Changes to ESTA eligibility

Have had a quick look for this, and cannot find anything already posted (Mods - please delete if duplicated)

From reading past posts, I don't think anyone here is affected, but thought I would make people aware. I was advised by a work colleague, who works in ME.

From Gov.uk website for USA travel advice - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa

"From 21 January 2016 most people who have travelled to Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria since March 2011, or are dual nationals of these countries, will no longer qualify for entry under the VWP and existing ESTAs could be cancelled. You’ll instead need to apply for a visa from the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. If in doubt contact the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. Also, from 1 April 2016, all travellers wishing to enter the US under the VWP will need to hold a passport with an integrated chip (an ePassport). See Entry requirements"

Referenced obliquely here

[Nottingham Nick]

Referenced obliquely here

Thanks pjh - I was going to link to that thread, as it contains information and opinion not included here - but i think this topic is sufficiently important to have a stand alone thread.

Nick

Also on the VS website: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/tr ... -news.html (third news article at present).

Cheers all. For some reason, I had missed the content of that thread and only spotted the spelling mistake...

I think the e-passport is the most important item here, as some people may have applied for ESTA recently without a passport with chip, and now find that it is invalid this year, when they assume they are OK. I know my daughter falls foul of this.

Worthwhile double checking.

Cheers all. For some reason, I had missed the content of that thread and only spotted the spelling mistake...

I think the e-passport is the most important item here, as some people may have applied for ESTA recently without a passport with chip, and now find that it is invalid this year, when they assume they are OK. I know my daughter falls foul of this.

Worthwhile double checking.

I remembered this thread from just before Christmas on the e-passport.

Are they saying that if you have a non expired ESTA on a machine readable passport that you'll be denied entry?

On our trip to LAS in December the OH had a passport (issued 2006) that was not biometric/ machine readable and gained access to the USA with no problems. We did not use passport machines though. The ESTA had 3 weeks left on it.

Are they saying that if you have a non expired ESTA on a machine readable passport that you'll be denied entry?

My reading of it is that from that date you must have a chipped passport for the US and a machine readable will be rejected even if there is still a valid ESTA on it.

Remember that an ESTA is a travel authorisation and not a guarantee of entry into the US.

If you present a non chipped passport at an airport for a flight going to the US you ain't getting on the plane let alone get to the US to argue with a CBP officer.

I'm not sure how many UK passport holders have only machine readable ones as they've not been issued for quite some time.

"Passports issued by Visa Waiver Program countries on or after October 26, 2006 must be e-Passports"
The UK started issuing e-Passports in 2006, so surely very few people, if anyone, with a UK passport will be caught? Unless they issued e-Passports at the same time as the old style?

"Passports issued by Visa Waiver Program countries on or after October 26, 2006 must be e-Passports"
The UK started issuing e-Passports in 2006, so surely very few people, if anyone, with a UK passport will be caught? Unless they issued e-Passports at the same time as the old style?

someone who applied early for a renewal in 2006 could still have one and with the extended validity - someone in one of the other threads said that's what they had.

But yes it should be a very small and reducing number. if anyone does still have one then they should apply for an early renewal and HMPO will add up to 9 months of validity of the old one onto the new passport.

OH's non-machine readable passport would still be valid for trvel had it not been renewed last week. It was due to expire in April 2016. Are we know saying that though accepted for US immigration in December it would not be accepted today? Or just not accepted for a new ESTA application and travel on that ESTA?

Annoyingly it was "lost in the Royal Mail" as they did not receive it with the renewal application, then had to go through the hassle of completing the lost/ stolen report form and consequently the unspent times was not added on to the new document, albeit that was only 3 months.

But it has been replaced, together with ESTAs.

OH's non-machine readable passport would still be valid for trvel had it not been renewed last week.

UK passports have been machine readable since 1991! I assume you mean non e-Passport?

OH's was due to expire in April 2016. Are we know saying that though accepted for US immigration in December it would not be accepted today? Or just not accepted for a new ESTA application and travel on that ESTA?
.

That's the question...if the former, then there's still a possibility of someone pitching up at the airport thinking they are good to go and then being denied boarding . And only one being denied boarding will possibly mean a family denied boarding and a headline in the Mail or the Express.

OH's non-machine readable passport would still be valid for trvel had it not been renewed last week.

UK passports have been machine readable since 1991! I assume you mean non e-Passport?

I guess i do then! But machine readable does not mean the automatic immigration machines can read it if it is not a biometric e-passport I assume?

But all theoretical for us now.

Machine readable refers to the line of code at the bottom of the photo page. Superseded by e-passports which have a chip in them (identifiable by a symbol on the front cover).

My passport was issued in 2010, John had a new one about 18 months ago and is different to mine. Does anyone know if my passport be valid? We have up to date passsports.

Thanks,

Karen

My passport was issued in 2010, John had a new one about 18 months ago and is different to mine. Does anyone know if my passport be valid? We have up to date passsports

Does the front of your passport look like this - with the symbol at the bottom?

image.jpeg (25.75 KiB) Viewed 6260 times

If yes, then you're good to go.

My passport was issued in 2010, John had a new one about 18 months ago and is different to mine. Does anyone know if my passport be valid? We have up to date passsports.

Thanks,

Karen

Passports are redesigned every 5 years. Largely to avoid forgery etc. This was the latest which looks very nice:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... gazine.pdf

UK passports have been machine readable since 1991! I assume you mean non e-Passport?

I got a non machine readable passport issued in Brussels in 1999, got turned away from checking into a 2007 Vegas flight on Virgin.

(Got a replacement passport within hours from Home Office in Victoria, and flew next day)

My passport was issued in 2010, John had a new one about 18 months ago and is different to mine. Does anyone know if my passport be valid? We have up to date passsports

Does the front of your passport look like this - with the symbol at the bottom?

image.jpeg

If yes, then you're good to go.

Out of interest, what if the answer is "no"

My travel partner has a 10year uk passport issued in January 2006 which was extended until October 2016 as she applied early to renew at that time.

She had an ESTA issued in January 2015 covering her until the passport expires.

However her passport does not have that symbol making it an e-passport

We are due to fly to MCO on 10th March returning 24th March 2016.

Taking these new ESTA/passport regulations into consideration - would you advise renewing the non e -passport now, although we are travelling before the new laws come into force on April 1st 2016?

Any comment or advice would be welcomed. I've emailed VS but heard nothing back giving positive information.

Thanks Hev

If I was in that position I'd get a new passport (they will add up to 9 months validity from the old one) just to eliminate any possibility of a kerfuffle.

She will then need a new ESTA

Thanks for reply Tontybear which I agree with. Hoping the US customs don't make any more new regulations, like we must have one of these new all singing dancing passports as mine is just the normal e-passport which don't expire until 2020 !!!

Hoping the US customs don't make any more new regulations

If Donald Trump becomes President I doubt getting into the US will become any easier. Especially if you're Scottish

If DT became POTUSA I would not want to enter the country!

Those last two comments made me burst out laughing - my fellow train passengers gave me a rather strange glare