View Full Version : Esta Valid till date
This has probably been asked before but does anyone know if the Esta has to be valid for any period after the return date of the holiday in the same way as a passport. My holiday return date is Aug 5th 2012 and my Esta valid to date it Aug 12th 2012.
steph_goodrum
24-02-2012, 16:01
It only has to be valid for entry so you will be fine.
gail and david roberts
25-02-2012, 08:33
Glad you asked this vickk ,
I was wondering the same thing , thank you
Just to be clear, there is no period your passport has to be valid for either. As long as it is valid until the date you leave the USA, that's all that's required.
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/clp/bulletins/clp_bullentin_04162008.ctt/clp_bulletin_04162008.pdf
Ok so just to re confirm my wifes esta expires the 12th january 2013...we arrive the 4th january 2013...
So is this ok to leave?
thx again sandrino
caroline
11-03-2012, 13:59
Technically I think yes, personally for the sake of £14 I'd renew it and be confident I wasn't going to have to 'discuss' the issue at immigration.
Technically you're OK, but for the minimal cost and effort involved I would be tempted to renew anyway.
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1223/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvc2lkL2hnaHNtUVNr/~/esta-expiration-notice
steph_goodrum
11-03-2012, 16:35
Just to be clear, there is no period your passport has to be valid for either. As long as it is valid until the date you leave the USA, that's all that's required.
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/clp/bulletins/clp_bullentin_04162008.ctt/clp_bulletin_04162008.pdf
That's the "Official" ruling Keith but when we went last year in December (9th -30th) my husbands passport expired Feb 29th this year. We had the forms to renew and then realised we would also have to renew ESTA if we did it, and as we knew we wouldnt be going back till Summer thouught we would lose 6 month validity of the ESTA. When we got to Immigration he flaged there wasnt six months left, we said we checked and it has changed, he agred and said yes we were from a country that that is true of BUT a there wasnt 6 months left husband had to go to secondary questioning. He saw 2 other people and they were quite stroppy and said you should have 6 months. So even the rule says that don't assume you wont have any problem. We're just hoping it isn't going to set a flag so that each time he goes through he will get questioned again as to why they needed to question him last time.
needless to say my passport expires inJuly this year so Ive renewed already seeing the hassle it gave him.
Well you could say that for everything, it is down to the individual officer, and that is always the risk. Even with 10 years on your passport you are not guaranteed entry.
But those are the rules as posted on the CBP website, and I would certainly make an official complaint if that happened to me.
steph_goodrum
11-03-2012, 18:10
We don't want to cause any more hassle Keith, especially as next time we visit will probably be for our daughters wedding, although as we will be going into Boston probably , hopefully they will be ok.
It was so frustrating as he kept reiterating that you don't need 6 months on there, so not sure why they felt they needed the extra questioning. My friend and her husband have each travelled twice with less than 6 months (went into Miami) and had no trouble.
I can understand your frustration, especially as it sounds like they let him in anyway in the end, implying that there never was anything wrong in the first place.
steph_goodrum
12-03-2012, 18:20
I can understand your frustration, especially as it sounds like they let him in anyway in the end, implying that there never was anything wrong in the first place.
They did let him in Keith (took about 10 mins longer) and just crossed out the date on the stamp (90 days) and wrote 28th Feb (day before passport expired) what was even more stupid was that the 90 days as shown was 8th March so only 1 week less. I've told him to make sure we take both passports next time iin case they ask and we can show them easily what the question was.