ESTA Disaster!

Well, I guess it's all our own fault.

Other half's passport expired and was renewed earlier in the year. Didn't cross our mind her ESTA would immediately be canceled as she got it last October.

Supposed to be on VS27 tomorrow morning - went to check in - She can't travel.

Have applied online - but who knows how long it will take and it can be 72 hours. Does anyone have experience of something like this and what are our options?

Normally when you apply a subsequent time it is pretty quick, so fingers crossed

Well - that was quick. Application Approved. Online Check-in still won't accept it - but I assume that's a timing and systems talking to each other thing. I guess we keep trying and sort it out at the airport with a printout of the approval if required. Thanks LucyLu!

[buns]

Hope all goes well with check in

buns

Just presenting evidence of a valid ESTA isn’t enough: the airline has to receive the computerised “marker” from the CBP before it’ll let you fly.

In this case you should be fine as it’s nearly 24 hours before you fly but there was one case recently on here where someone arrived at the airport with no ESTA, applied for one, got approved but still wasn’t allowed to fly as the airline hadn’t received the marker and the computer said no.

IIRC he tried to claim involuntary denied boarding but didn’t have a leg to stand on as the ESTA website makes it clear you should apply at least 72 hours before you fly. And I also seem to recall he had an attitude problem, which may explain why the check-in agents weren’t inclined to go above and beyond to help him .....

Hi ColH,
Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Suggest you keep trying the on-line check in until you leave for LGW. Hard copy of the ESTA acceptance (even a couple!) is an absolute must.
Good luck! We're all rooting for you. Do hope it all works out. Please let us know how you get on.
Kind regards,
John

I can only speak from our experience, but the exact same thing happened to us 2 years ago. I was trying to check in online and it would not let me check my husband in - new passport, I had forgotten to update his ESTA.... anyway, rushed home , the longest hour's drive, and applied with bated breath. It took an hour or so to be approved and luckily, I did not even know that the approval may not have reached Virgin (by this point, it was T-19 hours...) so we rocked up to LGW and all was fine.

I do hope it is fine also for you. As John says, please let us know - everything crossed for you both.

[mitchja]

Wishing you luck as well.

The ESTA 72 hr cut-off rule was only brought in at the end of 2018 and by all accounts it doesn’t has much flexibility unfortunately.

Thanks everyone for all your messages.

So, after a day talking to Virgin cust services (don't worry if it's approved you can fly, our systems are rubbish, we are trying to upgrade them soon, it'll be fine at the airport) and the ESTA people at CBP in Washington D.C. (if it's approved, it's approved, there is nothing else we can press, it must be a problem at your airline, the 72 hours is just to make sure it gets there and is not an issue once you are approved).

We decided turning up at the airport in the morning was a bit risky despite everyone saying it would be fine, so as we live about 25mins drive from Gatwick we drove up there to twilight checking where a lovely lady on the Upper checkin desk, explained that a day should be plenty, if it didn't show up okay now it would be fine in the morning, they always are, oh, hang on, there it is. You're fine! I may have told her I love her!

So the moral of the story is, you can approve the day before just fine, but for the sake of your blood pressure, please don't!

And best of all we are all checked in and flying!

Night all.

[mitchja]

Glad to hear it’s all worked out for you, enjoy your trip tomorrow

And people say flying is a stressful experience....

Hi

I'm trying to be a voice of sanity amongst the ESTA panics

If you're only going to go to the US once in your life, then ESTA is obvious
But I get the feeling we're talking about 'repeat offenders' here

Why not get a VISA?
I've been going to the US for nearly 50 years, mainly for 'business'. The whole US definitions of what I do, and how I do it boggle corporate lawyers - I 'represnt' UK companies, don't get paid in the US, but may 'benefit (In the UK) from US business. It's hard to understand

Having seen videos of Guantanamo bay, it's not my destination of cloice :(-

So every 10 years, I devote half a day of going to the US Embassy, being interviewed, them not understanding why I'm there, and instantly confirming another 10 year Visa

When I first went to the USA (1978) ever as a TOURIST you needed to get a VISA

So my thoughts are for the repeat offendors, give up 1/2 day. get a VISA, and then (Perhams) Global Entry
(another topic - but last month in JFK I got throuht GE in 2 minutes - incuding secondary referral - and my Sister in Law with ESTA took over 2 hours....)

Semon ends here...

Peter

Wishing you luck as well.

The ESTA 72 hr cut-off rule was only brought in at the end of 2018 and by all accounts it doesn’t has much flexibility unfortunately.

It wasn't a new rule but implementation of a long existing one.

IIRC the advice was always to apply no later than 72 hours before departure.

Glad it was sorted, my experiance has always been it comes back quickly but you're never sure and the 72hr rule doesn't help.

@Peter - I've never thought about getting a Visa but you're right it sounds like a sensible idea (as this is my second trip this year). When I first went way back when the Visa Waiver scheme had just been brought in.

I'm petty sure if you're eligible for ETSA then you aren't usually eligible for a B1/B2 visa...

W.

There’s a difference between being ‘eligible’ for an ESTA and deciding to take one

To take one, you forfeit all rights of appeal to CBP’s arbitrary and often flawed decisions.

That’s another reason I want a VISA. 1/2 day every ten years is well spent in my view

But each to their own....

Peter

PS - the CBP website says ‘generally foreign visitor should have a visa’
And that B2 visas are for ‘pleasure, travel, and medical visits’

No I don't think so.

When I applied for my visa back in the day I had to prove why I could or didn't just use the ETSA.

Yours is because you're working, mine was relationship reasons..

I'm pretty sure some one who likes to holiday every year and can't be bothered with ETSA will be denied an B1/B2. And then if you're denied you have to declare that on the ETSA... Remember pretty much any immigration violation will result in a 10 yr ban.

If you want to come to the USA follow the/our rules and it'll be simple. Start messing with the system and you're going to cause yourself a nightmare . I moved here after getting married to an American citizen and for us the process was simple I know many others who didn't do everything by the book are in a nightmare of paperwork and administration.

To take one, you forfeit all rights of appeal to CBP’s arbitrary and often flawed decisions.

Not correct

If you get refused for an ESTA they advise (tell) you to apply for a visa so there is an appeal mechanism.

And the CBP also has an ombdsman you can appeal to as well.