USA ESTA

[drron]

We always check our Estas when we make a decision to visit the USA so we know if a new ESTA will be required.We often decide 12 months out so then pencil in a date when we need to apply.

But there will be a problem with some people.Our neice is a TA.On one occasion one of her clients and family turned up for their flights to the USA without even having a passport.And they were in F.This was despite being told in person of the requirements,several emails and being printed on their itinerary.

 

[Pushka]

We always check our Estas when we make a decision to visit the USA so we know if a new ESTA will be required.We often decide 12 months out so then pencil in a date when we need to apply.

But there will be a problem with some people.Our neice is a TA.On one occasion one of her clients and family turned up for their flights to the USA without even having a passport.And they were in F.This was despite being told in person of the requirements,several emails and being printed on their itinerary.

Didn’t the TA ask to see their passports? We don’t use TAs so much now but we’ve always been asked to show them prior to travel.

 

[drron]

Pushka if you google the subject you will only get anti Trump articles in the first several pages saying his travel bans were different and judges had ruled those bans were illegal without noting the original judges decisions were all quashed by the Supreme Court before Trump had appointed Kavanaugh to get a majority.
Which is another reason I use duckduckgo and on the first page here is one article.
Banned countries based on list from Obama administration

"In December 2015, President Obama signed into law a measure placing limited restrictions on certain travelers who had visited Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria on or after March 1, 2011. Two months later, the Obama administration added Libya, Somalia, and Yemen to the list, in what it called an effort to address “the growing threat from foreign terrorist fighters.”

Granted this article goes on with a lot of anti Trump speculation which IMHO is baseless.Trump bans went further by banning citizens from those countries from travelling to the USA for 90 days.

 

[drron]

Didn’t the TA ask to see their passports? We don’t use TAs so much now but we’ve always been asked to show them prior to travel.

They weren't seen in person after the initial visit.The father was too busy.

 

[Pushka]

Pushka if you google the subject you will only get anti Trump articles in the first several pages saying his travel bans were different and judges had ruled those bans were illegal without noting the original judges decisions were all quashed by the Supreme Court before Trump had appointed Kavanaugh to get a majority.
Which is another reason I use duckduckgo and on the first page here is one article.
Banned countries based on list from Obama administration

"In December 2015, President Obama signed into law a measure placing limited restrictions on certain travelers who had visited Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria on or after March 1, 2011. Two months later, the Obama administration added Libya, Somalia, and Yemen to the list, in what it called an effort to address “the growing threat from foreign terrorist fighters.”

Granted this article goes on with a lot of anti Trump speculation which IMHO is baseless.Trump bans went further by banning citizens from those countries from travelling to the USA for 90 days.

Sure but I’m not really bothered by who implemented anything as I think all politicians these days are cut from the same cloth, it just depends on which way the weave is.

My issue was that people coming into the USA at a particular point in time, in recent times, with a new passport were getting particularly hassled at the border because their newness implied they were hiding something. Our passports are new so was wondering if that issue has now passed.

 

[RooFlyer]

People arriving into the USA at about that time with brand new passports were being hassled more than usual because customs interpreted the newness as a result of people hiding something in their old passports so they got a new one. For the Aussies who were caught up it was simply that their old ones had expired.

Ah, understand now. Which allows me to bring out a story from Canada which, while only vaguely related, might show that there's more available to an immigration officer than what's in a current passport.

I've been visiting Canada all my adult life, spread over maybe 5 or 6 passports. In the early '90s I studied there and had a Student Visa from Canada. Fast forward to about 2016 when I was very regularly visiting Canada for business and I used to be regularly invited to speak to the good people in the booths behind the main ones to be grilled to see if I was 'working' in Canada. In the course of one of those interviews the officer noted the fact that I had a student visa from 1991 to 1992 and was working in Canada for a year after that (as I was entitled to). I got through unscathed that time, and every time ...

So the Canadians at least had stitched together my total visit history across several passports and it was there on the screen. Not so difficult or unexpected I guess, but I dare say the US and most countries who are very particular about people entering their countries have a lot of behind-the-scenes information compiled about prospective visitors. I wouldn't be surprised if any airline reservation made on the various booking engines such as Amadeus, Sabre etc was available to them (fair means or foul) and compiled for each visiting pax.

Which is a long way of saying I don't think that they would be 'suspicious' of new passports because they would have proxy information on one's past travel history in their system anyway. (Or maybe I'm way overthinking it )

 

[jb747]

The last ESTA I got before my visa did have a number and I recorded it and printed out the approval and carried it with me per the " always carry the hardcopy" philosophy of travel.

Yes, that bothered me. But I've been back to the site, and looked, and there's no specific number, only the application ID. The status page specifically says 'approved for travel to the USA', so I've printed that out. Just not what I expected, or remembered from last time.

 

[TomVexille]

I remember that as well @Pushka. It was reported by a couple AFFers IIRC.

My recollection was that it was an issue with a specific batch of new Aussie passports though

 

[Pushka]

I remember that as well @Pushka. It was reported by a couple AFFers IIRC.

My recollection was that it was an issue with a specific batch of new Aussie passports though

Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou. I thought I was going mad. I cannot find it here but yes it was reported by some AFFers. I can’t find out the specifics.

 

[Pushka]

Ah, understand now. Which allows me to bring out a story from Canada which, while only vaguely related, might show that there's more available to an immigration officer than what's in a current passport.

I've been visiting Canada all my adult life, spread over maybe 5 or 6 passports. In the early '90s I studied there and had a Student Visa from Canada. Fast forward to about 2016 when I was very regularly visiting Canada for business and I used to be regularly invited to speak to the good people in the booths behind the main ones to be grilled to see if I was 'working' in Canada. In the course of one of those interviews the officer noted the fact that I had a student visa from 1991 to 1992 and was working in Canada for a year after that (as I was entitled to). I got through unscathed that time, and every time ...

So the Canadians at least had stitched together my total visit history across several passports and it was there on the screen. Not so difficult or unexpected I guess, but I dare say the US and most countries who are very particular about people entering their countries have a lot of behind-the-scenes information compiled about prospective visitors. I wouldn't be surprised if any airline reservation made on the various booking engines such as Amadeus, Sabre etc was available to them (fair means or foul) and compiled for each visiting pax.

Which is a long way of saying I don't think that they would be 'suspicious' of new passports because they would have proxy information on one's past travel history in their system anyway. (Or maybe I'm way overthinking it )

That makes sense. I think I read that Israel taps into the same travel pattern history as the US.

 

[RooFlyer]

My recollection was that it was an issue with a specific batch of new Aussie passports though

Ah, yes, I recall that too now.

 

[RooFlyer]

That makes sense. I think I read that Israel taps into the same travel pattern history as the US.

Of course if the 'no Israel' countries start doing the same thing, many of us will be stuffed going to some neat places, like Sudan ...

 

[Pushka]

Of course if the 'no Israel' countries start doing the same thing, many of us will be stuffed going to some neat places, like Sudan ...

Not this cookie.

 

[serfty]

USA CBP certainly link old and new passports. I renewed mine 13 months ago and my USA entry/exit history (available here: I94 - Official Website ) results span travel with both the old and new passports. I only entered the new.

 

[serfty]

Yes, that bothered me. But I've been back to the site, and looked, and there's no specific number, only the application ID. The status page specifically says 'approved for travel to the USA', so I've printed that out. Just not what I expected, or remembered from last time.

The Application Number/ID IS the number.

You can use the application number, PP number and D.O.B. to look up your ESTA here:

Home | Official ESTA Application Website, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

You can also edit some information.

If you don't have your Application number/id then you can still retrieve your ESTA status with a bit more information using the same page.

---

 

[Pushka]

I must get down to doing our ESTA and Canadian Visa before we hand over a large slab of money next month. New passports and all that.

 

[RooFlyer]

USA CBP certainly link old and new passports. I renewed mine 13 months ago and my USA entry/exit history (available here: I94 - Official Website ) results span both the old and new when entering the new.

Great, thanks - I'll use that

 

[jb747]

The Application Number/ID IS the number.

You can use the application number, PP number and D.O.B. to look up your ESTA here:

Yes, thanks Serfty. I'd downloaded and printed those pages. It simply wasn't what I remembered from last time.

 

[Himeno]

I got a group ESTA for my son and myself just the other day. You get an email after you complete the application, with a few details on it, and that was all. After that, to check on the status, you need to log in to their site with the details from the email. All it said was that we were both approved to travel to the USA. I expected some form of number, but I assume it’s attached in their records to your passport.

I got a new one in late Sep after my last one expired.
Completed the form, went to do the Canada eTA, and had an email back with ESTA approval by the time the eTA was sent.
The new ESTA is valid until end Sep 2020. The eTA is valid until end Sep 2023.

The ESTA approval is linked to the passport. They'll get boarding permission when they scan the passport at check in. I've never been asked for the ESTA number.

 

[wandering_fred]

Well of course Immigration pulled up my 20 year travel history in and out of Australia when I applied for citizenship. Enough departures to have them ask for some external police clearances in the process... Fortunately this was a number of years ago as I am certain things have become more complicated (and expensive) since. Also just as well the "other" countries visiting date is in 2011 as I did visit quite a number of them pre-Gulf War.

Just happily sitting at home instead of wandering
Fred