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

f1nola

Tried to re-apply but system tells me there is a application already exists for my passport number. As its only the expiry month that is not correct I am hoping the 'nice' staff on immigration don't notice......:rolleyes:

On entry to USA last year being in a wheelchair it was a bit difficult to scan my fingerprint, so after a few tries the 'nice' man waved me through and shouted at the top of his voice " No more handicapped on my desk" Guess he was having a real bad day?:mad:

So, after this episode It is my aim to get things sorted before I get there!

omelette451

f1nola wrote: »

Tried to re-apply but system tells me there is a application already exists for my passport number. As its only the expiry month that is not correct I am hoping the 'nice' staff on immigration don't notice......:rolleyes:

Ooh, good luck with that! As with most people on here, I can't say I'd recommend it.

On entry to USA last year being in a wheelchair it was a bit difficult to scan my fingerprint.

They have to make arrangements for people from whom they physically cannot take fingerprints, but by the sound of it the general grumpiness of US immigration officials meant you had it easy for once!

iansoady

f1nola wrote: »

Tried to re-apply but system tells me there is a application already exists for my passport number. As its only the expiry month that is not correct I am hoping the 'nice' staff on immigration don't notice......:rolleyes:

I made a similar error (in my wife's date of birth) and had no problem making a second application. I suspect the database design isn't all it should be.

I was considering writing to the US Embassy but decided against it as I may well have ended up with a "waiver declined" stamp.......

hansi

I think the whole system is a mess. As I have said before, I arrived at Miami with my ESTA details and they( Immigration) didn't even know what it was!

jayemcee49

Lex555 wrote: »

Surely they would use the Criminal Records Burea to find out information about convictions as that is where it is kept. I thought the PNC computer just held intellgence information + information on arrests, cautions, vehicles and adresses of those who've come in contact with the police before? I would like to know just which databases are checked though and what information the US authorities, or whoever grants the VW's have access to.

I was actually arrested a few years ago on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice. However I wasn't guilty, there was no evidence, and i wasn't even charged or cautioned! But does it still say anyone who has ever been arrested has to apply for a visa and can't travel under the VWP? Surely this cant be so literal? I presumed it meant those who were actually guilty or given a caution etc? Also, i have traffic offence convictions which i had to attend court for, well chose to attend court for in some cases, mainly for speeding (several times), failing to identify the driver of a vehicle, (another 3 point offence which went to court but was dealt with in my absence), and another incident over 5 years ago (which i wasn't technically guilty of but thats another story, and i pleaded guilty), which involved offences of (i) Failing to stop at the scene of an accident, (ii) Driving without due care and attention, & (iii) Failing to report an accident. I had to attend court for these and the sentence was up to 6 months in prisonment, but i was given the minimum sentence, 5 points on my licence. Don't know if any of those come under "moral turpitude", or whether it has to be a criminal offence of moral turpitude, not traffic, to count. I also had to attend court for a driving disqualification under the totting up procedure. All the points would have expired from my licence by now though and the record of disqualification will expire next year.

I have never been cautioned or charged and have never been convicted of a criminal offence. Nor have i ever been sent to prison although technically i gather you could be sent to prison for a non criminal offence, and technically not have a criminal record? lol. Anyway, would i be eligable for the VWP and if so do i need to even bother mentioning any of that?

My son had a similar experience and did not get his holiday because of it. See my post no. 87

dzug1

Lex555 wrote: »

I have never been cautioned or charged and have never been convicted of a criminal offence. Nor have i ever been sent to prison although technically i gather you could be sent to prison for a non criminal offence, and technically not have a criminal record? lol. Anyway, would i be eligable for the VWP and if so do i need to even bother mentioning any of that?

If any of your (alleged) offences are moral turpitude (and I would think the only one that might be is attempting to pervert the course of justice) then you would not be eligible for the VWP.

If you apply for a VWP/ESTA the only opportunity to mention them is the moral turpitude question. If you mention them under that heading (by ticking the yes box) then you will be refused the VWP. If you tick the no box then you will almost certainly be accepted.

The US authorities will be none the wiser - they really do not have total access to UK criminal records at the point of entry.

Biker-Budgie

my problem doesnt apear to have reared its head before and both the US embassy and DHS both seem to be operated by robots devoid of emotion or free thought.

Last year i travelled on business to the US twice, both times using the green slip etc. On the 2nd trip Homeland security identified that my passport had sustained damage (it went through the washing machine with my girlfriends after a break to Malta) and advised although they would let me travel this time, i would have to replace it in order to travel to the Us again.

All very fair so on return I replaced my passport and advised my girlfriend to do the same as we had our wedding and honeymoon booked for February this year (2 weeks away). My partner had no plans to travel before the honeymoon so rather than aplpying for a new passport in her maiden name (£90 ish) and then pay again to change into her married name she simply applied for a passport in her married name.

And now we have a problem, the ESTA website doesnt recognise a postdated passport, I have made calls to the £1.20 a minute line and was eventualy advised to email the DHS and given a referance number to quote in the heading - this resulted in an email advising that they didnt recognise postdated passports :mad: .

So now we are making the last checks on our wedding, we cannot apply for her ESTA aproval until the day of the wedding 36 hrs before due to fly - we will probably be fine as neither has any skeletons in the closet but its stress we really dont need this close to the wedding - when i asked someone at the American embassy they said that they recommend applying well in advance of travel, preferably before you book flights (we booked them last April, when as far as we were aware it would just require us to fill in a little green form).

So Esta has our honeymoon by the short and curlies! and we apear to be powerless to do anything about it, we want to make sure everything is done well in advance but the robots that operate these systems are incapable of thinking outside of the very narrow box they have built. I have even contacted the press over here in the vain hope that some pressure might assist in getting somoene higher up in DHS to intervene and at least check her details 'in principle' but no help there either .

So i am posting this here in case anyone can think of something i have missed, also does anyone know of any good travel insurance companies that insure against you not being allowed to fly due to DHS decline?

dzug1

She could apply with the passport in her maiden name. That will show if her current NAME/DOB makes her of interest to the US authorities.

Then reapply with the new name/passport as soon as it's in date.

Not foolproof, but a bit of reassurance.

No insurance company it its right mind would insure anyone against being refused a visa/travel permission.

LittleTinker

jayemcee49 wrote: »

Just to let you know that when we saw the tip about the ESTA site on MSE that my son was travelling on the 15th December. He had already been to the US Embassy in London to apply for a non-immigrant visa. In his naievety (he is a freshfaced 18yr old) he thought he could get a multi entry visa as he wanted to travel throughout the year. He was declined and this showed as a refusal in his file. The advice he was given was that he did not need a visa because of the Visa Waiver Program and he could apply once in the States. He duly paid for his ticket at £590 arrived in Florida and ticked the box saying he had been refused a visa (as the Embassy had told him to do) and was checked out in a holding room and they summarily refused him entry as he had already been refused in the UK. I am fuming. The poor boy had to return to the UK on the next flight with no redress whatsoever feeling lower that the proverbial. It was his first holiday to see friends in the States and it turned out to be a very sour experience. Needless to say I am writing to the Embassy as this initial advice cost him $131 when they knew it could have been avoided! He now has to apply anyway for a visa at another $131 because of the ESTA form!!!! And the nearest appointment is February 18th!!!!:mad:

Anyone have any ideas?

Why did he go to the embassy in the first place?

Adam7294

Since the day this tread appeared on the website the link has been broken. I have now tried several times a day every day and still can not access the website. I'm travelling to USA in a few weeks time and need to complete this as soon as possible. Does anyone know if this can be completed anywhere else?