Shock!Horror!

[real mad hatter]

I've put this blog into trip planning because I've just bumped into friend today who is going on his first trip to WDW in May this year,staying at All Stars with his partner and their two kids,infact this will be there first ever holiday to USA. So I was joking to him about making sure their passports were valid,no crimes committed etc,etc,I then mentioned about ESTA forms for all the family.He had no idea what I was talking about,infact he thought I was pulling his leg.This is for tourists outside USA [do south Americans have to get them I wonder] anyway UK residents do and they now cost $14.00 for every traveller,that includes tots. I thought the travel agent would have advised them but they didn't.So this is for all UK residents who are going to WDW for the first time,tho iam sure 99% of Brits will be aware of this form.P.S. It lasts for two years.:wave:

 

[Hakunamatata]

Um, whats is the horrific part of this? :shrug:

 

[real mad hatter]

Eh!Let Me Think.

Um, whats is the horrific part of this? :shrug:

Well my friend,Let me this this.I would hate to arrive at either MCO or Sanford and the emigration officer asking where my ESTA forms are?The HORRIFIC part is not getting into the country.Get the drift:shrug:This blog is to make sure UK residents travelling to USA for the first time have these documents with them.Don't worry amigo,you live in America therefore it doesn't concern you:snore:

 

[bgraham34]

I had no idea foreigners had to do this. Things sure are complicated these days.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I need to go google this form. No clue what it is. I don't recall any forms when we went to Canada when our boys were little guys and that's as far as I've ever been.

 

[wm49rs]

Well my friend,Let me this this.I would hate to arrive at either MCO or Sanford and the emigration officer asking where my ESTA forms are?The HORRIFIC part is not getting into the country.Get the drift:shrug:This blog is to make sure UK residents travelling to USA for the first time have these documents with them.Don't worry amigo,you live in America therefore it doesn't concern you:snore:

I think he meant that if 99% of Brits were aware of the form, then where is the underlying horror for them?

And I'm confused; isn't this an online form you fill out? You can simply use (I believe) a reference number (or a printout of the confirmation page) for travel?

 

[real mad hatter]

Wrong.

I think he meant that if 99% of Brits were aware of the form, then where is the underlying horror for them?

And I'm confused; isn't this an online form you fill out? You can simply use (I believe) a reference number (or a printout of the confirmation page) for travel?

Well for starters,my friend is one of the 1% that hadn't heard of it.Secondly,this is a visa waiver program,that reqs your current passport number and has six months still valid,your date of birth,the date when your passport expires,and date of when it was issued,the airline company that your flying with,the country where you were born,the country where you are living at present,oh and the exact address where you will be staying whilst in USA.And I don't mean WDW Florida.Then you fill in answers to seven questions.The form stands for Electronic System Travel Authorization.And all going well your authorisation will be approved and your issued with a sixteen digit reference.:sohappy:

 

[ddbowdoin]

have to pay what you have to pay... part of the deal broski

 

[wm49rs]

Well for starters,my friend is one of the 1% that hadn't heard of it.Secondly,this is a visa waiver program,that reqs your current passport number and has six months still valid,your date of birth,the date when your passport expires,and date of when it was issued,the airline company that your flying with,the country where you were born,the country where you are living at present,oh and the exact address where you will be staying whilst in USA.And I don't mean WDW Florida.Then you fill in answers to seven questions.The form stands for Electronic System Travel Authorization.And all going well your authorisation will be approved and your issued with a sixteen digit reference.:sohappy:

But at the end of the day, this all boils down to ensuring you have all necessary travel documents and requirements met for visiting another country. Not really shock and horror, but rather dotting your "i"s and crossing your "t"s. I'm sure it's helpful to those few that may not be aware however.

 

[Bolna]

I think it is a good thing to remind everyone to check that they have the correct travel documentation and ESTA is indeed very important!

I am surprised that the OP's friend had not heard about it. My airline tickets to the US always come with a huge reminder. The airlines are responsible for only transporting people with ESTA registration (or visa if applicable) to the US, otherwise they will be fined. So this person would not have been able to board the flight to the US most likely.

ESTA applies to everyone travelling under the Visa-Waiver-Programme to the US - so most Europeans. While we don't have to get visas, we have to do this registration process (and btw, the address in the US is not required for ESTA but I think for the airline which has to pre-register all international passengers as well). People who have to get a visa would not have to do the registration though.

And the $ 14 fee that is charged for the ESTA registration is partly to offset the cost, but also includes a part which is charged to "promote tourism to the US". I always thought it rather odd that charging an entrance fee to a country would be considered a way to promote tourism. :lookaroun

And - at least for now - if you are a citizen of the USA you are still able to travel to Europe without having to register beforehand. As far as I know the US is the only country which has a system like this in place.

 

[Polydweller]

I need to go google this form. No clue what it is. I don't recall any forms when we went to Canada when our boys were little guys and that's as far as I've ever been.

That's because it's a US form required for non-US citizens from some countries so since you are from Texas it does not apply to you. On top of that Canada is one of the countries with an exemption for its citizens with the exception of Canadian landed immigrants.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I think the better description would have been "surprise and inconvenient" but guess those wouldn't attract as much blog traffic.

 

[real mad hatter]

That's it,Iam Giving Up.

I think the better description would have been "surprise and inconvenient" but guess those wouldn't attract as much blog traffic.

Your right,I've started another quarrel between Americans,Canadians,Germans.:veryconfu

 

[real mad hatter]

Headlines.

But at the end of the day, this all boils down to ensuring you have all necessary travel documents and requirements met for visiting another country. Not really shock and horror, but rather dotting your "i"s and crossing your "t"s. I'm sure it's helpful to those few that may not be aware however.

Shock/Horror was to get attention of UK holiday makers,not Americans,forget my b..... Eyes and Tees.And I do have all the necessary travel documents for visiting USA.:drevil:

 

[mickeysshoes]

Your right,I've started another quarrel between Americans,Canadians,Germans.:veryconfu

Your good at that!!!! :wave: :lol: Just kidding!!!! You make things lively around here!!!

 

[real mad hatter]

No Problem.

have to pay what you have to pay... part of the deal broski

I have no issue paying for these ESTA forms,even tho they were free in 2008.Even if I do come from Scotland,once we get independence,the worlds our oyster.:ROFLOL:

 

[sweetpee_1993]

That's because it's a US form required for non-US citizens from some countries so since you are from Texas it does not apply to you. On top of that Canada is one of the countries with an exemption for its citizens with the exception of Canadian landed immigrants.

Gotcha! Interesting. I really had no clue but I'm not as well-traveled as some. Canada was my single foray out of the country with the exception of the cruise to the Bahamas last September. Very interesting. Did this ESTA form thing come into use after 9/11 as part of the homeland security effort? Just curious.

 

[real mad hatter]

Yes.

Gotcha! Interesting. I really had no clue but I'm not as well-traveled as some. Canada was my single foray out of the country with the exception of the cruise to the Bahamas last September. Very interesting. Did this ESTA form thing come into use after 9/11 as part of the homeland security effort? Just curious.

Spot on my Texas friend,In 2009 January,USA brought out the ESTA form as a part of homeland security,and long may it continue,I'd pay lots more to make sure that myself and family are safe.:wave:

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

I need to go google this form. No clue what it is. I don't recall any forms when we went to Canada when our boys were little guys and that's as far as I've ever been.

Canadians also don't need them to go to the US...just a passport.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Spot on my Texas friend,In 2009 January,USA brought out the ESTA form as a part of homeland security,and long may it continue,I'd pay lots more to make sure that myself and family are safe.:wave:

Security is lacking, funding is continuing to be cut. Prez O's last visit to WDW to announce easing the process of tourists visits from China, India, Brazil sure doesn't make me feel any safer.
At the park level the security checks at the entrances are a pain but they have been effective, with some reports in the past of weapons being found.