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

Bombom

I've just found this thread after my wife applied for the Esta online for us last weekend. Unfortunately she went through esta-online.co.uk, and we've been charged £20 each for the privilege.
I questioned this fee with her at the time, but foolishly didnt follow it up myself before she submitted the application. Obviously fuming now...I take it there's no way at all I can claim this charge back and apply for free through the official website?

Many thanks.

luci

Check the T&C's on the website she used, but I doubt it.

Bombom

Thanks. I guessed that may be the case. I'm also wary of instructing any sort of chargeback in case esta-online.co.uk then go and change/cancel our application and mess up our whole holiday! (I'm assuming they can do this as they have got all our details recorded?).

My wife's calling Tesco Finance today to get some advice, so I'll post the outcome here should it be positive.

Bombom

Latest update!

My wife decided not to contact Tesco Finance as she didnt see the point of it. Anyway, she got a call from them today as someone rang up with her details wanting to do a £4000 balance transfer!
So basically, esta-online.co.uk will attempt to use any card details given to them fraudulently, so please make people aware should you hear of them falling into this trap.

dzug1

Bombom wrote: »

Latest update!

My wife decided not to contact Tesco Finance as she didnt see the point of it. Anyway, she got a call from them today as someone rang up with her details wanting to do a £4000 balance transfer!
So basically, esta-online.co.uk will attempt to use any card details given to them fraudulently, so please make people aware should you hear of them falling into this trap.

Have you actually got an ESTA or was it a total fraud? Try updating it on the official website to check

Bombom

Yes, the kind crooks copied and pasted our details into the official form at least!

M4RKM

maybe it's just a co-inky-dink that there was a possible £4000 balance transfer attempting to take place, and using a website... it could have been any website or a swipe when out and about that gave away your details... thing it, it isn't traceable who tried to do the BT....

but, any reason to encourage people to use google correctly and ignore sponsored results, and use the FREE website is good in my opinion anyway..

M

coco99

Bombom wrote: »

I've just found this thread after my wife applied for the Esta online for us last weekend. Unfortunately she went through esta-online.co.uk, and we've been charged £20 each for the privilege.
I questioned this fee with her at the time, but foolishly didnt follow it up myself before she submitted the application. Obviously fuming now...I take it there's no way at all I can claim this charge back and apply for free through the official website?

Many thanks.

I also found this thread after my DB used esta-online.co.uk to register last night. This morning got confirmation from them that application had been approved and I was able to confirm this on official US DHS site. Later she received email from esta-online.co.uk saying card transaction hadn't been authorised, application had been cancelled and to reapply through them using a link in email with correct card details or a different card. She called her M&S Card and was told transaction was not authorised as it was 'unusual' (that's my word for it). No other odd transactions on her account. Put phone down and got 1571 message to call M&S. This was Fraud/Security Dept. Were told to email esta-online.co.uk to tell them to cancel application and remove all details from their records and have done so. After initial annoyance about wasting £20, the application still is on file with US DHS at no cost! Yippee!!

Doshwaster

ferf1223 wrote: »

It's been discussed here several times...they will eventually phase out the green forms but haven't yet. Having a print out of the ESTA confirmation is only for peace of mind really - they have documentation that you have an ESTA in their computers (or should do). Every flight we've been on they have handed out the forms on the plane to be filled out in flight. I don't really see what the big deal is personally.

Yes, they are still running the two schemes in parallel.

My top tip is to pick up the green forms when you check-in and fill them in before you get on the board. It's a lot easier to do them in the airport bar than in a cramped seat at 30,000 ft. Also make sure you pick up a spare or to - US Immigration are very intolerant of any mistakes on the form and will send you to the back of the queue to do them again.

M4RKM

a spare?! a spare?! *grins* after 13 trips to the states, I think i can fill in these forms blindfold..

Joking aside, yes, it is worthwhile to have a spare to make sure you do fill it in correctly. If you haven't filled in BOTH sides, or have filled it in incorrectly, you'll be sent out of the queue, to fill it in, and join the back... Oh, how I laugh when that happens... it's a case of read, re read, just to be safe, read again, fill it in, double check you've filled in BOTH sides, read what you've filled in, and that takes around a pint to do..


M