ESTA - How to get into the USA

[El Grifo]

Thanks for that raffele.

If you apply prior to expiry do you still have to fill in all of the data do you know ?

[wowzz]

I have no problem in principle with giving details like passport number, place of birth etc, but what exactly is the point of the questions such as - Have you ever been a Nazi? [or words to that effect]. Also, why do they want to know where you will be staying for the first night?

[Mr @ Spotty M]

The way the security services work, l think it is obvious.
If you have not got somewhere to stay for the first night, it is obvious that you plan to meet your maker, maybe before you land, so they don't want you travelling.

[ExXB]

Well, I had to look it up.

I've always thought the bit about 'moral turpitude' to be rather odd.

Well according to Wikipedia it's:

Moral turpitude is a legal concept in the United States that refers to "conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals."

The concept of moral turpitude escapes precise definition but has been described as an "act of baseness, vileness or depravity in the private and social duties which a man owes to his fellowmen, or to society in general, contrary to the accepted and customary rule of right and duty between man and man." Until recent times, a man engaged in homosexual behavior was considered engaging 'criminal behavior involving moral turpitude'. The classification of a crime or other conduct as constituting moral turpitude has significance in several areas of law. First, prior conviction of a crime of moral turpitude (or in some jurisdictions, moral turpitude conduct, even without a conviction) is considered to have a bearing on the honesty of a witness and may be used for purposes of witness impeachment. Second, moral turpitude offenses may be grounds to deny or revoke a professional license such as a teaching credential, license to practice law, or other licensed profession. Third, it is of great importance for immigration purposes, as only those offenses which are defined as involving moral turpitude are considered bars to immigration into the U.S.

So if you've been disbarred or defrocked you can't immigrate - but what does this have to do with visiting the U.S. under the Visa waiver scheme?
I also wonder how many people answer that question having no idea what they are answering?

Edited to add the link. I note that adultery is on the list ... do they really care?

[Mr @ Spotty M]

Good Job that at least two ex Presidents of the USA, did not have to fill the forms in then.

[Two-Tone-Blue]

The way the security services work, l think it is obvious.
If you have not got somewhere to stay for the first night, it is obvious that you plan to meet your maker, maybe before you land, so they don't want you travelling.

So Al-Baldrick fails at the first hurdle?

I know the US guys are belatedly trying to gets their corporate ducks in something resembling a straight line, but it's hardly going to challenge a terrorist to pick a random "first night" address from an on-line phone book, is it? The Agent at immigration might ask [nobody ever bothered whether I named the hotel or just gave the street number]. Or is there going to be a CBP Agent at the doorstep to ensure the pax actually arrives?

Sorry, it's a wee bit of "gesture security" in my book, but it's probably better than what's done in UK.

[raffele]

If you apply prior to expiry do you still have to fill in all of the data do you know ?

When you apply, you must provide the following information:

• Name as on passport
• Date of Birth
• Citizenship
• Nationality
• Passport number
• Passport expiry
• Answers to the questions

You do not need to add flight information or first night address until you actually want to travel.

Also bear in mind that if your passport expires in 8 months, your ESTA is only valid for 8 months. The lifespan of each application is 2 years or the remaining validity on your passport, whichever is less

[radeng]

Griffo,

must have been more than two years ago that I applied. Didn't think it was that long - time flies as you get older.

There used to be a question (back before the days of visa waiver) something along the lines of 'Have you ever committed acts of sabotage?'
I had a boss who truthfully answered (in about 1965) 'Yes'. As a British Army Liaison Officer to Tito's guerillas in German occupied Yugoslavia in 1944, he was expected to! It took a little while for his visa to come through while they checked up on him................There was also supposedly a question about intending to overthrow by force the government of the US. Gilbert Harding was reputed to have put 'sole purpose of visit', and they never noticed.

[El Grifo]

Thanks raff, so it is no real biggie then. I have to transit through soon and my ESTA is probably only 15 months old and used thrice.

Hats off to time flies faster radeng. Mind you the quality of it's passing improves

Nice one on the Visa question responses

Yabba dabba doo !

[ahwalk01]

I do the ESTA for each UStrip, never mind the 2 years, just to be sure - I've not seen an expiration date and you know what security officers can be like. Though if they are to charge, then i'll be sure to do it once every 2 years. (to visit anywhere on any airline, as may times as you like?).

Otherwise for training I'm on a visa, which is just about the same amount of 'fun'.

Trouble is I did a daytrip to Washington DC one time and gave the address of where I'd be during the day - I won't do that again, they seem not to be able to understand that people can do that and just get on the next plane back...

Alex.

[Lou Scannon]

Was it not the late, great, Peter Ustinov who, when completing his application form replied to the question: "Is it your intention to overthrow the legally elected government of the United States?"

Always wrote: "Sole purpose of visit".

...and was never questioned.

[radeng]

Last Saturday (Feb 27 or thereabouts) Mrs radeng gets to Heathrow. According to her checks on the web, her ESTA was valid. BA were informed that it wasn't.........BA check in staff called a supervisor, he and another BA lady who hadn't dealt with such a problem before, and so was learning, helped Mrs Radeng do the ESTA application then and there, and she caught her flight with no problems.

Althlough the crap travel agent from her work hadn't really allowed enough time for transfer at ORD and she made it with 3 minutes to spare.....Then on the way back today, having checked in on UA for a flight to ORD, it gave her a seat on the BA296 for tonight and the system wouldn't let her change it. Not even through the Exec Club! I will find out tomorrow if the check in staff at ORD could sort it. BA's computer systems do seem to have more than their fair share of troubles and crappiness: maybe it's an integral part of their corporate 'p*ss off the employees' programme.