USA ESTA

serfty said:
Who were you flying with and fron where?

The interviews happen at your departure port before you board your flight to the USA.

They can be before or after check in but generally you cannot board without a sticker.

In the last 12 months I've had these at MEL (both QF and VA), SYD (QF) & HKG (CX).
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Both flights were with AA
1. HND to LAX
2. BOG to DFW
 
Just donated another US$28 to a worthy cause.... last time is was $56. Our travel expenditure is about to drop 50% across the board :) Or as I prefer to say - twice the amount of travel for the same price :cool::p

We still had a month to go on the old ESTA, so the timing wasn't that bad.
 
Just checked our two seeing we are going there next month.
Mrscove did get to see the holding room a while back as a result of a new passport. Folks crying and a big sign warning to not use your phone in there.
 
Would a new passport just put an X on the autokiosk printout and direct to a secondary agent but not a holding room?
 
Pushka said:
Having applied for ESTA yesterday I expected an email this morning for approval - but nada. I’d printed out the application so checked online as to its status. Both have been approved. But still no email. Is this usual? I’ve printed off the approval page anyway.
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Just checked the CBP website and we were both approved overnight - no email received. A search of my email accounts indicates I've never received a confirmation email from them.
 
amaroo said:
Just checked the CBP website and we were both approved overnight - no email received. A search of my email accounts indicates I've never received a confirmation email from them.
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That has been reported a lot recently.

Also, some have indicated they waited for an approval confirmation and when one was not received within a few minutes (as had occurred previously), they looked up their ESTA to find it had been already approved.
 
serfty said:
That has been reported a lot recently.

Also, some have indicated they waited for an approval confirmation and when one was not received within a few minutes (as had occurred previously), they looked up their ESTA to find it had been already approved.
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I checked 6/7 hours after submitting the application yesterday - it showed "authorisation pending" .... maybe an Easter induced delay, but Easter isn't a holiday over there.

Funny system, I received email confirmation on application and have in the past, but nothing actually advising I've been approved.
 
serfty said:
... some have indicated they waited for an approval confirmation and when one was not received within a few minutes (as had occurred previously), they looked up their ESTA to find it had been already approved.
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Looking back, this very thing happened to me in February last year with my most recent "ESTA travel authorization".
 
I definitely received an email the first time, about four years ago. Nothing this time. I did receive one for Canada.
 
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I submitted a new ESTA earlier this month. Checked back that afternoon on its progress, was still pending (BNE time, had been a couple of hours).
Checked back the next day, and it was approved. No email received regarding the approval. Not a new passport, but the ESTA had expired.
 
Made me check on the expiry date for our ESTAs - so I printed them out and will leave them on our travel folder !! :):)
 
Hey all!
My daughter was denied boarding for her flight this morning departing the UK to Vancouver via Dallas due to not having an ESTA. She applied for one instantly and has been notified that it can take up to 72hrs to be processed although approx 90% of cases are approved within the hr.

She has previously travelled to Israel and Jordan, could this be an issue for her application?

She has an approved Canadian visa.

She is currently waiting at the airport so we are seeking advice on what to do, all suggestions welcome!

Many thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
Disclosure: No personal experience.

Seems typical US behaviour, even though you are only transiting through the US with no intention of staying, an ESTA is requested.

Similar to a relative of mine departing Melbourne AU for Canada with a transit through Hawaii was not allowed to commence the trip without either an US ESTA or Visa.

Applications seem to go into a "black box" and come out after varying time lengths.
 

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