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

Swinstie73

AbertRoss wrote: »

We have recently returned from North America (October) and entered the USA from Canada at the Niagara Falls (Rainbow Bridge) International Crossing Point.

Although we had duly completed the ESTA forms, and had them approved, before departing the UK, the USA border officials knew nothing of the scheme, and consequently we had to join a long queue of people waiting to be issued with the usual Green Waiver form, and had to pay a $6 cash fee each for the privelege of being delayed for an hour.

Our return from the USA to Canada was trouble free as there were no US officials, and the Canadians collected our Visa Waiver form and sent us on our way in less than 2 minutes!

Albert Ross

Just wondered if this is still the case? We're going to Canada from the UK in August and might be driving into the USA with my sister and her family (they have Canadian citizenship), do we have to complete the ESTA and will they have to as well (being Canadian)??

dzug1

dontdoit wrote: »

No and No.

But they (the Canadians) WILL need passports which are not currently mandatory. (Starts 1 June)

cazziebo

I've just returned from Oregon and the customs officials there had no idea about ESTA and I still had to hand in the green visa waiver form....

I had completed ESTA on line.

luci

Immigation asked if I had an ESTA at LAX a couple of weeks ago. I asked if he wanted to see it and he said he didn't need to as he could see I had one on his screen.

omelette451

Swinstie73 wrote: »

Just wondered if this is still the case? We're going to Canada from the UK in August and might be driving into the USA with my sister and her family (they have Canadian citizenship), do we have to complete the ESTA and will they have to as well (being Canadian)??

Overland routes into the US already have different arrangements from air/sea routes and there are currently no plans to change it from the one described above. ESTA applies only to air/sea routes. (Though dzug is right to point out that the system for Canadian citizens is changing.)

M4RKM

cazziebo wrote: »

I've just returned from Oregon and the customs officials there had no idea about ESTA and I still had to hand in the green visa waiver form....

I had completed ESTA on line.

CUSTOMS would not have asked about ESTA... they would have not taken the green form from you... it would have been IMMIGRATION, and they would have seen on their screen, when they swipe your passport..

CUSTOMS officials wouldn't need to know about ESTA, as you're already through immigration and in the country, so all they want to know about is what you're importing, and if any of those items are against the rules...

iansoady

Like others, we have just returned from the USA (San Francisco) and still had to fill in the green form. No mention of ESTA by anyone. And the immigration officials are as helpful and friendly(!) as ever.......

cazziebo

markymoo wrote: »

CUSTOMS would not have asked about ESTA... they would have not taken the green form from you... it would have been IMMIGRATION, and they would have seen on their screen, when they swipe your passport..

CUSTOMS officials wouldn't need to know about ESTA, as you're already through immigration and in the country, so all they want to know about is what you're importing, and if any of those items are against the rules...

I meant immigration..... after a 10 hour flight they're all scary people in uniform to me!

System

We have just returned from Canada and went on an Alaskan Cruise out of Vancouver. The US immigration officers there had no idea about ESTA and we still had to complete the green visa waiver form.
They also now want all 10 fingerprints rather than the thumb and index prints we supplied in 2007. It was a frustrating experience as they had us waiting 3 hours in a queue because they only had 3 officers available to process the hundreds of non US/Canadian passengers from the 2 ships that were due to leave port that day. We have flown into the US several times and bar our first trip in 1999 we have never had to queue for such a long time.

SheepWorrier_2

I filled in an ESTA form for my trip to Florida in March. I'm going to California on Saturday, do I need to fill in a new form?

I know they are supposed to last two years, but are they only valid for the same destination / flight number?