ESTA, Double checking

You may or may not get asked questions re: ESTA. I had a female TSA officer at JFK ask me how much I paid for my trip to NY at Christmas (I just think she was a nosey cow).
 
Every time I've travelled with an ESTA, I've had a print off with me, just in case.

I've never had to actually get out the copy though.
 
Ghosteh said:
Every time I've travelled with an ESTA, I've had a print off with me, just in case.

I've never had to actually get out the copy though.
Click to expand...

They advise you to print out a copy. It like you, I've never had to show it. Although you do get ESTA grant, they still decide whether to grant you entry before you board the aircraft in the UK. This saves messing about being refused and having to wait for a return flight if worst came to worst.
 
Definitely print a copy to take - when last flew into LA a couple of years ago, CBP systems were down so the officers were having to phone somewhere. People with printed copies of ESTA were taken to front of the queues to be processed first until everything came back online.
 
I was checking into my flight to NYC from Luton airport last month when they told me my ESTA had expired and I couldn't check-in (I am usually pretty organised with that sort of stuff!). DOHHHH!

I applied for a new ESTA as I was stood in front of the check-in counter on my phone and as soon as I got the email (instant), their systems let me check in with no reference number etc so it must be pretty well integrated into their check-in systems.
 
megakid said:
I was checking into my flight to NYC from Luton airport last month when they told me my ESTA had expired and I couldn't check-in (I am usually pretty organised with that sort of stuff!). DOHHHH!

I applied for a new ESTA as I was stood in front of the check-in counter on my phone and as soon as I got the email (instant), their systems let me check in with no reference number etc so it must be pretty well integrated into their check-in systems.
Click to expand...

Good to know! I have faith, for once trust ze system! :P
 
Jokester said:
Where are you flying to? Most places are generally no more than an hour.
Click to expand...

JFK, almost guaranteed 2+ hours and I've waited 4 hours before. The length of the queue is astonishing, you snake around the corridors which feels like forever.

Flying in to EWR next month so hopefully won't be as bad.
 
I went to NYC end of June. Shortly before landing I had to fill out a short, A5-sized, single-sided form which I guess reaffirms your authorisation to enter (i.e. that you have a valid ESTA).

I also didn't realise until just now that a single ESTA allows for multiple trips to the USA within its validity period, but I never printed mine out so I was wondering if the documentation is easy to obtain if 'lost'? (I never received email confirmation.)

EDIT: Never mind..there's a 'retrieve application' on the US customs website.

Adam said:
JFK, almost guaranteed 2+ hours and I've waited 4 hours before. The length of the queue is astonishing, you snake around the corridors which feels like forever.

Flying in to EWR next month so hopefully won't be as bad.
Click to expand...

I'll vouch for this as I arrived at JFK too. However, I used my US girlfriend to speed up the process. Perhaps unethical (or illegal?), but I went with her and we sailed through. The lines looked horrendous. Took us about 30 minutes though, including faffing around with fingerprints.
 
Last edited:
It will be fine, if there was a problem you'd likely find out before you leave, the airline confirms all passengers before they can take off. Had quite a few flights delayed while they do that now.

*I've never actually travelled on an ESTA, I fly to the US frequently with work with an L1 Work Permit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom