You must apply for an ESTA online to enter the USA after 12 Jan 2009

Napsack

Does anyone know if I need to do this for the children as well?

dzug1

Napsack wrote: »

Does anyone know if I need to do this for the children as well?

Yes

All passengers traveling under the Visa Waiver Program are required to have an approved travel authorization prior to traveling to the United States by air or sea. Even non-ticketed infants are required to have an approved travel authorization, if they do not have a visa for travel to the United States. An application may be submitted by a third party on behalf of a Visa Waiver Program traveler.

Marty_J

dplumb wrote: »

I'm with you on that one... I've been to the states a couple times and enjoyed it, I'd go back again and my girlfriend is desperate to go but I won't go with all this nonsense. I've got nothing to hide but my fingerprints are my own until I do something wrong. Just seems a step too far for me. Photo ok, retina also ok but prints? No thank you. Once given they can't be taken back

They could just get enough details from your passport and get your permission to access PNC and bosh, get an answer. It's supposed to be a land of the free, right?

I don't see why retina scans are OK but fingerprints are not. They're both just means of establishing an identifier that is unique to yourself. The US Department of Homeland Security only keeps the info for 3 years, and then it is archived for 12 years before being destroyed.

They don't have access to the PNC; personally I would regard the US being able to check UK criminal records as a greater invasion of privacy than giving them my fingerprints.

dzug1

ukuwi wrote: »

Would anyone know if an USA citizen with UK citizen spouse needs to get into this ESTA stuff?

Many thanks in advance...

The USA citizen - no

The UK citizen - maybe - if not holding any other form of US visa.

rebeccap

alanrowell wrote: »

So if I lose it before the application is authorised? Or I make another trip to the US several months later and can't find the piece of paper...

The point being is that there are many circumstances when you could lose the application number and have no means of recalling it - unlike say your email address / date of birth / passport number.

I can't recall any other on-line system where if you don't have access to one piece of information, you can't use it and have no means of obtaining it again

Just completed my forms - just in case as we have very close friends in the US. Each application was authorised immediately (maybe due to the fact that no other sad person is applying at this time on New Years Eve!:o Each form has been folded and placed inside each persons passport. These are of course kept somewhere safe as they are official documents. And if we were to go anywhere other than the USA the forms would be stored in the same safe place until they can be returned to the passports. Just in case something happens to the paper copies I have just saved the page I printed from onto the computer. If necesary I can reprint every time I go (haha) before the form is out of date (most likely to happen).

HappySad

I am sooooo glad i found out about this!!!

he6rt6gr6m

sdestinyp wrote: »

Did this chap become a US citizen or did he obtain a Green Card? These are two different things. A UK citizen with a Green Card is outside of the Visa Waiver Programme and is not required to complete the green immigration form, just the white customs declaration form.

Green Card. He now lives, works and earns money in the ol' US of A.

he6rt6gr6m

Marty_J wrote: »

I don't see why retina scans are OK but fingerprints are not. They're both just means of establishing an identifier that is unique to yourself. The US Department of Homeland Security only keeps the info for 3 years, and then it is archived for 12 years before being destroyed.

They don't have access to the PNC; personally I would regard the US being able to check UK criminal records as a greater invasion of privacy than giving them my fingerprints.

Honestly? I dont care. As long as the people going over there are safe, and the people who live there are safe also, then let them do what they wan as far as I am concerned. If someone has previous for something serious, then I think Id like someone to say, 'your not getting in with a previous conviction like that.'

I dont see what the problem is with fingerprints, eye scans or dna sample. At the end of the day, safety is what counts... and we wouldnt have this problem if we didnt have idiots blowing themselves up in search of te 'greater afterlife.'

stoneman

I am at Heathrow at the moment and even if you have signed up for ESTA you still have to fill out the green visa weiver form until the 12th. January.

pennylane99

The green visa waiver forms are being gradually phased out after Jan 12th, so you will still have to complete both the online Esta and the green waiver form for a while yet, even after the 12th.. until the phasing out process is complete