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

L.L_2

tried to skim through 15 pages of replies, but its awful!

I've just applied for an ESTA for my mum and pal who are off to vegas, they were approved, do I just print that page off as confirmation, and will they need it to travel?

thanks!

omelette451

amsquared wrote: »

She is a British citizen with a full British passport and will have proof of her return flight from San Diego to Edinburgh within 90 days. Her flight to San Jose, Costa Rica is via Newark with Continental from Edinburgh. I will advise her to state that flight as the Entry Carrier on the ESTA application. I assume she can leave the US address bit blank for the ESTA and cover that when she arrives via Houston 3 weeks later.

Yes she can. If she gets a chance to use an internet cafe in Costa Rica then she can update the form with the new flight and address details; if not she can just tell the immigration officer on arrival or write it on any form they ask her to fill in. I don't remember whether there's a box to tick on the ESTA form for 'in transit' - if there is tick it, otherwise just tell the officer on arrival at Newark. She'll still have to do the fingerprinting stuff but she won't be asked loads of questions if they know she's just getting straight back on a plane. If they give her the old green form at Edinburgh or on the plane tell her to fill it in anyway - some airports have yet to transfer completely to ESTA systems and to avoid problems it's wise to have both sets of forms sorted.

omelette451

L.L wrote: »

tried to skim through 15 pages of replies, but its awful!

I've just applied for an ESTA for my mum and pal who are off to vegas, they were approved, do I just print that page off as confirmation, and will they need it to travel?

Reading 15 pages may be boring but it will usually get you your answer...

Anyway, since you asked, no they don't have to print it off, but it is highly recommended that they do so and carry it with them so they can show it to immigration or airline officials if necessary. If they get given the old green form on the plane they should fill it in anyway in case LAS hasn't gone fully-ESTA yet.

davidbjones61

We just travelled to USA via Toronto and had to fill in the green Visa Waiver form at Toronto airport.

hansi

I have just returned from Miami and I had to fill in the green form too. ESTA! They don't seem to know what it is. What a waste of time and effort!:mad:

Blue264

When this was introduced there were many media reports saying that the two formats would run alongside until the final change over some time in July to allow all concerned to get used to it.
I remember seeing it on BBC breakfast news and have heard from friends that this is the case.

hansi

The media also reported at the same time that passengers who had not applied for ESTA would not be allowed to enter the USA and would be sent back. They are always scaremongering:mad:

hansi

Blue264 wrote: »

When this was introduced there were many media reports saying that the two formats would run alongside until the final change over some time in July to allow all concerned to get used to it.
I remember seeing it on BBC breakfast news and have heard from friends that this is the case.

It is most certainly not the case. I have visited the USA several times this year and not once have the ESTA details been wanted. Still the usual one hour wait for the painstaking security nightmare!

Marty_J

hansi wrote: »

It is most certainly not the case. I have visited the USA several times this year and not once have the ESTA details been wanted. Still the usual one hour wait for the painstaking security nightmare!

They already have your ESTA details; they're linked to your passport number. They don't need to ask you for them. That's the whole point of it. However, they haven't phased out the use of the I-94W form.

And ESTA doesn't mean that you won't have to go through immigration. An ESTA approval just means you're authorised to apply for entry into the country.

hansi

Yes, I know how the system works, it's just that ESTA was designed to eliminate the need to fill out the green form in January. It's now May, and they still require the green form.