Esta Valid till date

[vickk]

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]

It only has to be valid for entry so you will be fine.

[vickk]

Thank you

[gail and david roberts]

Glad you asked this vickk ,
I was wondering the same thing , thank you

[Sniff]

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

[drino]

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]

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.

[Sniff]

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]

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/...n_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.

[Sniff]

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.