN’T GET THE FUCKING VISAS, which are the most important part.

Idiot idiot idiot 😭

Taxi picking us up at 1pm.

That's so annoying OP - the one time you really want it to come through in a couple of hours! Can you wait until the other department at the airline opens before looking to move your flight? At least that way you'll know what it's going to cost. ime points redemptions are a bit more flexible, so if you've found availability to transfer to another flight hopefully there won't be much cost involved. Keeping my fingers crossed that it all comes through in the next few minutes!

Don’t beat yourself up. Your DP could have thought of it too. People
miss flights all the times for all sorts of reasons… you might still get lucky. Go for it.

Mine was within an hour but I’ve had one before and also been to an embassy interview due to where I worked (countries)

Kids came within 24 hours, but my partners took a while (he’d been working abroad so we think that is why as he’s never done the embassy interview).

I would speak to BA now and see what the options are.

Personally I would go with your DH plan and try and change flights rather that lose flights if you turn up and they don’t come through.

I have seen travellers do the application at the airport where they have forgotten to do it. Instant decision.

Your DP could have thought of it too.

This is so true. Don’t be too hard on yourself OP. There’s a massive mental load involved in going away.

As a natural optimist my inclination would be to not cancel/move anything until as late as possible hoping it will come through - 1pm is a good few hours off - but the sensible thing is probably to speak to BA asap about potential flight swaps.

Wishing you lots of luck.

No offence OP but the ESTA application is a bit of a mare. Are you sure everything was filled in as much as possible with correct information. I would personally apply again one at a time. Either way carry on as normal this morning. It’s very likely they’ll come before 3pm. Everything crossed for you.

Wow!!!!!!!!

Op, you still have time, mine can through within hours recently and friends applied day of travel and they came through. You still have time
fingers crossed for you

I would still travel as planned to the airport.
I know someone who applied for theirs at the airport when they realised and it came through.

Maybe just warn the kids that you might need to go another day.

My DH’s ESTA is always approved within the hour, but mine always takes around 24 hours for some reason. The confirmation emails always go to our junk folder too!

Mine took three days, I’ve no idea why.

OP I really feel for you. Are you sure you applied using the gov website and not a third party which may take longer?

I recently went to USA and applied for my husband and children's and it took less than 10 mins but obviously that's not the case here.

Don't beat yourself up about it. You'll never do it again.

My friends forgot to get a visa for India and found out the insurance would have covered if they had lost their passports but not if they didn't have a visa. They lost 12k! Hopefully they will let you change the tickets.

Oh my christ I can feel your panic.

Let's all pray to the visa god for you, and try and get you on that plane, I feel worried for you!

Come on ESTA! Hurry the fuck up.

God I feel for you.
We went to Disney last year and in your position I’d be out of my mind.
Really hope they come through for you! Fingers crossed.

BUT DIDN’T GET THE FUCKING VISAS,

ESTAs aren’t visas.

FUCK

We can’t change the flights as they were booked with Avios points and we won’t get back the £1,400 we spent on taxes. They’re won’t budge on less than 24 hours notice. If we don’t take the original flight today they automatically cancel the return leg.

So we can’t try to get another cheap flight out in a few days. It’s just too expensive to book 4 new flights so late.

That’s it. The lady on the phone was horrible. I was really nice and she just kept saying you should have read the T&Cs when you booked.

We’ve lost thousands. Devastated. I know it’s an entirely first world problem.

We’re going to go to the airport anyway. It’s £140 on taxi there and back, but it’s literally the only chance.

Our DC are happily playing and totally unaware. Shit shit shit

Oh God what a nightmare.

really hope they come through.

We know they aren't but TBH given the context of the thread maybe it's worth cutting some some slack over terminology.

@Acourtof

OP, fingers crossed, hope they come through

@DaisyAndDonaldDuck are you kidding me???! Stop freaking preaching.

For your pernickety self I shall change that to “DIDN’T APPLY FOR THE APPROPRIATE VISA WAIVER PROGRAMME”. Happy?

Go to the airport, they might come through in time!

Also, they may be more flexible about swapping you to another flight when you’re there in person so worth a shot. It might just so happen that your flight is busy and a later one is quiet. I’ve been offered different flight times to/from the US about a third of the time without even asking e.g. oh you early, do you want to go on the flight leaving in an hour, your flight is overbooked but take the next one and we’ll upgrade you.

Do you feel better now?