Doing a last minute trip to the USA query on Security

[dalereardon]

Hi,

I haven't been to the US for a lot of years so I'm not up to date on security and pre flight clearances that you need to get.

I am wanting to do a trip flying Emirates First Class on points around this time next year. EK has excellent last minute availability for F and we are willing to take our chances and not fussed about the precise dates give or take a week or two so should be able to get flights.

The only thing is how close up can you book flights and get your pre clearance done? Or can you get your pre clearance done in advance without a particular flight booked? Or can you pay a fee to expedite things at the last moment?

We would both be travelling on Aussie passports and have no background problems.

Or I guess a solution may be to book a flight I don't really want and get the clearance well in advance and then change flights - can you transfer the security checks over to a new flight?

Thanks for the advice.

Dale.

 

[TomVexille]

I think you can just apply for an ESTA without having booked flights yet.

Edit: Apparently you're supposed to have onward travel booked. I guess I didn't know since I don't need one :shock:

 

[Mark3000]

Just do ESTA online and it lasts for ages. See the official ESTA site for details.
Enjoy F

 

[opusman]

The ESTA is generally issued immediately online, so you don't really need to do it that far in advance - the only danger is if you fail for some reason you would then need to apply for a visa which can not be done in a hurry.

You don't need to have a flight booked to apply, although you do need to provide an address (hotel) in the US this can be anything, and you can update it later with the real address when you actually have something booked.

Once it's issued it's valid for 2 years, so if you're not planning to go to the USA again any time soon you may as well just do it now - one less thing to have to remember!

 

[dalereardon]

Thanks so much.

The info on here is always terrific.

Dale.

 

[CaptJCool]

I'm always amused by the quality question about moral turpitude. Reminds me of turpentine cause I don't know what it means and so couldn't possibly done anything that untoward. Cause of APIS (Advanced Passenger Information Serice) YOU MUST book at least 2 days before you travel as otherwise the airline will refuse to fly you...ESTA's are simple.

Go straight to the Govt website - there are lots of lookalike private website who charge an extra fee.

So use the Govt one. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/.

 

[Himeno]

You don't need to have a flight booked to apply, although you do need to provide an address (hotel) in the US this can be anything, and you can update it later with the real address when you actually have something booked.

No, you don't. While the ESTA form asks for an address in the US, you do not have to provide one. That data is provided via APIS and the CBP customs arrival card.
ESTA is valid for 2 years and for many trips. You do not need to keep updating the address on ESTA for each trip.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Cause of APIS (Advanced Passenger Information Serice) YOU MUST book at least 2 days before you travel as otherwise the airline will refuse to fly you...ESTA's are simple.

Go straight to the Govt website - there are lots of lookalike private website who charge an extra fee.

So use the Govt one. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/.

I haven't heard anything about booking 2 days in advance. You could book 2 hours before a flight if you wanted as long as you have an onward ticket (unless USA or Canadian citizen). Your APIS details are updated when the CSA swipes your passport. Not everyone does this beforehand anyway.

ESTA's are usually instantaneous as it's not uncommon for people to arrive at the airport without having obtained one beforehand despite clutching itineraries issued by the airline telling them they need to obtain one.

I've only ever seen one occasion where someone wasn't able to travel that day (when applying for the ESTA on the day at the airport) which was when the ESTA payment system was down so the application was stuck on pending as the payment couldn't be processed.

 

[RooFlyer]

I haven't heard anything about booking 2 days in advance. You could book 2 hours before a flight if you wanted as long as you have an onward ticket (unless USA or Canadian citizen). Your APIS details are updated when the CSA swipes your passport. Not everyone does this beforehand anyway.

ESTA's are usually instantaneous as it's not uncommon for people to arrive at the airport without having obtained one beforehand despite clutching itineraries issued by the airline telling them they need to obtain one.

I've only ever seen one occasion where someone wasn't able to travel that day (when applying for the ESTA on the day at the airport) which was when the ESTA payment system was down so the application was stuck on pending as the payment couldn't be processed.

Agree that 2 days isn't in the formula.

The last time I applied for a new ESTA (my third or so) it didn't go through straight away, to my consternation. No idea why; identical details to the previous one. It cleared the next day, but I was sweating a bit.

BTW, I don't think the ESTA is what should be called 'pre-clearance'. I think of it as an electronic visa (yes, I know its not an actual visa) and the 'pre-clearance' is done at check-in where the agent checks that you have an ESTA, matches your passport to the booking data and probably some other things required by the US before anyone flies there.

 

[CaptJCool]

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/travel-to-the-usa/global/en

General Terms and Conditions | Qantas Holidays | Qantas Holidays.

Sounds like they dont adhere to the 72 hour period...

 

[Himeno]

Cause of APIS (Advanced Passenger Information Serice) YOU MUST book at least 2 days before you travel as otherwise the airline will refuse to fly you...ESTA's are simple.

There is no requirement for booking a ticket to the US farther in advance then the airline check in close time. Some tickets have requirements to do such, but that is a limit on the ticket type, not a requirement of the US. The only requirement the US has for booking a flight is that the pax have a visa or ESTA before departing, APIS data is filled in and Secure Flight data is entered.
APIS data is finalized and sent to CBP when the flight closes. The pax will be unable to check in without valid visa/ESTA and Secure Flight data.
There is nothing in US requirements that would prevent me from walking up to the QF, UA, VA or DL ticket counter at SYD tomorrow morning and buying a ticket for that days flights to LAX.

 

[coriander]

The last time I applied for a new ESTA (my third or so) it didn't go through straight away, to my consternation. No idea why; identical details to the previous one. It cleared the next day, but I was sweating a bit.

Same here.

Each time our family of five apply/renew our ESTAs, four of us (Dr and Mrs C, #1 son, #3 son) get immediate authorization. The fifth, number two son, who like the rest of us is squeaky clean and was 17 and 20yo at time of application/renewal, is always shown as pending for 48 hours before it changes to "Authorization Approved".

Go figure.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Same here.

Each time our family of five apply/renew our ESTAs, four of us (Dr and Mrs C, #1 son, #3 son) get immediate authorization. The fifth, number two son, who like the rest of us is squeaky clean and was 17 and 20yo at time of application/renewal, is always shown as pending for 48 hours before it changes to "Authorization Approved".

Go figure.

Time for a redress number for son #2? The quote below about redress numbers was found the in link from CaptLLCoolJ's post.

Important Information for Travel to USA | Qantas

*A redress number is a unique number that helps the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to eliminate watch list misidentification. If a passenger has experienced screening difficulties or believes they have been mistakenly matched to a name on a US watch list, they may apply to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for a redress number at www.dhs.gov/trip

 

[coriander]

Time for a redress number for son #2?

Thanks for the link - stored and saved. We're all good for ESTAs till end of 2016, but I'll keep it in mind for him if he wants to travel to US in 2017 or beyond - by then he's 23 and can do his own ESTA !

 

[Sprucegoose]

The ESTA is generally issued immediately online, !

Yes generally but not for everyone !!

 

[serfty]

I'm always amused by the quality question about moral turpitude. ...

"Moral turpitude" is no longer ...

It bit the dust with some changes towards the end of last year.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I had an ESTA take 48 hours - but I applied over a weekend. Frantic googling suggested it would come through on Monday which - rightly or wrongly - provided some comfort. It came through on the Monday US time.

Security clearance is done at the airport, as mentioned above. They passport swipe at check-in sends the info for checking against the no-fly list.