USA transit on Visa Waiver

[Salusa]

I have so far been successful in avoiding the USA but now I have no choice as I have to transit through to Central America.

Silly question but what do you write in the address field on the I-94W?

Presumably just "Transit" or leave blank?

It would be nice to know in advance as I don’t want to get sent to the back of the queue again for a minor infraction.

Coming back the other way is two hours long enough to connect to an international flight at LAX? I would already have cleared immigration at IAH and will arrive on a domestic flight.

Thanks.

[raffele]

I've never transited through the States, but if you're travelling on the VWP then you put the address of the hotel or house where you are staying on your first night, and I think this still applies if you are in transit. You should be given help and advice either at your departing airport or onboard the flight on filling in the I-94W.

Depending on when you are travelling, you maybe able to use their new electronic travel authorisation system, ESTA - more information is available at U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Travel (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/)

[manintheback]

2 hours should be fine at Lax - more than enough

In transit is a bit of an alien concept to US immigration, I've always left it blank and let them tell me what to do.

[intortola]

I transit through the US regularly and always write "in transit to xxxxxx", has never been a problem, just write city name in full rather than airport code i.e put London rather than LHR

[spiney]

In certain Airports eg MIA, probably others also, it used to be possible to Transit if you were arriving and leaving on the same airline. AA used to have such a system, but it was very cumbersome and more efficient simply to go through Immigration, enter the country, and then go to the appropriate Departure Gate, providing your connection time allowed... more time consuming these days. No problem in putting down 'In Transit' and the onward city. I'd also keep your ticket or onward boarding pass handy as proof of travel - they'll want to know you're actually intending to leave.

2 hours at LAX is OK - but it's a spread-out airport and checking the map for the layout might be time well spent.

[Salusa]

Thanks all.

"In transit to xxxxxx" it is then.