New ESTA US Electronic Visa Site

hansi

Just heard an news item on the radio about this. Apparently now, if you are travelling to the USA from the UK (Visa Waiver programme), you now have to apply online before you travel. This seems a great idea if it gets rid of having to fill in that little green form on arrival. Tne site is at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_c367ABC87-93A2-10ED-BF5A-F510EBBFE484_kD983D210-A8E7-9C16-3873-1FE5547A3BF5

Blimey, that's a long address

Incapuppy

Previously covered here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=960779&highlight=esta+visa

sturll

Authorization Approved Your travel authorization has been approved and you are authorized to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. This does not guarantee admission to the United States; a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at a port of entry will have the final determination. If necessary, you can update the following information on an approved authorization: address while in the United States, flight information, email address, and phone number. To access your travel authorization, you will be required to provide your application number, passport number, and birth date. If you need to change any other information on the form, you must apply for a new travel authorization.

dzug1

There does seem to be a change in passport requirements under this scheme - the site says that passports must be valid 6 months whereas previously this was not the case for UK citizens at least.

I wonder if that's the result of a desire for simplicity (the same for every nationality, no need to allow for exceptions) or merely that the programmers were badly briefed.

And if it is a conscious change does it come in now or when online registration becomes compulsory?

eslick

is it live now cant see any where and thought it was only starting in Jan 09

dzug1

eslick wrote: »

is it live now cant see any where and thought it was only starting in Jan 09

It's live now but completion is voluntary until january 2009

fatcat168

Just tried as I am off to florida end Aug...

Won't accept my passport startdate and enddate as I have a few months validity more than the usual 10 years... website needs work I think as I am sure they are many people in the same situation.

peteukmcr

fatcat168 wrote: »

Just tried as I am off to florida end Aug...

Won't accept my passport startdate and enddate as I have a few months validity more than the usual 10 years... website needs work I think as I am sure they are many people in the same situation.

The same has just happened to me, the UK Passport service have never heard of ESTA and therefore cannot help. I have emailed the ESTA support centre using the help email address on the site.

hansi

Yes, that has happened to me too. I also emailed the ESTA support centre. I guess that they will have to alter the software to accept UK passports with up to ten and a half years validity. Maybe the UK is the only country to have this anomaly?

sturll

I suspect its probably one of the reasons it has been released so early. To enable them to iron out any bugs before Jan 2009,

peteukmcr

Hi all

Just to let you know the ESTA site will now accept UK passports with more than 10 years validity at time of issue.

My application was approved and I am now authorised to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Program (it does not guarantee admission) until 2010.