# Entry requirements into USA



## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

My wife and two friends are going to USA in June for a weeks ranching holiday. She has tasked me with sorting out all travel, insurance etc. Apart from valid passports, what else do they need? I have seen that an ESTA may be required but when I clicked on a site to find out more, my antivirus blocked it.
Can anyone please shed some light on what is needed. The last time we went to the states, about 10 years ago, all we had to do was to fill in a form on the plane stating where we would be staying, for how long etc.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

ESTA is a mandatory requirement, it is part of the visa-waiver scheme. The form you filled in on the plane is now online, that is ESTA:

Electronic System for Travel Authorization

$14.00 per person for 2 years.

You have to have it in place before you book flights etc.

Only use the official site: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ there are lots of websites that will take your money and take ages to do nothing and charge more.

The US Govt site takes minutes to authorise you and if you take note of the reference number, you can go back within the two year life of the authorisation and check the status.

When you get the on-screen authorisation, print it out and keep with your travel papers. The airlines have access to the records, so you don't normally need to produce at check-in.

After 2 years you have to make a new application, it isn't renewable as such.

Peter


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Remember that USA Immigration officers have NO sense of humour whatsoever :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: 

Dont say a word more than necessary and DONT be flippant or amusing or you will be there even longer than normal. It can take HOURS to get thru at busy times !!


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Thanks guys, very usefull information as usual.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

If your antivirus blocked it then you were almost certainly trying to go on one of the unofficial rip-off ESTA sites.

As for US immigration officers, when I went with my family four years ago to Orlando a lady immigration officer looked at my then 12 year old son who was sporting a rather long hairstyle and told him that he would need to get a haircut before he could be allowed in. The expression on his face was priceless until she started laughing. So some do have a sense of humour although I think it best to let them crack the jokes first!


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## InfaRed (Nov 9, 2010)

You do not need to complete ESTA before booking flights. You do need to do so *before* you fly.
Flight details are optional on ESTA.
Once you log on to the official site it clearly gives you all the information. You can save details and fill in information as you find out before submitting for final authorisation.
Once submitted it is only takes a few minutes.


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Mrplodd said:


> Remember that USA Immigration officers have NO sense of humour whatsoever :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
> !


My mate (who was in the Royal Navy) docked in the US & when asked if there was any insanity in the family replied "yes, my sister married a yank" . . . he said it didn't go down very well :roll:


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

InfaRed said:


> You do not need to complete ESTA before booking flights. You do need to do so *before* you fly.


You'd look pretty daft having a flight booked and then finding out that there is a problem with the ESTA application. Do the ESTA first and then it's done for 2 years.

If you can't fly you'll rarely be able to get a refund.

Peter


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Mrplodd said:


> Remember that USA Immigration officers have NO sense of humour whatsoever :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
> 
> Dont say a word more than necessary and DONT be flippant or amusing or you will be there even longer than normal. It can take HOURS to get thru at busy times !!


Got to laugh at that, they aren't that bad! 

We took two of our son's partner's daughters to California in 2009 and one of them was taken quite ill in the flight out. Had excellent help from BA cabin crew, and they had an ambulance and medic team waiting at the gate on arrival. They took her and Rita off first, rushed them both through immigration and I followed up with the other girl and sorted the paperwork out.

Immigration were really helpful and took us up past the long queues and processed it all very quickly for us, same at the baggage reclain and Customs, we were taken through by an immigration guy and were through in minutes.

Chatty they are not, but give them credit where it is due, they have always been helpful and courteous to us on our many trips.

Peter

PS: Rita got back from the hospital about 11pm with Rhiane, she was OK but had dehydrated and had a bit of a breathing panic attack. She was fine in a day or so and OK on the way back. $US2200.00 medical and ambulance bill! That's what you have insurance for.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Last time I flew into Phoenix two years ago. 300 people queued up at immigration only to be told THEIR computers were 'down'.
It was over an hour and a half before they even started to process us. Mothers and babies, elderly like me, no seats and NO phone calls.
My taxi called my mobile to ask how long I was going to be and a burley immigration thug told me to turn the phone off or they would confiscate it.!!!

Welcome to the land of the 'free'.

Ray.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Clearly signed, 'no cell phones, no cameras', Ray, they are just doing their job.

We've had long delays, and after 11 hours flying its the last thing you want, but patience is needed, it's their playground and their rules.

Peter


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yep, agreed Peter. But it just seemed very inhumane when it was their system that had caused the problem.
You can imagine the fidgeting and impatience of all those passengers after an hour or so standing. And yes after a 10 hour flight. 
I never initiated the call and was about to answer. 

I still can't regard them as anything but Thugs after all the other humiliations and degrading delays.
Twice I have been detained for many hours. On their shift change the new Thugs even asked why I had been detained and suggested I go.

Ray.


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

All sorted thanks, easy peasy.
Also arranged insurance through Mondial assistance, £107.97 for the 3 of them, one over 70, and includes cover for horse riding, £10 million medical cover, £1500 baggage and £75 excess which I thought was good value. Saga wanted £521, Age UK wanted £430.  

Now for the flights


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Sounds good  

Saga have consistently been the most expensive of all our quotes, yet are supposed to be catering for the over 60's.

We buy annual multi-trip cover.

Peter


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## alhod (Nov 1, 2010)

A few years ago I was waiting in a near deserted small airport in eastern Turkey. HAd checked in and been sent through to the "lounge" and then - nothing!
A yank who was the only other person in there, and as far as I could tell, the only person left alive in the entire world, uttered the best advice for travelling anywhere, anytime and by any means - "Remember, the first thing to pack is your patience"!

Alan


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## InfaRed (Nov 9, 2010)

listerdiesel said:


> InfaRed said:
> 
> 
> > You do not need to complete ESTA before booking flights. You do need to do so *before* you fly.
> ...


I'm sure there are a lot of people who book their flights first and don't necessarily know about ESTA. When they first introduced it I had done that but having been to the US before didn't have a problem. Most people wont have any problem and at least if you do it can be sorted out efore you arrive.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

And whatever you do (imagine USA Border SECURITY "OFFICER" in Sergeant Major type voice)

DO NOT STEP OVER THE LINE


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## Mark993 (Jul 1, 2007)

raynipper said:


> Last time I flew into Phoenix two years ago. 300 people queued up at immigration only to be told THEIR computers were 'down'.
> It was over an hour and a half before they even started to process us. Mothers and babies, elderly like me, no seats and NO phone calls.
> My taxi called my mobile to ask how long I was going to be and a burley immigration thug told me to turn the phone off or they would confiscate it.!!!
> 
> ...


Yes, I have had similar - but it is very variable by location. Same in UK though. Try even smiling in security in Birmingham (wow!) - and yet Glasgow the security guys are all having fun and cracking jokes with the passengers. I fly back and forth between the two and it is consistent across time - Birmingham miserable and bark at you, Glasgow happy and helpful.


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## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

Hi,

We recently flew to Boston from Manchester - no direct flights, so went via Shannon where you can go through US immigration before you board the plane.

Shorter transatlantic flight time as well!

Took about five minutes with no queues and on arrival at Boston you walk straight out from the domestic arrivals terminal   

I think they also have US immigration at Dublin.

Steve


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