ESTA process

Mkelly1989

Hi all,

Just a quick question for anyone who has travelled within the US before. I have completed the ESTA application to get authorised travel to the US so we can go to New York but does anyone know is this sufficient also for flying from new York to Florida? I assume I don't need to apply again with the Florida details?

Sorry probably a stupid question but this is literally my first time travelling out of ireland so I haven't a clue!!

coylemj

The purpose of ESTA is to precheck you before you get to meet an immigration agent. When you're approved to travel to the US, the agent will stamp a 90 day tourist pass in your passport. You can then travel anywhere within the 50 states and in fact you can even visit Canada, Mexico and the 'adjacent islands' (mainly the Caribbean) and still return to the US on the original tourist pass. The ESTA pass doesn't matter once you are in the US, in fact it could expire on the day after you enter and and it wouldn't matter, it's only relevant for the entry process with immigration.

When flying domestic (e.g. state to state) in the US, the airport security people will probably ask passengers for identification, the locals will show driving licences, you show your passport.

Mkelly1989

coylemj wrote: »

The purpose of ESTA is to precheck you before you get to meet an immigration agent. When you're approved to travel to the US, the agent will stamp a 90 day tourist pass in your passport. You can then travel anywhere within the 50 states and in fact you can even visit Canada, Mexico and the 'adjacent islands' (mainly the Caribbean) and still return to the US on the original tourist pass. The ESTA pass doesn't matter once you are in the US, in fact it could expire on the day after you enter and and it wouldn't matter, it's only relevant for the entry process with immigration.

When flying domestic (e.g. state to state) in the US, the airport security people will probably ask passengers for identification, the locals will show driving licences, you show your passport.

Thank you so much! Very helpful

masterboy123

How long before travelling date one should apply for ESTA? Is it valid for 6 months?

david75

Get ready for US immigration officers asking you bizarre questions in the airport.

dar100

david75 wrote: »

Get ready for US immigration officers asking you bizarre questions in the airport.

Why? What type ?

dar100

masterboy123 wrote: »

How long before travelling date one should apply for ESTA? Is it valid for 6 months?

It's valid for 2 or 3 years

masterboy123

On mine it has a date which was after 3 months. Unsure if it's expiring date

dar100 wrote: »

It's valid for 2 or 3 years

dudara

It's usually valid for 2 years, or until the expiry date of your passport, which ever comes first.

When your passport expires, your ESTA will also expire and you will need to get a new one, once you have the new passport details.

coylemj

masterboy123 wrote: »

How long before travelling date one should apply for ESTA? Is it valid for 6 months?

If you have no reason to believe that you may be refused, I'd do it two weeks before travelling. The primary reason why you might be refused is that you overstayed on a previous visit, this usually means that you have to formally apply for a visa whereas getting ESTA approval means you're technically eligible to travel under the visa waiver program i.e. without a visa. You will still need to talk to an immigration agent at the point of entry in order to be admitted to the US or (if in Dublin or Shannon) to board a flight to the US.

ESTA expires after two years or when your passport expires, whichever happens first. It covers multiple trips so you can use the same ESTA again and again.

bee06

david75 wrote: »

Get ready for US immigration officers asking you bizarre questions in the airport.

I've been to the US a good few times and have never been asked any bizarre question.

coylemj

david75 wrote: »

Get ready for US immigration officers asking you bizarre questions in the airport.

Other than 'what is the purpose of your trip to the US?', what had you in mind?

jackinthemix94

coylemj wrote: »

Other than 'what is the purpose of your trip to the US?', what had you in mind?

Where do you live?, Where is that near?, Who do you live with?, Where do you go to college?, What do you study there?, Why do you travel a lot?, How much money do you have in your wallet?, Do you have friends in the U.S.?, How did you meet them?, How long have you known them?, Why aren't you staying with them?

Some questions off the top of my head that I've been asked within the past 2 years.

coylemj

masterboy123 wrote: »

On mine it has a date which was after 3 months. Unsure if it's expiring date

That's the 90 day travel permit they stamp in your passport when you're admitted. There's no physical record of your ESTA in your passport, it's an electronic pass logged in the US immigration (CBP) system and tied to your passport number.

coylemj

jackinthemix94 wrote: »

Where do you live?, Where is that near?, Who do you live with?, Where do you go to college?, What do you study there?, Why do you travel a lot?, How much money do you have in your wallet?, Do you have friends in the U.S.?, How did you meet them?, How long have you known them?, Why aren't you staying with them?

Some questions off the top of my head that I've been asked within the past 2 years.

Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?

Go on - admit it.

david75

coylemj wrote: »

Other than 'what is the purpose of your trip to the US?', what had you in mind?

You've never had any?
I've had them ask me what's my favourite band?
What did I think of United this season?(I'm not a football guy)
Where do I live/why do I like living there?

It's never a problem they ask but it is meant to throw you and see how you respond. And it's not just regular chit chat. They can turn you around right there but even being ready for it it can be surprising.

circular flexing

Been across the US border 30+ times (both land and airport) and never been asked anything beyond the purpose of my visit and where am I staying.

coylemj

circular flexing wrote: »

Been across the US border 30+ times (both land and airport) and never been asked anything beyond the purpose of my visit and where am I staying.

+1 I suspect a bit of profiling goes on - if you look and sound confident and you address the agent properly, you get through with the minimum of questions and fuss.

RobertKK

Last time I went alone and was just asked what was the purpose of the visit and nothing else.
I said where I was going and why.
The ESTA would have showed where I was staying when I arrived there.
It is all straightforward and nothing to worry about.

coylemj

RobertKK wrote: »

Last time I went alone and was just asked what was the purpose of the visit and nothing else.
I said where I was going and why.
The ESTA would have showed where I was staying when I arrived there.
It is all straightforward and nothing to worry about.

You're missing the point here. When they ask you a load of questions, the information you provide counts for very little and they don't really care what your ESTA says about where you'll be staying on your first night in the US.

If they ask you for more than the purpose of your visit, it's because they suspect that you intend to work over there and probably overstay so they will throw a series of questions at you which are specifically designed to trip you up i.e. with the intention of finding an inconsistency in your story which they can use to block you entry.

jackinthemix94

coylemj wrote: »

You're missing the point here. When they ask you a load of questions, the information you provide counts for very little and they don't really care what your ESTA says about where you'll be staying on your first night in the US.

If they ask you for more than the purpose of your visit, it's because they suspect that you intend to work over there and probably overstay so they will throw a series of questions at you which are specifically designed to trip you up i.e. with the intention of finding an inconsistency in your story which they can use to block you entry.

I'm 22 so that would make sense haha - I'm probably a prime example of that demographic (I would never BTW - I have a nice life here :P).

endofrainbow

only unusual questions I've been asked was 1) what my perfume was and 2) was I into American Football ?