Close-up of some building facades, with part of the United States flag visible on their right side.

Documentation

Traveling to the USA

See the conditions for travel to and from the USA. See how you can get authorization and all the necessary documents.

Passengers travelling to the United States who are exempt from visa requirements need to apply for a travel authorisation.

Find out how the exemption programme works, how to proceed and where you can request exemption.

We warn you that without this authorisation (or visa), entry to the country is not permitted.

Important information

Due to the change in the travel requirements to enter the United States, ESTA’s, under the United Stated VISA Waive program, may have been cancelled by the CDC. Please check that the status of your ESTA is still valid or if you will have to Create a New Application to travel. Confirm or request ESTA here and see full entry requirements here.

In order to comply with the safety requirements of the authorities of the United States of America, TAP informs that, all passengers travelling to any destination in the USA will be subjected to a “safety interview”, conducted with PSP (Portuguese Public Security Police).

Commitment to the Customer

Learn everything about your flight.

Consult the Contingency Plan and the Customer Service Plan.

Learn about our customer loyalty programs- the TAP Miles&Go Program and the loyalty program for companies, TAP Corporate.

Verify the service charges and consult the list of charges for the following:

In addition to these charges, you will also find our partners: United Airlines, Air Canada and SATA.

As for our fleet, you can learn more about it here.

More information

If you need to contact us, you have the following options:

Telephone: 800 221 73 70
E-mail: [email protected]

If you wish to contact the DOT directly, please use the following addresses:

Aviation Consumer Protection Division C-75,
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590

Website: www.transportation.gov/airconsumer

Consult the transport conditions.

If you have a passport from one of these countries that was issued after 2001, you must use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization to apply for an electronic authorization whenever you travel to the United States of America.

To obtain the authorization, just go the website and complete the form. This process must be carried out at least three days prior to traveling. However, to prevent any possible setbacks, you can request this authorization before you make your flight reservation.

Since 20 March 2010, airlines that allow passengers to travel to the USA without authorization have also been penalized.

TAP reserves the right, as of that date, to refuse to allow passengers to board unless they have completed the necessary formalities.

Procedure

Enter the site of the electronic travel Authorization System and fill in the basic form of identification.
You must show it on request when leaving Portugal and at US border control.
If the system replies “Travel not authorized”, you will have to apply for a non-immigrant visa at the nearest US consulate or the US Embassy in Lisbon.
If the system replies "Pending authorization" you must return to the website 72 hours later to get the final answer.
These authorizations are valid for 2 years from the date they are obtained and for multiple entries into the USA. If your passport expires, you must request a new authorization.

More information at:

United States Embassy in Portugal-visas for the U.S.

Government of the U.S. visa waiver program

Visa waiver program

Passengers traveling to the United States for tourism or business purposes for 90 days or less do not need a visa if they are nationals of one of the following countries:

Andorra
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Chile
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Holland
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania<
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Republic of Korea
San Marino
Singapore
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom*

*British citizens only without permanent residence restrictions in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

For more information on Visa Exemption visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.

Simplify your trip to the US with the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app

Mobile Passport Control (MPC)

MPC is a free app that allows U.S. and Canadian citizens to use their cell phones to complete the information typically required on a customs declaration form and expedite entry into the United States. Main benefits:

Avoids long queues at immigration counters;
Reduces waiting times during passport checks;
Provides priority access at some points of entry;
Offers real-time updates on immigration queue waiting times.

Find out more

Required information

For legal reasons, all passengers traveling to the USA must provide the following information when making their reservation:

Full name
Gender
Date of birth
Number and expiry date of passport or ID document
Redress number, if available

The first 3 items are absolutely compulsory.

Airlines are required to send this information to the United States authorities up to seventy-two (72) hours prior to departure of the flight or they may have to cancel reservations, even if the tickets have been issued.

TAP thanks all its passengers for their understanding and help in meeting these requirements on a timely basis and ensuring the quality of our service.

Access to passenger information

See how the data passengers provide is handled.

US law requires all airlines operating flights to, from or within the USA to provide the department in charge of the United States Customs and Border Protection service with electronic access to all passenger data in order to prevent and combat terrorism as well as other criminal offenses considered to be serious.

TAP complies with this legal requirement.

The United States Customs and Border Protection has access to information about the reservation and itinerary (PNR) of passengers traveling to, from or through the United States, including:

passenger name
phone number or other contact information
details of the travel itinerary (date, origin, destination, seat number, baggage)
records and information provided during the reservation process

The US Customs and Border Protection will not use reservation data considered “sensitive”, such as:

racial or ethnic identification
religious or political choices
health information

Information on the passenger’s food preferences or any medical services requested can be used.

The department responsible for Customs and Border Protection has access to the reservation records (Passenger Name Record - PNR) and uses the data to prevent and combat terrorism and other serious criminal offenses.

Under United States law, reservation data cannot be disclosed. However, this data is analyzed on a case-by-case basis and information may be passed on to other government law enforcement and anti-terrorism agencies.

Reservation data may also be used to protect the vital interests of passengers or third parties (e.g. in the event of a public health emergency) or in the prosecution of criminal acts and judicial or other proceedings required by law.

Passenger name records are obtained by United States Customs and Border Control directly from the airline’s reservation and check-in system. The records are analyzed before the passengers arrive in order to determine whether any of the them poses a possible threat.

Furthermore, the details are stored by the US Customs and Border Protection for three years and six months. If the Department accesses the data manually during that period, the data will be kept in hard copy form for the next eight years for auditing purposes.

The United States Customs and Border Protection may take other technical and organizational measures to prevent misuse of these data.

Passengers may request a copy of their reservation records from the Customs and Border Protection’s database.
However, if there are indications that this may interfere with enforcement of the law or reveal legal investigative techniques and procedures, access to the records will not be possible.
Refusal by the Customs and Border Protection to disclose reservations records is subject to legal action.
Passengers may ask for their data held on file by the US Customs and Border Protection to be amended if the agency believes such correction to be appropriate and justified.

Find out how you can access your reservation records, request corrections or file a complaint

If you wish to access your reservation records held by the US Customs and Border Protection you may send your request by letter, addressed to:

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20229

An alternative address is:

Disclosure Law Officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

For further information about procedures for making this request, please see Title 19, Section 103.5 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations.

Written requests for corrections and complaints about the use of reservation records (Passenger Name Records) may be sent to:

U.S. CBP Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20229

The decisions made by US Customs and Border Protection are reviewed by the head of the Privacy Division of the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, DC 20528.

Passengers can send an application for review to the data protection authority in any EU country if they do not feel they have received a satisfactory answer from the United States authorities.

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Electronic passports

Learn here how to use electronic passports and avoid queues.

Find out more

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Medical assistance

TAP offers appropriate solutions for cases in which passengers require medical assistance.

Find out more

Check-in Times

Browse the check-in times of the various airports.

Find out more

Manage booking

View and manage booking

View and change your booking easily. Please make sure your booking details are completely filled in and that your contacts are up-to-date.

Manage booking