Another Holiday Visa?

maloney_liz

Hi.

I'm going to America in May for 2 months and am wondering about holiday visa. I holidayed in America about 7 years ago and filled out the visa application in the airport. Just wondering if I need to apply again or am I covered with that one? Sorry if I sound naive or if this is a stupid question...

ardmacha

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

http://dublin.usembassy.gov/general/esta.html

coylemj

OP, you need to get ESTA approval, it costs $14. Have your passport and credit card at the ready and hit the first link in the post above. Do not search Google for ESTA, there are sharks with screen scraper websites who will charge you a lot more and do the official procedure in the background, the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) link above is the official website.

ESTA approval is normally immediate, you don't need to write anything down or print the approval, the agent in the airport will input your passport number and see the approval.

anne burnell

yeah ya need a visa as they only last for two years... think you can do it on the aer lingus site...

athtrasna

anne burnell wrote: »

yeah ya need a visa as they only last for two years... think you can do it on the aer lingus site...

It's not a visa it's a visa waiver approval. It still doesn't guarantee entry to the US. OP use the link the previous poster gave you. It does last two years.

The info the airline requests is in addition to the ESTA approval.

anne burnell

semantics... visa ... visa waiver...

coylemj

anne burnell wrote: »

semantics... visa ... visa waiver...

It's not semantics, you can be refused ESTA approval in which case you have to apply for an actual visa.

For someone who claims that you can apply for a US visa through the Aer Lingus website, you have a neck to be criticizing others on this subject.

ProudDUB

coylemj wrote: »

It's not semantics, you can be refused ESTA approval in which case you have to apply for an actual visa.

Agree 100%. If you have your ESTA waiver application turned down, or you input incorrect information on it, or you have any significant brushes with the law in your history, or you input that you are going for a 3 month non working holiday, but you show insufficient funds on D Day to support yourself, there is a very real chance that you will be denied entry by the US Immigration powers that be. You'll find out the hard way then, the very, very real difference between an actual visa and the visa waiver program.

anne burnell

ya can apply for ESTA approval on the aer lingus site... if you go to travel services and click on visa/passports, it will bring you to the ESTA site.......

steve-o

Ya can apply for ESTA approval on Google, and even on Boards, at post #2 above! :rolleyes:

okiss

Do the esta visa as soon as you book your flight.
I know someone who forgot to do this. They did it in the airport but could not fly the day there flight was booked and had to wait for the following day.
It is easy to forget this but you don't want to find yourself in the airport and not being able to go on your holiday.
Also just be aware that the Us security people have the power to stop you entering the Us.
If your going out for 2 months bring prof of your funds or a letter from your employer saying that you are returning to your place of employment on such a date.
Do not be tempted to overstay on the esta visa as you will have problems getting into the Us at a later date. Make sure that you have a good travel insurance policy going to the USA as medical costs can be very high.

rockonollie

anne burnell wrote: »

semantics... visa ... visa waiver...

Semantics???......it's two totally different things.......

Visa = A travel document that allows you entry to a country for a specific purpose.

Visa waiver = a system that allows you enter a country without having a visa

athtrasna

okiss wrote: »

Do the esta visa as soon as you book your flight.

FYP

Depending on how likely you are to re-visit the US in the next few years I would leave it some time but set a reminder for a month before travel to do this. The fee is small but you might as well try to maximise the value from the ESTA.

coylemj

athtrasna wrote: »

FYP

Depending on how likely you are to re-visit the US in the next few years I would leave it some time but set a reminder for a month before travel to do this. The fee is small but you might as well try to maximise the value from the ESTA.

+1 and note that an ESTA approval lasts for two years or when your passport expires, whichever occurs first so if you're going to renew your passport before travelling to the US, leave the ESTA until you get the new passport.

Which reminds me, you do not need 3 or 6 months remaining validity on your passport when travelling to the US, it can expire on the day you land back in Dublin and there won't be any problem.