Travel to the USA

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#567674 12-Jan-2012 00:11

networkn: I won't have time to get a new passport and Visa. If I require a new passport and Visa I am unable to travel in time.

In the first post you said you have 2 weeks, the express service for a new passport is 3 working days. Even the non express service which states upto 10 working days is usually 3-5.

Also you don't need a visa just the ESTA which you can fill out online and print out.

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#567675 12-Jan-2012 00:12

An ESTA takes five minutes or less to get online. You do it yourself. It takes longer to have the credit card payment approved than filling the form.

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#567676 12-Jan-2012 00:12

Ragnor: Also you don't need a visa just the ESTA which you can fill out online and print out.

You don't even need to print out. You don't need anything, since it's all automatic.

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#567677 12-Jan-2012 00:14

I like to print out travel docs just in case.

knoydart

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#567690 12-Jan-2012 06:49

freitasm: From http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#travelertype

Note New Zealand is included in the "country-specific agreements" with the automatic six month extension to the passport after expiration, but who knows how this actually works..

This does work as my Flatmate is in the States right now, on a NZ passport which expires I think in April.

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#567694 12-Jan-2012 07:30

A couple of years ago when I was traveling to the USA some friends of mine were due to fly out to Samoa - both had current passports - both were due to expire a couple of months from the flight dates - the hassle was at the NZ end - in order to LEAVE NZ (not arrive in the USA) you have to have at least 6 months left on your passport. (they eventually were allowed to leave NZ after a number of phone calls to the appropriate authorities in Samoa)

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#567697 12-Jan-2012 07:49

Ragnor: I like to print out travel docs just in case.

Same here. The ESTA site said "you don't need to print this" but I printed it anyway. When I got to the airport the guy saw that I was heading to the US and asked me for my ESTA number.

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#567700 12-Jan-2012 07:57

You are not clear in your first post when you would need to leave. You say

I may need to go to the US in the next 2 weeks for 8 days urgently.

So any time in the next two week or in two weeks for 8 days? It it is in two weeks you have plenty of time to get your passport renewed. Even if less then that as has been stated you can get it done more quickly then the stated up to 10 days by paying the urgent fee.
I have done a lot of travel with work and I would not dream of traveling overseas on a passport that is about to expire. Regardless of possible exceptions get it renewed now. The US is not a place you want to have any kind of passport issues.

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#567834 12-Jan-2012 12:06

Well that was hard work. I called 4 organizations in the USA (Can't reach a person unless it's an emergency, tried the American Consulate in Auckland and Wellington (Same deal only emergency response by real humans) and then I started calling NZ Organizations. FINALLY spoke to someone at Immigration in NZ about passports and she said she can't speak for the US Govt but the documentation she has (Same as posted by me above and referenced multiple times) indicates I am fine to travel with an unexpired passport, and since my etsa is valid travelling should be fine. She said she would travel. Seems like there are others here doing the same thing so it should be ok I think. The timing isn't ideal for getting a replacement. Passport can be gotten within 3 days, but if I got everything organized today and sent today it wouldn't arrive till Monday at the earliest. 3 working days and return freight and then ETSA again on the new passport (Which officially CAN take 3 days), means that for Travel next Sunday, it's pretty tight.

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#567854 12-Jan-2012 12:35

Do yourself a favour.. photocopy everything (ETSA/passport copy/flight schedule/hotel bookings/the reason you are travelling).. staple them together. Keep a copy ready for officials and one tucked in your case somewhere. Hope it all goes well for you.

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#567860 12-Jan-2012 12:41

SandyJ: Do yourself a favour.. photocopy everything (ETSA/passport copy/flight schedule/hotel bookings/the reason you are travelling).. staple them together. Keep a copy ready for officials and one tucked in your case somewhere. Hope it all goes well for you.

So last century.
Scan it and plonk it in a dropbox.

:)

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#567864 12-Jan-2012 12:48

So last century.
Scan it and plonk it in a dropbox.

:)

We are talking US customs and immigration.....photocopy it. ;)
By all means scan it, but they will want to 'see' it in hard copy, right then and right there.

networkn

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#567867 12-Jan-2012 12:52

Don't worry I ALWAYS keep a paper trail. :)

Thanks for the advice.

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#567868 12-Jan-2012 12:53

trig42:
SandyJ: Do yourself a favour.. photocopy everything (ETSA/passport copy/flight schedule/hotel bookings/the reason you are travelling).. staple them together. Keep a copy ready for officials and one tucked in your case somewhere. Hope it all goes well for you.

So last century.
Scan it and plonk it in a dropbox.

:)

Yes last century but also practical.

Sitting at passport control you can't ask them to borrow their computer to download the visa you scanned in the night before. They will be laughing the whole way to the next plane back.

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#568089 12-Jan-2012 19:45

I've been to the USA recently with less than six months passport remaining and had no problems at either end (went through Air NZ premium check-in and customs in Auckland).

Agree with the other suggestions to have your return flight booked and docs available for US customs in case they push on the where/what/how long questions.

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