 Poster: A snowHead
|
Just sorted our ESTA 's for next season, quick heads up for anyone heading over and need one.
Price is hiking up at the end of Sept. virtually doubling, so would be wise to sort sooner rather than later. At least they were efficient, sorted the same day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Provided you answer "no" to all the questions (or maybe "Yes" I forget which) it is usually very efficient. I realised less than 24 hours before a flight that my ESTA was no longer valid as I had got a new passport (it is worth checking for that if you think you have a valid one). After a short panic one was issued in time.
A colleague arrived a LHR T5 checkin in the same situation (old ESTA new passport) about 3 hours before his flight departure and managed to get a new one issued in time to catch his flight!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
IME the vast majority of ESTAs from the UK get processed within an hour or 2.
If you're going to the US more than once every couple of years, Global Entry is well worth the effort IME. Clear immigration in seconds (or a few minutes on a bad day), and TSA pre-check on the way home for speedy security clearance.
If you don't have Global Entry, the Mobile Passport Control option also saves a chunk of time at immigration.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Its alot easier than India who wanted to know every country ive been to in last 10yrs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
| Its alot easier than India who wanted to know every country ive been to in last 10yrs. |
That's madness. And how exactly would they check that apart from leafing through your passport?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ster wrote: |
| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
| Its alot easier than India who wanted to know every country ive been to in last 10yrs. |
That's madness. And how exactly would they check that apart from leafing through your passport? |
But that’s exactly the point, they CAN!
So if it doesn’t match what you listed, you may risk not being allowed in!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@abc, er, I don’t think some official at a passport desk in India could be arsed to do that. And to check each one over 10 years they’d need you to have your passport at the end of its 10 year life. What if you just got it renewed? Are they going to make you carry you old cancelled one? No, its Indian bureaucracy at its worst. All those forms if paper will be used for toilet paper, if electronic now will result in revenue for AWS, nothing more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
Mine came through in about 30 mins, but annoyingly, about 10 mins after check-in had closed.
That was an expensive mistake! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Also I have a different passport now than when I visited most of the countries (including India). They also ask if my parents or grandparents are from Pakistan.
The ESTA was a breeze in comparison- just had to confess to a holiday in Cuba
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
Also I have a different passport now than when I visited most of the countries (including India). They also ask if my parents or grandparents are from Pakistan.
The ESTA was a breeze in comparison- just had to confess to a holiday in Cuba |
Bloody ridiculous. Just like the question on the USA residency forms asking if “Between March 23, 1933 and May 8, 1945, did you work for or associate in any way (either directly or indirectly) with the Nazi government of Germany?”. I wonder how many they caught with that one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
| snowdave wrote: |
IME the vast majority of ESTAs from the UK get processed within an hour or 2.
If you're going to the US more than once every couple of years, Global Entry is well worth the effort IME. Clear immigration in seconds (or a few minutes on a bad day), and TSA pre-check on the way home for speedy security clearance.
If you don't have Global Entry, the Mobile Passport Control option also saves a chunk of time at immigration. |
The US website says you still need an ESTA with Global Entry  .
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Bergmeister wrote: |
| snowdave wrote: |
IME the vast majority of ESTAs from the UK get processed within an hour or 2.
If you're going to the US more than once every couple of years, Global Entry is well worth the effort IME. Clear immigration in seconds (or a few minutes on a bad day), and TSA pre-check on the way home for speedy security clearance.
If you don't have Global Entry, the Mobile Passport Control option also saves a chunk of time at immigration. |
The US website says you still need an ESTA with Global Entry . |
Global Entry is well worth it for semi regular trips to the USA. Can save a lot of time at entry and departure. I value it for work trips a couple of times a year. Yes you need a valid ESTA also.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@ster,
| Quote: |
Bloody ridiculous. Just like the question on the USA residency forms asking if “Between March 23, 1933 and May 8, 1945, did you work for or associate in any way (either directly or indirectly) with the Nazi government of Germany?”. I wonder how many they caught with that one
|
didn't they snaff most of the Nazis out of Germany after the war to work for them in the rocket programme, so they were probably trying to find any that they may have missed, so they could employ them 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Bergmeister wrote: |
| snowdave wrote: |
IME the vast majority of ESTAs from the UK get processed within an hour or 2.
If you're going to the US more than once every couple of years, Global Entry is well worth the effort IME. Clear immigration in seconds (or a few minutes on a bad day), and TSA pre-check on the way home for speedy security clearance.
If you don't have Global Entry, the Mobile Passport Control option also saves a chunk of time at immigration. |
The US website says you still need an ESTA with Global Entry . |
Yes - I didn't say GE avoids the need for ESTA, just that GE saves you a ton of time at immigration, and, by virtue of including TSA Pre, also saves time and hassle at security.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Quote: |
| ESTA was a breeze in comparison - just had to confess to a holiday in Cuba |
That's interesting @Nadenoodlee - the ESTA website says you cannot generally use the visa waiver programme/ESTA if you have been to Cuba. A visa is needed unless you are covered by 'limited exceptions' 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| mountainaddict wrote: |
| Quote: |
| ESTA was a breeze in comparison - just had to confess to a holiday in Cuba |
That's interesting @Nadenoodlee - the ESTA website says you cannot generally use the visa waiver programme/ESTA if you have been to Cuba. A visa is needed unless you are covered by 'limited exceptions'
|
Only if its after 2021, according to the info in your post. I'm guessing Nadenoodlee's trip was before then 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
@mountainaddict, 2015.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@mountainaddict, I’d take Cuba over the US tbh
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
| I’d take Cuba over the US tbh |
Much as I'd like to go to Cuba @Nadenoodlee (a mate went and loved it), the US does have a bit going for it to make more visits worthwhile for Mrs MA and me - like decent skiing and mountain biking and World Cup football in 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hmmm may need to remember to get ETSA ready for next year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
I was just a bit surrpised on the time frame, used things taking at least a couple of days 
It appears that, if I was to visit there, I'd then need to trail to the US Embassy in London (a 500 mile round trip) to obtain a visa for any future USA visit 