Planning Your Trip - Passports, ESTAs, and Visas

It's not the most exciting part of your holiday but unlike Han Solo you can't just blast your way out of a spaceport so this guide is a quick overview of the passports, ESTAs, and visas that are essential for international fans.

Passports

The simple rule of thumb is that your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after your visit to America.

There are some countries that are exempt from this rule, where your passport only needs to be valid until your date of departure. The UK is one of these, but even here most travel agents will still advise you to have the six months. Better to be safe and make sure you have it.

ESTAs

Entry to the USA normally requires a visa but citizens/eligible nationals from 38 countries are eligible for a visa waiver under the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) system.

If you are eligible to travel under an ESTA then PLEASE USE THE OFFICIAL SITE. It costs $14 per person. There are so many sites out there that will charge you up to $80 (sometimes more!) to do the ESTA on your behalf when it's a very simple form to complete.

ESTAs are valid for 2 years (or until your passport expires) so if you already have one, check the date and you might be good to go. And make sure you do check! I nearly missed the deadline once because I assumed my old one was still in date!

You must complete your ESTA at least 72 hours before you are due to board your flight. Once you have submitted your ESTA you will get a result within 20 minutes.

So why do it now? Unless you're planning to go back to America between February 2022 and August 2022 there's no reason not to do it now (unless your passport needs renewing in which case do that first). The real reason to do it sooner than later is because if your request is rejected then you will need to apply for a visa.

Visas

If you are not eligible to travel under the ESTA program then you will need to apply for a visa, usually at the US Embassy in your country. You will be required to complete a nonimmigrant visa request form, attend an in person interview, and provide requested documents. The cost (at least from the UK) is $160.

The whole process could take anything from a couple of days to several months. A few weeks to a couple of months seems to be normal, but there are examples of 3 or even 6 month waits for approval. So if you need a visa, make sure you apply now.

Covid Vaccination & Testing Requirements

The US currently requires all non-citizens to have had the primary series of an FDA approved or WHO emergency use listed Covid-19 vaccination. In addition to proof of vaccination all non-citizens must also provide proof of negative test taken no more than 1 day before travel. These test can be either PCR or antigen. If you have previously tested positive for Covid-19 and are within your 90 recovery period you can provide a letter of recovery from a health care professional in place of a negative test.

For full guidance see the CDC website.

Like I said at the start, it's not an exciting topic but it's one that's essential for your trip if you're coming from abroad. Obviously this is just a very brief overview, so make sure you check the exact requirements for your country.

Safe travels everyone.