Are you in a panic about traveling post Brexit? There has been so much misinformation surrounding it, which is causing terrible uncertainty and unnecessary upset. Even the leave date of March 29th is still up in the air.
Passport questions and travel in general have been very hot topics on our Facebook page. If your passport is set to expire at any point this year it is probably a good idea to start your renewal application now. You can actually do it up to nine months before your current one ends and they then add the extra time on to your new passport. For those of you who are unsure, visit this useful web page that British Consulate shared with us, www.passport.service.gov.uk/check-a-passport
You just need to answer a few simple questions and it will then either tell you that you are fine, or that you need to renew.
Have you got friends or family coming for a visit this summer? Then tell them it is worth completing the ESTA application well in advance and wait for the approval before they book their tickets. The ESTA is a visa waiver program that is offered to tourists from select countries, including Britain/ Europe, Australia and New Zealand. You can check on the US government website to see the full list of countries that are eligible. Most people leave this until the very last minute, but I really wouldn’t recommend this. In the last month we have had at least two reports of denials from our members. In one case it was because the applicant mentioned they suffered from anxiety and were informed that they would need to go for an interview at the US Embassy in London. So don’t just take the ESTA approval for granted as it isn’t necessarily a done deal. They last for 2 years (as long as your passport has two years left on it), and costs $14, so if you know anyone planning a trip tell them to get on it ASAP.
Many US citizens have contacted us worrying, as they were incorrectly informed (mainly on social media!) that they would now need to apply for visas to visit Britain. The current official advice from the British Government website is that you will not need a visa and can stay in the UK for up to 6 months as a tourist. But you will need to provide a few documents at your port of entry so visit www.gov.uk and then enter ‘USA’ in their search box for full details.
Have you applied for fast track service ‘Global Entry’ yet? I haven’t gotten around to it, but I hear it really does speed up the airport queues. The recent government shutdown created a large backlog of pending applications. But it appears they are catching up, as I have just checked the LAX appointment calendar and it looks like they have a ton of openings over the next month or so. It does cost $100 but lasts five years. Check with your credit card company as I think a few of them offer a refund to cover the fee if you use their card when paying for it.
If you are a US citizen you might be interested in the free Mobile Passport app that the government now offer to help expedite your international arrival. You can currently only use it to enter certain airports/cruise ports in the USA, but it does work at LAX.
I just downloaded the app and it seems very straightforward. I uploaded my US passport which is apparently stored encrypted….and also had to submit a current photo. The only annoying thing I noticed was that you can’t submit your trip details in advance, as Custom Border Protection will send you a digital (QR) code receipt after they have reviewed your submission, which expires after four hours. Although, these days most planes have WiFi so I guess you could do it in the air. Other reviewers said the CBP response is pretty fast and report that you can still use the designated fast Mobile Passport lane even if your confirmation hasn’t come though yet. Some users mentioned that it gets you through the airport even faster than the Global Entry line! Have any of you tried it out yet? If so we would love to hear your thoughts. You can email us at info@britsin.la
I am planning a trip to the UK next month so I will let you know how I get on with it.
I will post all these links on our website too, so visit www.britsin.la if you need to look one up. And don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions that need answering. That is also where you will find our upcoming events listed, including our weekly Breakfast Club and Pub Quiz.
I know a lot of you get apprehensive about coming along alone, but please put your shyness to one side as I promise we are a very welcoming bunch.
Lastly, this is your final reminder to remember Mothers Day in the UK , Sunday March 31st. If you have left it too late to send a card you should check out moonpig.com They send cards locally and help you personalize them online . If you are sending flowers try calling a florist that is local to your destination, as it is often much cheaper and a far better service.
Cheers!
Eileen
