Entry requirements, vaccines & more...
🛂 1. Entry Requirements (Important!)
The United States has strict entry rules. What you need depends entirely on your passport.
A) Passports Eligible for ESTA (Faster Process)
If you are a citizen of Spain 🇪🇸 or Chile 🇨🇱:
- You must apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization).
- The application is online, costs around $21 USD and is usually approved within 72 hours.[web:30]
- Important: If you have travelled to Cuba recently, your ESTA may be refused and you might need a visa instead.[web:30]
B) Passports That Require a Visa
For most of Latin America (🇦🇷 🇨🇴 🇲🇽 🇵🇪 and others):
- You need a B1/B2 Tourist Visa stamped in your passport.
- This process includes an interview at the US embassy and often takes several months. Do not buy flights until your visa is officially approved.
💵 2. Money: The Cultural Shock
In New York, the price you see is almost never the final price. Be prepared for two key concepts.
| 🏷️ TAX (Sales Tax) In shops and restaurants, the price on the label does not include tax. At checkout, an extra 8.875% is added in New York City.[web:44] |
💸 TIPS (Gratuities)
In the US, tipping is effectively not optional. Many servers depend on tips for their income.
📉 18%: Standard service. 📈 20–22%: Very good service. ❌ 0%: Considered extremely rude. |
🏥 3. Healthcare: Do Not Travel Without Insurance
The healthcare system in the US is private and can be extremely expensive.
- 🚑 An ambulance ride can cost around $1,500 USD.
- 🩺 A simple doctor’s visit for a sore throat may be $200–$300 USD.
- 🦵 A broken leg can easily exceed $15,000 USD.
Travelling without solid medical insurance (with at least $50,000 USD coverage) is a risk you really do not want to take.
Get Travel Insurance With a Discount🔌 4. Electricity: Protect Your Devices
In New York, power sockets use flat pins (Type A/B).
In North America the voltage is 110V (in much of Europe and South America it is 220V).
- ✅ Chargers (phone/laptop): Most are "multivoltage" (110–240V), so they work fine with just a plug adaptor.
- ❌ Hairdryers/straighteners: If your device only says "220V", it will not work properly or may be damaged. Bring a travel model designed for 110V instead.
📱 5. Internet
Public Wi‑Fi in New York is quite good (you will find it in many parks and some subway stations), but for maps and everyday use you will want mobile data.
- Roaming: Check prices with your provider. Unlike within the EU, roaming in the US is almost never included for free.
- eSIM: The easiest option. You can buy an unlimited data eSIM (for example Holafly or Airalo) before you travel and activate it as soon as you land.
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