ESTA help

Received my new passport a few weeks ago, so decided as we have a month before our Denver trip to apply for my new ESTA. Think I filled it in ok then its now put me on pending authorisation, have never had this before and of course got me panicking. Anybody else had this with a new passport? Or could something else be amiss. Linda

It will be because you are on a new passport. My Dad had the very same thing despite numerous trips to the US, once he re-applied with a new passport he had to wait 24 hours or so to be approved.

I wouldn't sweat it

Panick over just checked again all approved. On looking on several flyer boards seems this is very common. linda

Good to hear!

I think it's a bit of a lottery.
Mrs D and I renewed passports at the same time and applied for ESTAs (We have both done many trips previously)
Mine was authorized immediately while hers was 24 hours later.

Dick D

This happened to me, a couple of days ago. I think I'd read somewhere that it can happen, so I held me breath and went back to check a couple of hours later - and it had been authorised.

I don't know if it's linked to a new passport though - passport hadn't been renewed, so maybe its more random than that?

Glad all is well - enjoy your upcoming holiday!

When I renewwed my ESTA last month (just the ESTA) the application said 'pending' but I just went straight into my record and it had already updated to 'approved' (or similar)

Is it my imagination, or does the form keep getting longer???

Did mine a while ago and instead of the usual straight through i got a pending auth, looked about an hr later and it had gone through so I assume it was just a random extra check thing they are doing.

Is it my imagination, or does the form keep getting longer???

I was with my Dad when he did his and I noticed an extra optional field for supplying any social media accounts you had! Don't remember that from when I last did mine..

social media is new (well since 2015 when I did one and that included new questions on Parents and employment satus)

Is it my imagination, or does the form keep getting longer???

I was with my Dad when he did his and I noticed an extra optional field for supplying any social media accounts you had! Don't remember that from when I last did mine..

Indeed! Ours renew at differing times, and I know that field wasn't there last time - which would have been about a year ago. Wonder what they'll add next ...