2009 travel to the states - online forms from 2009 ????

[Skywatcher]

Chap at virgin said there would be smoe sort of online vis form to fill prior to de[arture starting Jan 2009 - anyone know anything about this at all?

[Dawn]

Val will come and explain.

That annoying green form you fill in on the plane is being phased out and it's all done online before you leave. Or something like that anyway.

[Isafari]

Look HERE
And HERE

[Val]

LOL Cheers Dawn!

For travel from 12 Jan 2009 ALL passengers looking to enter the usa will be required to apply online for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation).

You will need your passports, flight information, dates of birth and address of where you are staying with you to complete.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.h...F-5B658537A4DD

There will be a LARGE reference number provided to you, keep a note of it. The system will then go on to do one of 3 things, either approve, pend or decline your application. If you are approved you are good to go. If you are pending, keep rechecking the system it can take anything from 30 mins to 48 hours to make the decisions from a pending application. If you are declined you must then proceed to obtain a full visa from the consulate.

Once approved you are authorised for travel (staying no more than your 90 days) for unlimited entry for 2 years. If you have several trips planned, then on completion of one trip, you go back online and reenter your unique reference number and update the address and flight information.

From 12 January 2009 there will NO LONGER be any green forms, although the white declaration form will still be required.

Hope this all helps. It will certainly make entry into the USA quicker once in arrivals, as everyone travelling is already preapproved.

[Skywatcher]

Thank you - sorry for the repeated thread

[Skywatcher]

Hmmm so can I do it now for February then?

[Dawn]

Do you know where you are staying yet?

[Skywatcher]

No , I can see that being a sticking point - but in theory - what I mean is it doesn't have to be done post January 09

[Dawn]

In theory if you have all the information they need then you can do it now.

[Val]

Absolutely if you know where you are staying you can do it now..... I have authorisations for people travelling next oct.... no probs..... also got others who have got approval, travelled and updated their information already too... lol