ESTA - amendment needed?

jackieblack

Previous years, before they started charging for ESTA, I did ours a few weeks before travel , including all details (city of boarding, carrier, flight number, address while in USA etc)
Last year I re-applied for all of us a few days before the charges started, without any of those details, all approved (and printed out for reference)

Off to the US in 3 weeks, do I need to go back now and do amendments to our ESTAs to include these details? (I have done the API)
Has anyone encountered any problems travelling with ESTAs without these details included?

cubegame

jackieblack wrote: »

Previous years, before they started charging for ESTA, I did ours a few weeks before travel , including all details (city of boarding, carrier, flight number, address while in USA etc)
Last year I re-applied for all of us a few days before the charges started, without any of those details, all approved (and printed out for reference)

Off to the US in 3 weeks, do I need to go back now and do amendments to our ESTAs to include these details? (I have done the API)
Has anyone encountered any problems travelling with ESTAs without these details included?

I believe the information is optional, but it is very easy to change,

phatbear

I've been to the states 3 times on my current esta and each occasion stayed at a different hotel, even staying in a different state on one occasion.

The details are very easy to update on their website so just go for it

luci

I normally amend the ESTA with the updated details, but I haven't bothered the last twice as that information isn't mandatory. Didn't have a problem.

jackieblack

Thanks cubegame, phatbear and luci

I'm sure it is quite easy, but I don't see the point in changing them all and then changing them all again next year if its not necessary to do so.

The fact they were approved/authorised without the information inclines me to believe its not essential. Luci's experience seems to confirm this.

phatbear

It may not be mandatory, but any conflicting info on your landing card and esta could potentialy lead to delayed processing when you arrive at their border, so for the sake of 2 mins of your life cutting and pasting the updated info you could avoid any issues

luci

You used to need to complete a visa waiver for every trip and the information had to be accurate for that visit. As you are now approved for 2 years regardless of the amount of visits then it's no longer necessary.

dzug1

phatbear wrote: »

It may not be mandatory, but any conflicting info on your landing card and esta could potentialy lead to delayed processing when you arrive at their border, so for the sake of 2 mins of your life cutting and pasting the updated info you could avoid any issues

There isn't a landing card any more

You may get asked your exact first night address on landing - easier to do it in advance so you don't have to remember every detail. You are more likely to get asked (I would guess) if what it says on your ESTA is the other side of the continent from where you land.

ferf1223

you do still have to fill out the customs declaration though....which requires US street address...but agree that we've not updated my hubby's ESTA for hotel detail each trip and haven't had a problem.

phatbear

dzug1 wrote: »

There isn't a landing card any more

well the customs declaration/landing card certainly exsisted when I went to san francisco 4 months ago

alibongo42

I'm just back from NY and, on arrival at JFK, the airport staff were getting a little frustrated that the Brits were quite confused about what paperwork was required. This would be because the staff on the AA flight did nothing to clarify the situation.

If you already have an ESTA, you only needed the blue customs declaration (one per family). You DID NOT need the other white form we used to need (one per person). We had the white forms, and the bloke at immigration ripped them up after confirming we had completed an ESTA.

This left me with the impression that contrary to what we have been told about mandatory ESTAs, I could have not bothered and completed a white landing card instead.