View Full Version : What has changed (ESTA and APIS) since 2010?
DisneyPrincess
04-06-2012, 15:10
Hi everyone, finally booked up for our honeymoon next august - our last visit to Florida was 2010.
When booking, the flights, the virgin rep asked if we were aware of the ESTA and APIS etc and we replied yes, as we travelled using these in 2010, though he said that lots has changed regarding these systems since then. So whats changed?
How long in advance do we need to complete the ESTAs and do we use the same site as before?
What has changed regarding APIS?
If someone could help that would be great
Thanks :)
Apart from the fact that ESTA is now compulsory and chargeable, not much. APIS is pretty much the same too.
Use the official website https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/
We just done ours this morning ahead of our trip in 2 weeks time to Cape Coral nothing has changed since the last time except $14
DisneyPrincess
04-06-2012, 18:08
Do we still need to complete the ESTA at least 3 months before travelling? And will the airline still send us the APIS details?
I don't believe there was ever a 3 month requirement.
The airline needs to send the pax data to the DHS 72 hours before departure, so you should make sure you've done it by then.
I'm not sure what you mean by "will the airline still send us the APIS details?". APIS data is usually just filled in on the airline website, again prior to departure.
Both these need to be completed, transmitted and approved by the DHS or the airline cannot issue a boarding card.
steph_goodrum
04-06-2012, 20:28
I just completed ouur new Estas today and there is no change in the form , just the payment now. Filled in our APis info on the Virgin website. If you haven't joined the Virgin Flying club then it's worth signin upfor themiles. They store most of your details on ther. I just had to put in our new passport numbers and address where we would be staying first night.
DisneyPrincess
05-06-2012, 21:18
Thanks everyone. It was monarch who told us previously the esta needed I be completed 12 weeks before hand. We did question this previously in the context of last minute bookings
Thanks for the reassurance everyone
steph_goodrum
06-06-2012, 05:54
One thing I did notice when doing ours was that , as I did it immediately after doing or APIS on the Virgin website I used a link from their but they also have another link to their "partner Visa service" who will complete them for you at a cost of £16 each on top of the $14 charge per person. Since it is such a simple form and you have to give them the answers anyway, it seems a bit steep to me but I guess some people may be intimidated and prefer to get a "professional" to fill in the form.
Dads_Taxi
06-06-2012, 17:37
Monarch will send you an email with a link to fill in the APIS info, several weeks before you fly. You need your booking reference number when you go the the site.
LittleRabbits
07-06-2012, 09:47
The only other difference I noticed with the ESTA is that now you are usually approved at the time of payment - I'm sure when I used it previously, you had to take a note of the number and check back later to make sure everything was ok.
DisneyPrincess
23-06-2012, 13:00
Thank you all. We're flying with Virgin so im assuming they will send us APIS to complete before we fly then? And how long before do we do ESTAs?
I did my esta only about 8days before we travelled and it was appproved straight away.
This may be a foolish question but on the virgin website the options for reason for travel are staying in the US or fly drive customer we will be staying in the US for two weeks but also are fly drive passengers cant tick both so which one should I tick ? I think when I did it before I ticked fly drive but cant remember. Thanks
Kym, go fly-drive option - you will be fine.
Thanks Carol I'm not sure why I get so nervous when I'm filling out these forms lol
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ that is the link to the official US government site which charges $14 rather than using one of the other sites which make and additional administration charge. It is now possible to complete all the Esta's for the group and make one payment at the end whereas when they first came out you had to pay individually. Think it is 72 hours before flying that an ESTA needs to be approved.