Process for applying for White House tickets

[jocat]

Has anybody applied for tickets for a White House tour?

We’re visiting Washington DC in October and have discovered that we can apply for a White House tour by contacting the office of a Member of Congress.

We’ve applied to the office of Eleanor Holmes Norton, as we’ve seen that she accepts requests from overseas visitors. I’ve since received an email from her saying that we will be contacted by the White House asking for more information from us, and that I must reply within 7 days. However I haven’t received anything yet, but am not sure when they might send that email - I’m also half expecting it to go into Junk Mail, and I don’t always check that.

If anybody has applied for tickets in the past, can you give me a bit more information on possible timescales for each stage of the process please?

[SEAWORLD FAN]

We applied on Congresswoman Nortons website at about 7.00pm one evening and had an email back in less than 3 hours advising that we should receive an email from the White House shortly. This would have been at the end of the working day in D.C.

The email from the White House then came through the following day, so early morning in D.C.

[jocat]

Originally Posted by SEAWORLD FAN

We applied on Congresswoman Nortons website at about 7.00pm one evening and had an email back in less than 3 hours advising that we should receive an email from the White House shortly. This would have been at the end of the working day in D.C.

The email from the White House then came through the following day, so early morning in D.C.

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Thank you. I applied last weekend, but still don’t appear to have received anything from the White House. Will go back through all my emails to double check - I just wasn’t sure whether it would come shortly after applying, or would be sent much closer to the time.

[Glee Fan]

Hi, I applied in January for a trip in July. I didn’t hear anything for ages so contacted them via e mail and was offered a tour 3 days after we left DC so I turned it down. I would recommend the Pentagon Tour and the Capitol Building tour as well. We were in DC last week, had a great time.

[georgemac]

We went last year. I do not have the date I applied, but these were timescales.

18th May - received confirmation of my application
18th June - got an email requesting me to fill in all the information for the application
31st August - got the tour confirmation email for our visit on 13th September - this only gets confirmed 2 weeks in advance.

I enjoyed it - make sure you do not have any bag - even a handbag - read the security requirements in detail.

I enjoyed the US Capitol Building tour much more though, and hoping to do the Pentagon Tour this year.

[TinkerBabe]

Out of the White House, Capitol Building and The Pentagon, we actually enjoyed The Pentagon the most. They were all excellent but The Pentagon was outstanding, really fascinating but also very enjoyable and the tour guides, who are all active servicemen (we were shown round by a marine and a coastguard!) were very humorous with plenty of personal stories to tell. There is also a beautiful memorial to 9/11 which is well worth a visit.

[georgemac]

Originally Posted by TinkerBabe

There is also a beautiful memorial to 9/11 which is well worth a visit.

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We visited this last year at the weekend when the Pentagon was very quiet - agree - very beautiful and only 5 minutes walk from the Metro stop - we went there en route to Arlington.

[SEAWORLD FAN]

Originally Posted by georgemac

We visited this last year at the weekend when the Pentagon was very quiet - agree - very beautiful and only 5 minutes walk from the Metro stop - we went there en route to Arlington.

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I read somewhere that you cannot get a Pentagon tour at the weekend so haven't looked into it as the only days we are able to do it are a Sat & Sun. I would much rather do it than the White House.

[jocat]

Originally Posted by Glee Fan

Hi, I applied in January for a trip in July. I didn’t hear anything for ages so contacted them via e mail and was offered a tour 3 days after we left DC so I turned it down. I would recommend the Pentagon Tour and the Capitol Building tour as well. We were in DC last week, had a great time.

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Glad you had a great time on your trip. Where did you stay?

That’s a shame the tour didn’t work out for your dates. I’m not particularly hopeful of getting one, but it’s worth a try. Glad to hear that I haven’t necessarily missed an email though.

Am hoping to do a Pentagon Tour and one of the Capitol Building too.

[jocat]

Originally Posted by georgemac

We went last year. I do not have the date I applied, but these were timescales.

18th May - received confirmation of my application
18th June - got an email requesting me to fill in all the information for the application
31st August - got the tour confirmation email for our visit on 13th September - this only gets confirmed 2 weeks in advance.

I enjoyed it - make sure you do not have any bag - even a handbag - read the security requirements in detail.

I enjoyed the US Capitol Building tour much more though, and hoping to do the Pentagon Tour this year.

See more...

Thanks for giving me details of your timescales. Maybe I’m just slightly too eager.

Thanks for the tip about the bags. Definitely want to do the Pentagon and Capitol building too.