Esta visa timeframe

mahoney_j

I’m travelling to Vegas Sunday ,just applied for esta visa this morning how long typically dose approval take .flying from Shannon Sunday am ....

coylemj

They've stopped giving instant approval but you should get it in a day or so. They recommend to apply 'no later than 72 hours' before you travel so you'll be fine.

Pedantic correction: ESTA is not a visa, it simply permits you to present yourself at a point of entry, in your case the pre-clearance facility in Shannon. If the agent approves you to enter the US, a 90 day travel permit will be stamped in your passport.

Bummer1234

mahoney_j wrote: »

I’m travelling to Vegas Sunday ,just applied for esta visa this morning how long typically dose approval take .flying from Shannon Sunday am ....

Usually next day or so i found back in april.

mahoney_j

Cheers folks traveling Sunday am so fingers x I should be ok worst case if by say sat afternoon I hear nothing what should I do ive tried American embassy could talk to no one and tried with no success to contact someone with airline

Del2005

mahoney_j wrote: »

Cheers folks traveling Sunday am so fingers x I should be ok worst case if by say sat afternoon I hear nothing what should I do ive tried American embassy could talk to no one and tried with no success to contact someone with airline

If you hear nothing you stay at home. You won't get an appointment for a visa before Sunday morning.

coylemj

mahoney_j wrote: »

Cheers folks traveling Sunday am so fingers x I should be ok worst case if by say sat afternoon I hear nothing what should I do ive tried American embassy could talk to no one and tried with no success to contact someone with airline

If you're going into such a panic and ringing the embassy and the airline, why did you leave it so late to apply for the ESTA?

What assistance or advice were you expecting from the airline? They can't help you.

mahoney_j

coylemj wrote: »

If you're going into such a panic and ringing the embassy and the airline, why did you leave it so late to apply for the ESTA?

What assistance or advice were you expecting from the airline? They can't help you.

Simple last time I did it I got instant approval not getting into panic covering bases anyway it’s sorted .thought airline might point me somewhere

coylemj

mahoney_j wrote: »

Simple last time I did it I got instant approval ......

There is a red banner across the top of the first ESTA page which says the following....

REMINDER: Apply for ESTA no later than 72 hours before departing for the United States. Real-time approvals will no longer be available and arriving at the airport without a previously approved ESTA will likely result in being denied boarding.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

SusieBlue

I applied for one in August late in the evening and had it approval by the following lunchtime so you should be ok.

ReturningForY

Any update mahoney_j? Like SusieBlue, I think it's likely you'll be fine.


This is a good lesson to learn though, in case you ever move to a foreign country, and a lot of people have to learn it a much harder way. Never take your visa status for granted - when visiting/studying/working in a foreign country it should be one of the first things you think of, not the last. Coming from Ireland we tend to be complacent about it because we have such a sweet deal with the European Freedom of Movement.

Reading the UK news lately you see a lot of EU nationals there are struggling with this. They've been living in the UK for more than a decade, and in trying to navigate the EU settlement scheme have given it about as much thought as what they'll have for dinner that night. This has lead to bizarre stories of people "accidentally" not getting permanent resident status because they clicked the "wrong button" on an Andriod app.