I have just seen that they are going to start charging us £9 (US$14) to apply and pay to enter the country as from next month, this has to be done min 72hrs before you fly. The authorisation once you have been granted permission lasts 2yrs. I have done it now as for the next few weeks its free as I love the USA and plan to go back soon..
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100807/tuk-charge-for-permission-to-enter-us-6323e80.html

Here is the direct link to the page
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_c55FE6264-1CDC-67C3-5F56-3B85AE149420_kB38E5087-59C2-878E-76DF-07FC2AF8C177

Yep likely to be January, flying with Inka.

Thanks, we are going in April.

thanks suejaw, hadn't heard anything about it and passed this to my son and his friends to save them some pennies. Hopefully they'll let me in for nothing on a US passport, but the way things are going I'm not betting on it :)

> US passport

You have one?? I'm guessing you are American then? Very jealous that you're in possession on one.. Oh to have one myself :-D

yes, born here so a dual national which means they both give me a hard time :)

Bumping this up

2 days left to apply for it.
I wanted to check my status to see if I had been accepted, the only way was with my application number which I never wrote down - If you don't write it down you have to re-apply again. They don't send you an email with it on either.

Just thought you'd maybe interested as it closes on 8th September 2010..

When I applied for ours, I printed out the pages and have them folded in the passports as they will be valid for two years.

My printer wasn't working at the time and I thought i'd of heard whether or not i've been accepted or not. Oh well will make sure I complete it again when I get home and print off the pages...

> I thought i'd of heard whether or not i've been accepted or not

It tells you straight away if you've been accepted.
it is best to print off as soon as you have been accepted as if you don't ( like me ) when you go back on to check your application all you get to print out is your application number and when it expires , so i had to write our names on the print outs so i knew which was which !

Also , if your passport expires within the next 2 years you will have to apply again and pay - mine expires next Summer , just my luck !

> It tells you straight away if you've been accepted.
>

I must of been then as it gave me a number and there was nothing to say it was refused.. Silly me really for doing it all so quickly and not paying much attention other than to do the "click here" next button

Thanks just printed mine off.