Due to misleading media reports, comments and posts on social networks, there is uncertainty about entering the USA. However, hardly anything has actually changed and entry into the USA is just as unproblematic as it has been in recent years.

Due to the current situation, we have compiled everything you need to know about entering the country – including via the UK and Canada, for example.

ESTA: Nothing changes for most people!
You don’t need to worry – here’s everything you need to know:

★ There has been a change to the ESTA application: Now there is only male or female for the
gender question.
★ Furthermore, all information must be truthful. Anyone who lies about previous convictions or the
or the purpose of their stay must expect to be refused entry.
★ It is also still the case that border officials decide on entry on the spot. Anyone who, for example
If you present yourself drunk, for example, you also risk being refused entry. But this is nothing new either.
★ In addition, you are still not allowed to overstay and cannot stay in the USA for more than
90 days in the USA when traveling with ESTA.
★ Cases like those reported in the media have also always existed – regardless of the party in power.
of the party in power.

Safe and easy: the ESTA app
Download the app and apply for your ESTA easily and securely!
Many travelers already use the app service. Instead of only using the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP, https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/) website as before, since 2023 the ESTA can also be conveniently applied for and managed via the ESTA Mobile app.
The app is available in all 40 countries that can participate in the visa-free entry procedure – for example in the Google Play Store for Android users or in the App Store for iPhone users.

Tip: Shorten waiting times when entering the country with the MPC app
Mobile Passport Control – another app from U.S. Customs and Border Protection
If it hasn’t been that long since your last trip to the USA, you may have noticed the significantly shorter MPC queue in the immigration hall. If you register in advance using this app, you can radio your entry details to the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) officers. You enter your personal details in advance, answer entry questions and as soon as you arrive, you simply upload a photo and submit your registration directly. You will then receive a receipt and a time slot to join the short MPC queue. Voilà! Find out more in the info sheet by following the link!

ETA not always required for the United Kingdom
ETA is not necessarily required for trips to the USA with transit in the UK
German travellers who travel to the USA via the UK and remain in the transit area and do not go through passport control (airside transit) do not require an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). As things currently stand, airside transit at Heathrow Airport, for example, is only possible within Terminal 3 and Terminal 5. The ETA is therefore required for all other terminals and in all cases when changing airports (e.g. from Gatwick to Heathrow). For more information, please follow the link below from the UK authorities or visit these pages from the German Foreign Office.

ETA for Canada also required for transit
A Canadian ETA is required in any case – whether you are only traveling to the country of the maple leaf in transit on your way to the USA or staying longer. There is no app for this yet, but the application is straightforward online, as with the ESTA.

April 2025

The internet platform Retirement Living, a search portal specializing in products and services for retirees, has published its annual list of the “10 Best Cities for Snowbirds in 2025”. To compile the ranking, all US cities with a population of at least 150,000 were compared based on a number of factors from three different categories: Affordability (median rents and home prices), Climate (average temperatures, clear days and humidity levels between November and March), and “Community” (percentage of people 60+ in total population, number of golf courses per capita, rate of violent and property crimes per capita).

The Floridian city of Cape Coral, which is particularly popular with German-speaking vacationers, came out on top in the “Community” category: In addition to having the highest percentage of senior citizens among its residents (32.42 percent), it has the second-highest relative number of golf courses. It is also the city with the second lowest number of violent crimes and the third lowest number of property crimes. In terms of climate, Cape Coral ranks sixth: the average temperature recorded there of around 16.8 degrees is the sixth highest of all the cities surveyed; the proportion of clear days is 64.2 percent (96), putting Cape Coral in seventh place in terms of this factor.
In terms of affordability, however, the city only ranks 27th due to the high demand for real estate: according to News-Press, the median rent there is currently $2,200 and the median home sale price is over $300,000.
Nevertheless, Cape Coral is still the most affordable Floridian city in the top 10.

March 2025

Vacations in the Sunshine State don’t have to be expensive. There are a number of remarkable attractions and events that are completely free of charge.

The J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island hosts “Art in the Wild” every October. This includes various art and writing workshops dedicated to nature, concerts and yoga sessions. The approximately 6.5-kilometre trail through the reserve can be explored on foot, by bike or car free of charge as part of the two-day festival.

On the first Friday evening of every month, part of downtown Fort Myers is transformed into an open-air art gallery as part of the Fort Myers Art Walk in the River District. The Village of the Arts in Bradenton also hosts evening Art Walks on the first Friday and first Saturday of every month.

February 2025

At the beginning of the year, cameras were put into operation to measure the speed of passing vehicles in the vicinity of a number of schools in Cape Coral. No fines will be issued within the first 30 days, only warnings.

January 2025

On May 22, 2025, Universal Orlando Resort will open its third, largest and most diverse theme park to date, Epic Universe.
Visitors can immerse themselves in huge, breathtaking worlds, including those of the popular sorcerer’s apprentice Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World. The five themed areas each have more than 50 impressive attractions, entertainment options, restaurants and shopping experiences. It all adds up to an adventure for the whole family that is truly epic.

January 2025

The third Universal theme park, Epic Universe, is expected to open in Orlando in 2025.
Furthermore, a new flying theater at SeaWorld Orlando will transport visitors to the Arctic with simulated underwater adventures and flights over icy landscapes. Special equipment was used for filming in largely inaccessible areas of the North Pole. Annual Pass holders will be the first to embark on the 4.5-minute journey in the new ride.

Meanwhile, at Walt Disney World, the Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows vacation rental complex is being expanded to include a tower after the Magic Kingdom theme park:
Island Tower is set to welcome its first guests on December 17, 2024. The apartments, known as “Villas”, will accommodate 5 to 9 people. There will be two penthouses on the roof of the tower, which can accommodate up to 8 guests in two bedrooms and whose terraces offer views of the Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom. Island Tower amenities include a fitness center, terraced gardens, a swimming pool and the Wailulu Bar & Grill restaurant.

On September 19, 2024, the “Live! at the Point” entertainment complex opened in the Pointe Orlando outdoor shopping center on International Drive. It currently houses the PBR Cowboy Bar, which is appropriately named, the Sports & Social, whose huge LED screen broadcasts various sporting events, and the Houndsmen English Lounge.

November 2024

From November 2024, the Disney Group will be offering the “Lightning Lane Premier Pass”, which gives visitors to a specific theme park one-day, wait-free access to any attraction for which a Lightning Lane offer is available.
The passes can be purchased up to seven days before visiting the park and guests do not need to book a time slot for the respective attraction before using it.

The passes are sold via smartphone using the “My Disney Experience” app. Prices vary depending on the theme park and time of visit:
For Disney’s Animal Kingdom they range between 129 and 199 dollars, for EPCOT between 169 and 249 dollars, for Hollywood Studios between 269 and 349 dollars and for the Magic Kingdom between 329 and 449 dollars, VAT is added.
The passes are set in advance for a specific period and are not subject to dynamic fluctuations depending on demand.

Initially, the passes will only be offered in conjunction with the booking of certain Disney hotels. These include Disney Deluxe Resorts, Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts and some other accommodations. There is no limit to the number of Lightning Lane Premier Passes sold per day per theme park, but this means that visitors who do not take advantage of the offer will have to expect even longer waiting times.

November 2024

Operated by Gulf Coast Water Taxi, the ferry service by catamaran, is to operate between the Bradenton Riverwalk and Anna Maria Island. On Anna-Maria, service will be provided to the Anna Maria City Pier, Bridge Street Pier and Coquina South Boat Ramp. Fares are expected to be $8 for adults and children 12 and older; seniors pay $6; children ages 3 to 11 pay $5; children under 3 are free.
Scheduled ferry times are every hour between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

June 2023

What has been the case in Germany, Austria and Switzerland for some time now also applies to Florida as of this July: Anyone who sends e-mails or text messages while driving must expect a fine. As reported by the Auto Club Group (ACG), which is part of the American Automobile Association (AAA), drivers who are caught writing messages on their cell phones while driving have to expect a fine of at least $30 since July 1, provided they used their hands while doing so. Repeated violations of the ordinance each carry a $60 fine and up to three points on the traffic offender record, provided they have a U.S. driver’s license. The only exceptions are for emergencies such as notifying the police of traffic accidents, weather warnings or emergency medical calls.

In contrast, hand-held cell phone use while driving will not be banned in Florida until October 1 and only at intersections in front of schools, in school zones or zones where construction work is taking place. For comparison: In Germany, any use of a cell phone while driving with a hand is subject to a fine of at least 100 euros and a point in Flensburg.

As in Germany, sending text messages via voice input is still permitted. However, the AAA recommends that this should not be done, as it also leads to distraction from traffic and thus increases the risk of accidents. For example, a car traveling at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour covers a distance equivalent to the length of three football fields in just 27 seconds. According to a survey by AAA, more than 390,000 injuries and 3,500 deaths occur each year in the U.S. as a result of distracted driving.