I Do I need an ESTA to travel to New York?
In order to be able to enter the USA, you need an electronic entry permit, the so-called ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation). You must apply for and have the ESTA approved online before you leave for New York. ESTA is part of the security measures in the USA and applies to everyone who enters the country with the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Under the VWP, most Europeans with a valid passport can visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa. An ESTA should be applied for at least three days before you travel to New York. I How do I apply for an ESTA? An ESTA is easily applied for online. You can find out exactly how to apply for an ESTA in my article > Applying for an ESTA for NYC < in which I explain the application step by step. An ESTA application costs $21 and can only be paid for with a credit card. There are a few sites online where you can apply for an ESTA, but most cost more than the official $21 to apply. These sites then simply forward your ESTA to the official site for you. But they advertise that you can submit an error-free ESTA. It happens from time to time that people submit the ESTA incorrectly and are then rejected. I don't recommend such a site as they charge significant mark-ups. If you follow my instructions for the ESTA application, you won't make any mistakes. The official ESTA page: esta.cbp.dhs.gov You will usually receive the entry permit in a few minutes, but sometimes it can take a little longer. I advise you to apply as early as possible to avoid possible problems. Also make sure that your fellow travelers apply for an ESTA. Babies must also apply for an ESTA, even if they do not have their own flight ticket. There are different states you can get when applying for an ESTA. Authorization Approved means that your ESTA is approved and you are allowed to enter the country. Travel Not Authorized, on the other hand, means that you have not been granted entry permission. The best thing you can do in this case is to contact the US Embassy or Consulate to clarify the situation and apply for a visa. Authorization Pending indicates that the decision is still pending and you should check again at a later date whether your ESTA application has been approved or rejected. The ESTA is valid for two years after approval and can be accessed at any time on the official website. If you fly to the USA again within the two years, you do not have to apply for or fill out the ESTA again (just change certain information if necessary). If your passport expires within the two years and you should get a new one, you will have to apply for a new ESTA and pay the $21 again. I How long does my passport have to be valid? If you come from Germany, Austria or Switzerland, your passport must be valid up to and including the day on which you want to leave the USA again. However, I recommend a longer passport validity for unexpected situations, for example you get sick and stay longer in the USA or you miss the return flight. All travelers need their own travel document (including babies and children) I Do I need any other documents? No other document is required in addition to the ESTA. During the flight, the flight attendants will give you a customs form. You should fill this out and show it to the customs officer if asked. Incidentally, families with the same surname only need to fill out one customs form for the whole family. I Overview of Applying for a USA ESTA ESTA is not a visaApproved ESTA applications are valid for two years or until passport expires (whichever comes first)Valid for a maximum stay of 90 days at a timeAny number of staysValid for a total of 2 yearsFor tourism or business purposes