cered Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Just a quick question, next year I'm traveling to Texas, US to visit some friends. Does anyone know what's required for this? As far as I can tell all I need to do is apply for the VWP via the ESTA system online. Is anything else needed or do I just need approval from ESTA and then proceed to book flights etc? (UK citizen, born UK, no criminal records or any fuss & nonsense) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus GTE Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 I've read that it's important to have a passport with an electronic chip in it. I think if you have that and do the normal ESTA form you'll be ok but check. Seen folk getting refused boarding for not having the passport with the chip- as they changed reecently it and nobody really knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
far Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 ESTA online mate, job done, you get an email notification to say 'its all good' - you can get it a week before you travel but I would advise doing it sooner incase you are on the al Qaeda black list or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
far Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 I've read that it's important to have a passport with an electronic chip in it. I think if you have that and do the normal ESTA form you'll be ok but check. Seen folk getting refused boarding for not having the passport with the chip- as they changed reecently it and nobody really knows. never heard this before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 How old is your passport? If your photo and details are at the front, you are fine. Otherwise you would need to renew for the newer type as stated above. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cered Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 Yeah I think while Googling about UK>US holiday travel and they say a e-passport "chipped passport" is required or something which I have Applying now as it seems to be good for two years and i'm going in 2017 so may as well get it out of the way! Thanks for the confirmation all - - - Updated - - - How old is your passport? If your photo and details are at the front, you are fine. Otherwise you would need to renew for the newer type as stated above. H. It's 2008 issued, but my picture & details and the chip thing are at the back, not the front? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Yeah I think while Googling about UK>US holiday travel and they say a e-passport "chipped passport" is required or something which I have Applying now as it seems to be good for two years and i'm going in 2017 so may as well get it out of the way! Thanks for the confirmation all - - - Updated - - - It's 2008 issued, but my picture & details and the chip thing are at the back, not the front? You will need to renew then from what I can gather. We go to New York on Friday but mine needed renewing anyway as it was 2005 - 2015 I have heard of people being turned away if they do not have the new style passport. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cered Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 You will need to renew then from what I can gather. We go to New York on Friday but mine needed renewing anyway as it was 2005 - 2015 I have heard of people being turned away if they do not have the new style passport. H. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e3s1# What are the passport requirements for travel under the Visa Waiver Program? Visa Waiver Program requirements are: The passport must have a machine-readable zone on the biographic page. The passport must be an electronic passport with a digital chip containing biometric information about the passport owner. What I can find, hope i dont have to spend £80 just to meet a minute requirement -_- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e3s1# What are the passport requirements for travel under the Visa Waiver Program? Visa Waiver Program requirements are: The passport must have a machine-readable zone on the biographic page. The passport must be an electronic passport with a digital chip containing biometric information about the passport owner. What I can find, hope i dont have to spend £80 just to meet a minute requirement -_- The 2008 ones are not machine readable and that is the issue. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cered Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 Damnit, well that's £80 I was saving for Supra food gone -_- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
far Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e3s1# What are the passport requirements for travel under the Visa Waiver Program? Visa Waiver Program requirements are: The passport must have a machine-readable zone on the biographic page. The passport must be an electronic passport with a digital chip containing biometric information about the passport owner. What I can find, hope i dont have to spend £80 just to meet a minute requirement -_- shit i must have missed that, i dont even know if my PP is chipped or not! I guess it must be as they let me in (after being held in the 'random check' bay like everytime i go to the US!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delboy52 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Think it's closer to £90 for a new e-passport and a few pints for the folks above that saved you a wasted trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitch79 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 My passport was issued in 2007, had it scanned in America on 5 different holidays since, it was 2006 they started issuing chipped passports, if it has the camera looking thing under the word passport on the front, it's chipped. And should be fine. (In mine u can also see the chip on the back of the photo page) [ATTACH]211729[/ATTACH] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evinX Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 I travelled to California last year on my old style passport thats now expired, just applied for my ESTA, got my confirmation, and done the flights. Normal travelling, just prestened my ESTA form but they already had it on their computer. All was fine. Once approved nothing to worry about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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