ESTA: what you need to know to enter the United States
a traveling truth : despite its role as entrance key to other countries , not all passports are created equal. The nationality of the document defines what papers, processes and payments the traveler needs to access a certain country. In the case of Spain, we have no right to complain: 170 countries allow us to enter without any type of visa – and in the case of the United States (and Australia, for that matter), with a digital entry permit: the famous ESTA.
For the uninitiated, the IS (Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or Electronic System for Travel Authorization) is a document that allows Travelers with passports from countries that do not need a visa to enter the United States as a tourist, among which is Spain (in Latin America, only Chili is on the list).
In principle, its operation is simple. It is requested online with a minimum of 72 hours before traveling (although exceptions are contemplated for emergencies), it costs 14 dollars (13.20 euros at the current exchange rate) and replaces the old immigration green card that used to hit planes before landing (take a pen on the flight anyway: the customs form is still mandatory ) .
However, let us not trust ourselves: as is the case with many laws in the United States, especially with regard to immigration, the small print of the ESTA hides some script twists . Some are mere curiosities, but others can definitely affect your trip – don't be caught off guard.
1. IT LASTS TWO YEARS... EXCEPT IF YOUR PASSPORT IS GOING TO EXPIRE
As a general rule, the ESTA allows you to enter the United States to stays of 90 days maximum for two years counting from the day you request it. Put in context: if you apply for the ESTA on April 10, 2017, the authorization will be valid until April 10, 2019 – even if it took a couple of days to be approved.
The exeption: If your passport expires before those two years, the ESTA will be valid until that same day. You can stay in the United States until the end (as long as your stay does not exceed 90 days in total): Spanish passports, as well as many others, do not need to have an extra six months after leaving the United States.
two. IF IT EXPIRES WHILE YOU ARE IN THE UNITED STATES (IN THEORY) NOTHING HAPPENS
Following the previous point, to enter the United States Your passport must be valid throughout your trip. Come on, they won't let you in if it expires one day before your departure flight.
On the other hand, the ESTA rules allow entry to the United States even if the ESTA expires before departure , as long as the passport is still valid. However, to make sure you don't run into problems at customs (or even before checking in at the departure airport, as many airlines make sure their passengers have everything in order to board the plane), we recommend that your ESTA be valid for the duration of your stay.
Remember to have ESTA does not guarantee entry into the United States : the final decision rests with the customs agent who attends you upon arrival.
Remember that having the ESTA does not guarantee entry into the United States
3. IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN CERTAIN COUNTRIES YOU CANNOT APPLY
The nationality of the passport is not everything: the United States can deny the ESTA to citizens of countries that do not need a tourist visa but who have been in certain countries.
If this reminds you of the ban on entry to the United States for travelers from various countries of middle East You are not completely off track. Although this ESTA restriction dates back to 2015 (long before Trump even smelled the White House), it draws from the same principles and focuses on the same region of the world.
That is to say: if, even if you have a valid passport for the ESTA, you have been in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen As of March 1, 2011 (included), the ESTA will not be approved.
The only exception is if the trip to any of these countries was for military or government reasons , in which case you can travel with ESTA but you will have to justify the reason for the stay. If the trip was for any other purpose, including humanitarian or journalistic , your only option is to request a tourist visa at a US embassy or consulate.
Four. IF YOU ENTER BY LAND FROM MEXICO OR CANADA YOU DO NOT NEED IT
ESTA is required for all travel to the United States by air or sea, but not by land: if your travel itinerary first takes you to Mexico or Canada and you plan to enter the North American neighbor through a land border, you do not need it. Of course, there you will have to fill out green card I-94W , as was done on airplanes before the existence of ESTA.
You will pass yes or yes through Immigration
5. YOU NEED IT EVEN IF YOU GO IN TRANSIT
As we said above, the ESTA is mandatory for all trips to the United States by air or sea, even if your intention is not to leave the airport: travelers in transit need to have it in force.
The reason: to transfer planes in the United States you have to go through immigration , collect baggage and check in again (sometimes from scratch, sometimes at a different counter) – even if the connecting flight is international.
6. YOU NEED TO LEAVE NORTH AMERICA TO REACTIVATE IT
Here is one of the most complicated ESTA requirements: if you enter the United States with her, leave the country, and then want to return after four months, entry will only be allowed if you have left North America.
Practical example: Let's say you arrive in Miami on a layover to Mexico, intending to be in Mexico for four and a half months, and then spend two weeks in Miami before returning to Spain. Well hold on, because when you return to Miami you would not be allowed to enter: as Mexico borders the United States, the 90-day stay permit continues to run even if you are outside of US soil. If you want to return to the United States directly from Mexico, you must do so within 90 days or see your entry to the United States denied.
Complicated? Wait, there is more. Continuing with the example above, if you want to continue with your plans, and return to the United States, you must leave North America entirely: either cross the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean, or go to South America. Namely, you could escape to Colombia for ten days in the middle of your stay in Mexico, and thus ensure entry back to Miami . If your head is spinning, believe us you are not the only one.
This rule also applies to Caribbean islands and Canada , and it is a requirement that can hold up the trip before it begins (the airline to the United States could deny you access to the flight) . So if, to give another alternative example, you planned a trip through the United States and Canada, flying to Chicago, spending four months in Canada and then returning to Spain from Chicago, you would find yourself in the same situation.
7. YOU WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION ANYWAY
Do you already have the ESTA? Don't rub your hands just yet, thinking you're going to get out of the immigration queue. Unfortunately it will not be like this: In the United States, everyone has to go through immigration..
With ESTA, the passport control process is slightly different. Instead of going straight to the (often) endless queue, you must first go to the marked section “US Citizens/Canada Citizens/ESTA ” and enter your data in one of the self-service machines. In exchange, the system will give you a voucher with your photo and the information entered. Don't be scared when you see the paper marked with an X, and notice that other people's is not marked: the X means that you enter with ESTA (Those who have a voucher without X are citizens or residents of the United States).
And now, patience: you will have to queue with other ESTA visitors, and possibly US and Canadian citizens (in some airports they separate us, but not in all) . The good thing is that, once you reach the window and present your passport and voucher to the agent, everything will be faster. A photo, fingerprints, and (if there is no problem, which there shouldn't be) ahead.
8. YOU NEED ONE PER PERSON TRAVELING - INCLUDING BABIES
If you are traveling in a group or as a family, pay attention: the ESTA is personal, and each member of the family needs one. Yes, this includes babies, who although they can fly in the arms of their parents, are not included in the form. What's more: to enter the United States, babies need their own passport.
Of course, the electronic system allows you to request and pay multiple ESTAS at the same time. Keep this in mind if you travel in a group, lest some clueless person get into a big mess at customs.
9. IF YOU ARE REJECTED (PROBABLY) YOU CAN ASK FOR IT ONE MORE TIME
You haven't been approved for ESTA… Well, come on. It could be for several reasons, since you have entered your data wrong (passport number can be a bit treacherous) until you've been to a country that the United States considers problematic.
Whatever the reason, all is not lost yet. If when reviewing your application you realize that you have put your personal information wrong, do not despair. After ten days you can start the process again and, if everything is fine, get the travel permit.
On the other hand, if the reasons why your ESTA has been denied are more complicated, and cannot be resolved in less than ten days, you will have no choice but to apply for a tourist visa at the nearest US embassy or consulate . Arm yourself with patience, because this process can be long.
And remember: if they don't let you pass, go to the embassy or consulate