Editing/updating Advance Passenger Information

[estate]

Hi all,

Apologies for yet another thread on this topic - I have searched through the forums but couldn't find one with the answers I need!

Here's the background:
I'm flying SYD-LAX-JFK-ZRH-GVA straight through next month (before you start, I know... ). I leave JFK four hours after arriving on QF107.
I then return to New York for a few days in January, and then head home. I'm staying with a friend in NYC who, having only just arrived there yesterday herself, is staying in temporary accommodation for the moment. She will move just before Christmas and I'll be staying with her in her new apartment in the new year.

I understand I need to enter an address with both QF and ESTA prior to departure.
I've just had an extraordinarily frustrating phone call with Qantas, asking about updating this advance information. If I give them the current address, it will be wrong for two reasons: 1, I'm not actually staying anywhere on my first visit to the USA, and 2, I won't know the address of my second visit (early Jan) until after I reach GVA. I asked the singularly unhelpful QF guy if QF's website allowed me to edit/update this information once I had submitted it. He insisted, three times, that this was a service QF provides and that I would need to talk to the American consulate/ESTA. I repeated several times that I wasn't asking about ESTA (I'm well aware that's a seperate entity) I was asking whether QF's website lets me update the address later on. In the end I gave up and am reverting to you kind souls.

I imagine QF's information and ESTA's information will need to match up. What do you thnk I should put down as my address? And will QF allow me to change the address I give them later on?

 

[Mal]

"In Transit to Zurich AAxx_" (or similar). [Per the advice at the ESTA site: If you are leaving the United States immediately and do not have an address, enter the words ”In Transit” and your final destination location. ]

The ESTA address can be changed at any time. I'm not 100% sure if you can change the Qantas one online - although the check-in person can definitely change it.

So, I would use the In Transit one first, and then get it changed before your return flight.

 

[estate]

Thanks Mal. I'll give them the "in transit" info (maybe my Swiss flight number might help too.)

Your post gave me another thought - how many "visa waivers" do I need? One or two, because I'm entering and exiting the USA twice?

If it's just one, do you happen to know if I can change the ESTA address after I've been and gone through America the first time?

My flight back to JFK from Europe is with Swiss, so I'll give them that info after I've reached Europe and my friend has moved.

 

[Mal]

Your post gave me another thought - how many "visa waivers" do I need? One or two, because I'm entering and exiting the USA twice?

two - (and you'll get two entry stamps) but don't worry about it. I'll explain why a bit later in my reply.

If it's just one, do you happen to know if I can change the ESTA address after I've been and gone through America the first time?

Yes you can. An Esta is valid for 2 years (or sooner if your passport is valid for less than 2 years). During this time, you can update the information at any stage. You do need to remember your application number, so keep a copy of it somewhere.

My flight back to JFK from Europe is with Swiss, so I'll give them that info after I've reached Europe and my friend has moved.

Yes, that's the best way to handle it.