Estados Unidos: qué saber antes del viaje

Entrada y visados

UK and most EU citizens use the Visa Waiver Program: ESTA (USD 40.62, valid 2 years or until passport expiry) for stays up to 90 days. Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, China, India, Turkey and UAE citizens need a B1/B2 visa (USD 185 application fee). A USD 250 'visa integrity fee' is legislated but, as of late Oct 2026, not yet collected. Chinese 10-year visa holders must update EVUS (USD 31.75).

Formularios y permisos en línea

• ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) ↗ obligatorio
  At least 72 hours before departure (ideally when booking) · Tasa: USD 40.62 (from 16 Oct 2026) · Visa Waiver Program nationals (UK, most EU, etc.)
• EVUS ↗ obligatorio
  Before travel; valid 2 years or until visa/passport expiry · Tasa: USD 31.75 · Chinese passport holders with a 10-year B1/B2 visa

Validez del pasaporte: Valid for the whole stay (VWP travellers need an e-passport). Many nationalities need 6 months beyond the stay.

En la frontera pueden pedir

• Fingerprints and photo taken; answer questions about purpose, address and return ticket.
• Check your I-94 record online after entry to confirm your admitted-until date.
• Officers may examine electronic devices.

Aduana

• Declare cash or monetary instruments over USD 10,000.
• Declare all food, plants and animal products; meat, fresh fruit and many dairy items are prohibited — undeclared items bring fines.
• Don't bring cannabis or CBD products, even if legal at origin or destination state.
• Prescription medicines in original containers; carry the prescription.

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: esta.cbp.dhs.gov ↗, travel.state.gov ↗, cbp.gov ↗, gov.uk ↗, govinfo.gov ↗

Dinero

Se paga con tarjeta casi en todas partes. Las tarjetas se aceptan casi en todas partes.

Redes de pago: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Diners, JCB, UnionPay

Apple Pay — funciona · Google Pay — funciona

Dónde cambiar dinero

• Withdraw USD from bank ATMs (Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, etc.) with a low-fee card
• Pay by card everywhere — most places are cashless-friendly

Dónde no cambiar

• Airport currency kiosks
• Exchanging cash at US banks (often only for account holders, poor rates)
• Dynamic currency conversion

Cajeros: ATM owners charge USD 3–6 per withdrawal plus your bank's fee; stand-alone ATMs in shops/bars charge the most.

Propinas: Expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants and bars (USD 1–2 per drink), 15–20% taxis/rideshare, USD 2–5/night housekeeping. Sales tax is added at checkout, not shown on price tags.

• Mir and other Russian-issued cards don't work.
• Some shops and vending/transit systems are card-only; tap-to-pay works on many transit networks (e.g. NYC OMNY).

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: cbp.gov ↗, usa.gov ↗, support.apple.com ↗

Cultura y ropa

Religión: Predominantly Christian with large secular and diverse faith communities; no state religion.

Ropa: Casual almost everywhere; smart-casual for upscale restaurants. Indoor spaces are heavily air-conditioned — bring a layer.

Etiqueta

• Tip service staff — wages rely on it.
• Queue in line and respect personal space.
• Small talk and friendliness are normal; 'How are you?' is a greeting.
• Avoid politics with strangers.

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: gov.uk ↗

Clima

Huge variety: cold snowy winters in the north and Midwest, mild Pacific coast, hot humid South and Florida (hurricane season Jun–Nov), desert Southwest very hot in summer.

Mejor temporada: April–June and September–October for most regions; winter for Florida, Hawaii and the Southwest.

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: weather.gov ↗, nhc.noaa.gov ↗

Qué llevar

• US plug adapter (type A/B); check devices support 120 V
• Printed/stored ESTA or visa details and return ticket
• Insurance documents
• Layers for air-conditioning
• Credit card for car rentals and hotel deposits

Qué no llevar / prohibido importar

• Meat, fresh fruit, plants and seeds
• Cannabis or CBD products
• Kinder Surprise eggs (banned)
• Large knives or pepper spray in carry-on

Práctico

Enchufes: Type A/B, 120 V, 60 Hz

Agua: Tap water is safe to drink almost everywhere.

Circulación: por la derecha

Móvil y eSIM: Prepaid SIM/eSIM from T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon (and MVNOs) without ID in many stores; free Wi-Fi is common.

Apps: Uber, Lyft, Google Maps, Transit, OpenTable, Yelp, Mobile Passport Control

Internet: No restrictions.

Salud: No compulsory vaccinations for visitors. Medical costs are very high; emergency rooms must treat but will bill heavily.

Seguro: Not required for entry but essential; choose high medical limits and evacuation cover.

Emergencias: 911 — police, fire, ambulance

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: gov.uk ↗, cbp.gov ↗