Uk national travelling to us

[SamCancun]

Hi,

i am finally going to Illinois in the States for my first time ever in December and having not left Cancun for 3 years so it's going to be a big climate shock to the system!!

Anyway, I heard that I just needed to fill out a form for the visa, something called a Visa Waiver Program and take my British passport and my FM3 (which my wife and kids are hiding from me right now!). However, I read on a website somethign about needing Electronic System Approval before I can travel? Does anyone know anything about this and if I just tried going to the airport and flying to the US, would I be denied, even with a British passport?

[TraceyUk]

Yes Sam you need to register online - google visa waiver. Authorisation is done immediately.Without it you will be refused to board the plane. We nearly missed our plane a few months ago as my husband had renewed his passport and forgot to register it online. Eventually we were allowed to use a comp at airport information to register.
It take less than 5 mins but you do need to do it.
Enjoy your trip
Tracey

[NicHamburg]

You also need to register with the Electronic System for Travel Allowance.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.htm

Thats additional to the Waiver Program.

[SamCancun]

Thanks for that. i found this, are you sure you need to register for both? It looks like the ETA is for the Visa Waiver Program? I paid my $14 and registered with the link below, anyone know where I go to also register for VWP? I'm now confused!

Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

[matkirk]

I'm sure you don't have to pay for the visa waiver?

Here's the link for it

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.h...4-79E51F506D61

I did it and didn't pay any money? Was the 14 bucks for the VWP?

Now I'm confused...

Edit: Just seen that step 4 is "Make Payment" - guess you do have to pay!

[matkirk]

That's out of order! Isn't it free for US citizens to come to Britain?

Why do we have to pay to go there?

Looks like a great idea by Obama's mob saying the money goes to tourism...probably better to keep it free to encourage tourism, instead of charging people and rubbing them up the wrong way.

[Life_N_Cancun]

Well.. from an American's viewpoint, if the government insists on requiring all this BS, I do like the idea that the person who wants to come in pays for some of it... on the other hand, it would be smarter if they just did all of this stealthily when a person buys the plane ticket and add it to the price (like Mexico generally does for the tourist visa) so as not to put people off with the extra step... if they can approve you within a matter of minutes seems like they could just do it at the moment a ticket is purchased, and if you get rejected you would of' course get a refund of the ticket cost. The US certainly isn't the only one to require pre-approval for guests, but after so many years of visa-free travel for "friendly countries" I can understand the feeling of insult it might cause some people...

[TraceyUk]

You dont have to pay- its totally free.! At least it was when we did it 2 months ago.I can see the link though for payment- when did that happen.?

Tracey

[Steve]

The fee was introduced a couple of months ago:
US ESTA Visa Waiver Program set to charge £9 fee | Mail Online

I'm not quite sure what the whole process is intended to do, you still get grilled by immigration and have to fill in all the same forms once you arrive.

[Life_N_Cancun]

Originally Posted by Steve

I'm not quite sure what the whole process is intended to do, you still get grilled by immigration and have to fill in all the same forms once you arrive.

I'd suspect that it checks for past immigration issues, past criminal history, and makes sure your name isn't on anyone's watch or wanted lists... so if you've overstayed before, just got out of jail for removing your mattress tags, or are wanted for jaywalking somewhere... the sorts of things that before would have resulted in you're being called a horrible person and thrown out once you'd already landed... whereas now you'd be refused the flight to start with until you convince someone at the US embassy that you're no longer a menace to society... and you've changed your pot smoking ways...

[SamCancun]

So can anyone clarify that I don't need to do an additional VWP application or anything like NicHamburg suggested??

Also, while i think about it, I don't have to pay that bloody 500 pesos or whatever it is departure tax at Cancun airport do i????? Sh!t I didn't think of that!!!!

[matkirk]

Nah you don't pay that tax, that's just for the charter flights back to england I think. I've never paid that - but you do need to go and get your FM3 stamped before you leave at a little office in the terminal.

When you going?