View Full Version : Esta
travelling in 2 weeks party of 6
We have obtained our estas without problem,when filling in forms it asked where we would be staying , I have answered Las Vegas as this is where we will be for 3 days ,we then travel to Florida for a week,will this cause a problem.
Katys Grandad
22-08-2013, 10:19
No - you only need to provide the venue for your arrival first night.
Gerry Reed
22-08-2013, 10:20
I don't think so. The old forms used to just ask for the address of your first night, so that is what I put on the ESTA. Lots of visitors travel around and there is only room for one address.
Sue
I had the same issue on a recent multi-city trip to the USA. It's true, they only need your first address.
It made sense at one of the hotels I stayed at - they asked for my next address. Presumably, the USA govt. believes most hotels do this, so they could 'follow' you around the country if required. Only the one hotel ever asked though.
Katys Grandad
22-08-2013, 18:40
It's all a bit of a nonsense really because there isn't any link between what you enter and where you end up staying and I don't believe they ever verify it. It's particularly ridiculous if your point of arrival is merely a stopover en route to another country and you have to fill it all in even though you aren't staying in the US at all.
DLB-GOUROCK
22-08-2013, 19:32
You are only asked to advise of the address of your first night. Even this is a bit of a fallacy.
Sush, don't tell anyone on here but a few years ago I did an AOA villa holiday and I did not know where I would be staying until I was leaving the airport. The tour company said fill in thier office address in Orlando. So this is point one.
Point two is you can travel on an ESTA for two years (if you do not renew your passport in the interim) and there is no requirement to update your flight / arrival details let alone where you are staying.
Katys Grandad
22-08-2013, 19:55
Point two is you can travel on an ESTA for two years (if you do not renew your passport in the interim) and there is no requirement to update your flight / arrival details let alone where you are staying.
But you do have to enter them on your Advanced Passenger Information.
DLB-GOUROCK
22-08-2013, 20:14
API is a different question to ESTA.
Even that is ambiguous ...
Don't know your address in the USA?
> Fly drive holidays – Please provide the name and location of the car hire company and where you plan to stop first.
> Cruises – If you’re joining a cruise ship, provide the cruise ship name and the port your cruise leaves from.
> Accommodation allocated on arrival – Please provide the name of our resort office.
> Backpackers – Please give an indication of where you’ll spend your first night.
> Transferring to another flight – Please give details of the departing flight number and destination.
Just reading the above, If you don't have a direct flight and say arriving at Newark then your API will be your onward flight details and Orlando. No address ????
Katys Grandad
23-08-2013, 03:08
API is a different question to ESTA.
Very much so.
The main difference is that the obligation to provide API falls on the airline rather than the individual although of course they have to get most of it from the passenger to do so.
What about passports my passport runs out March 2014 and we are thinking of travelling to Orlando November do you need to have 6 months left on the passport or is this not the case?
Katys Grandad
23-08-2013, 07:48
What about passports my passport runs out March 2014 and we are thinking of travelling to Orlando November do you need to have 6 months left on the passport or is this not the case?
It was the case a few years ago but now, as long as the passport runs to at least the day of departure. you're OK.
I think it must be day of arriving back in the U.K. thanks for the update.
DLB-GOUROCK
23-08-2013, 20:06
See this from US Border Control ...
http://bit.ly/passport_expiry
"Visitors traveling to the U.S. are required to be in possession of passports that are valid for six months beyond the period of their intended stay in the U.S. For a list of countries exempt from the six month rule, see Six Month Club. (Six Month Club validity on your passport does not apply to U.S. Citizens returning to the United States.)"
The UK is a member of the Six Month Club so you only need your passport valid until the day of your departure.
David
steph_goodrum
23-08-2013, 20:29
See this from US Border Control ...
http://bit.ly/passport_expiry
"Visitors traveling to the U.S. are required to be in possession of passports that are valid for six months beyond the period of their intended stay in the U.S. For a list of countries exempt from the six month rule, see Six Month Club. (Six Month Club validity on your passport does not apply to U.S. Citizens returning to the United States.)"
The UK is a member of the Six Month Club so you only need your passport valid until the day of your departure.
David
Be aware though that it may cause you delays if you don't have 6 months. When we went the Christmas before last, after it was announced we didnt need 6 months we delayed renewing his passport which was due to expire in the Feb. We had even got the application form filled in online and sent and then realising we would have to get a new Esta, as we weren't planning to travel till the July after would have lost almsot 6 months of the 2 year validity. We went into MCO and the IO noticed there was not 6 months, we said we swa that you didnt need it, "That's right " he said you don't, but if you don't have 6 months I have to send you to secondary questioning, so hubby got taken in there and he said the man was really obnoxious as though he was trying to catch him out. In future we will make sure there is 6 months left. We do have friends ho have both gone into Miami with less than 6 months and had no problem, just as many wont at MCO I'm sure but it can and does happen.
David and Steph thank you so much for all your advice, I think I will renew them now to be on the safe side.
Regards,
Mark.
Katys Grandad
24-08-2013, 05:28
Not sure how long it is but I think there"s a 'credit' for some of the unused period of the old passport if you renew early so that looks a good decision.
Not sure how long it is but I think there"s a 'credit' for some of the unused period of the old passport if you renew early so that looks a good decision.
I believe you can get up to 9 months transferred from your old passport to your new one, so if you have 9 unexpired months, your new passport will have 10 years and none months validity.
rogergood
24-08-2013, 09:32
I believe that your British passport needs have 3 months left on it after the date you leave the USA.
Roger
Katys Grandad
24-08-2013, 11:58
I believe that your British passport needs have 3 months left on it after the date you leave the USA.
Roger
It's all getting rather complex but I don't think that's correct. This is what GOV.UK has to say about US entry using the Visa Waiver Programme:
USA
Entry requirements
Passport validity
Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. You don’t need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this.