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passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 19:15
by neilmorris
Hi all.
I am going to las vegas in April,we return on the 17th
My passport runs out on the 8th October which is a few days short of 6 months,I have read that the united states do not require 6 month after the date of return but i can't find where I read it ii) . Has anyone had any experance with this that may help, as my wife wants me to get new passports now ,but if we do i will have to get a new esta as we will have differant passport numbers ........any advice please
cheers
neil

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 20:07
by jodash
This is something that comes up a lot,you do not need 6 months left on your PP,as long as your PP is valid for the duration of your stay in the US,It's the TA's who sometimes insist on it


http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-liv ... ments&pg=4

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 20:15
by pjh
Curses. Had I known this I might not have been quite as quick to renew our passports. Oh well, the ESTA needed renewing anyhow. And both our passports were back within 7 calendar days, which included the New Year holiday.

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 20:20
by cagcowboy
Sorry, "TA's"?

Travel Agents? Or someone/something else?

Probably being stupid....

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 20:22
by Hev60
I applied for my last passport in January 2006 over six months earlier than necessary because I was going to the US three times before it was due to run out.

When they sent the new one it had an expiration date of October 2016, so they did 10years + the extra months. Result y) so I never lost any months by applying earlier.

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 20:52
by Derby Flyer
Just a quick note. I understand that you need a new ETSA approval if you change your passport, and you ETSA was approved on your old passport.

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 21:18
by jodash
cagcowboy wrote:Sorry, "TA's"?

Travel Agents? Or someone/something else?

Probably being stupid....


Yes travel agents

Sorry

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 21:24
by neilmorris
yes we have esta on our current passport as we went to orlando last december and april and the esta lasts for 2 years

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 21:29
by tontybear
Derby Flyer wrote:Just a quick note. I understand that you need a new ETSA approval if you change your passport, and you ETSA was approved on your old passport.



Correct - change your passport and you need a new ESTA.

You can apply for a new passport before your old one expires they will credit the remaining period onto your new one (up to a maximum of 9 months though)

As to the '6 month rule' - no longer necessary for the US as as stated above as long as your passport covers your trip it will be OK.

But if the validity is less that the 90 days of the usual WT visa then that date is reduced to the expiry date.

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 21:39
by cagcowboy
Just a quick note. I understand that you need a new ETSA approval if you change your passport, and you ETSA was approved on your old passport.


Hugely helpful, thank you. y)

Re: passports

PostPosted: 16 Jan 2013, 21:47
by neilmorris
thanks everyone
read the link i was given
showed the misses and she can now sleep :D
thanks again

Re: passports

PostPosted: 17 Jan 2013, 07:16
by catsilversword
When did this change? I can't remember where I learned that you needed 6 months either - will probably renew mine in advance early anyway though - while also bearing in mind having to get a new ESTA...

Re: passports

PostPosted: 17 Jan 2013, 07:52
by slinky09
catsilversword wrote:When did this change? I can't remember where I learned that you needed 6 months either - will probably renew mine in advance early anyway though - while also bearing in mind having to get a new ESTA...


I'm not sure it was ever a rule, more advice, I certainly have travelled many times within the six month supposed window to the US.

One place it does apply is with countries who need visas, such as India, where they simply won't issue you a visa if you have less than six months on your passport and that can be an expensive mistake.

Re: passports

PostPosted: 17 Jan 2013, 11:11
by northernhenry
Given its only January, why not just get your passport renewed? You'll have to do it anyway?

Re: passports

PostPosted: 17 Jan 2013, 11:25
by tontybear
I remember that in August/September 2010 there was a flury of early passport renewals just before they introduced the ESTA fee.

Re: passports

PostPosted: 17 Jan 2013, 18:01
by linny40
My son has just done his. I have always been told your passport needs to have at least 6 months on it from your date of return!
as for ESTA bought mine 2 yrs ago in july didnt realsie they had to be paid for as previously they didnt. :( now we fly in September so have to get a new one.This time i will wait until september to get it and not order it now like i did previously - ordered once i booked holiday ( as thats what i was advised at the time)
Also a friend told me he was direct to a site for ESTA and paid £45 for his - apparently it was NOT the ESTA site but some agents site - so he was conned! So people beware before you pruchase and make sure you are on the genuine ESTA site!

Re: passports

PostPosted: 17 Jan 2013, 20:55
by Hev60
linny40 wrote:.....Also a friend told me he was direct to a site for ESTA and paid £45 for his - apparently it was NOT the ESTA site but some agents site - so he was conned! So people beware before you pruchase and make sure you are on the genuine ESTA site!


It is such a shame that when you Goggle 'ESTA' the real offical website .. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ .. is actually four choices down the page.

So many people just hit the first option and as you say get 'conned' v(
So wish Goggle would change their listings around and these 'evil' website wouldn't get the first hit.

Re: passports

PostPosted: 17 Jan 2013, 21:11
by tontybear
The scam ESTA sites predated the decision of the US Congress to charge for the ESTA (which includes a visitor tax of $10) and they charged for providing the exact same service. They came into existance as soon as the ESTA system started.

At one point VS were promoting their own service over the free one and a mini campaign on the VS Facebook page got this changed.

Linny - I wouldn't wait till the last minute to apply just in case you are not approved and need to pay a visit to the Embassy for an interview. Your insurance wouldn't cover you in those circumstances if you missed your holiday ! True for most people it is not an issue to apply close to their travel date (or even at the airport) but that's not a risk I would take!