ESTA, VWP - Transit USA to Mexico question?

theguzman

I am flying into the United States in January to Los Angeles but I will then be driving south to Baja California in Mexico (cross between San Diego and Tijuana) and I won't actually be staying in the country.

Since I will be heading direct from LAX to the Mexican border I have no accommodation booked and I know it is a prerequisite to provide my accommodation details to US Immigration, last time I entered the USA from South America I had not provided my accommodation details and got the "SSSS" rigorous check in the airport. This is something I'd prefer to avoid this time also.

Anyone know what is the procedure here to avoid the wrath of the TSA and Homeland Security once I arrive into LAX, I won't be pre-clearing as I fly from Heathrow to LAX. I fly in and out of LAX and the total trip is under 3 weeks but with no actual night stay in the US only a beeline straight for the border and again in reverse on the last day going home.

coylemj

Things should be smoother this time because you land in the US before you travel to Mexico. When you arrive in LAX and do immigration, you will get a 90 day travel permit stamped in your passport. During this 90 days, you are permitted to leave the US to visit Canada, Mexico and the 'adjacent islands' which is basically the Caribbean, excluding Cuba. If you travel to any other country or territory, the permit is cancelled and you start a new trip to the US when you return.

So when you return to the US, that 90 day permit will still be current and you should not get any hassle. You said three weeks but in case anyone is reading this who plans on travelling out of the US for longer, the 90 day clock keeps runing while you are out of the US.

On the issue of 'accommodation details', this may be relevant ....

Eligible nationals or citizens of countries that participate in the VWP require either an ESTA or a visa to transit the United States. If a traveler is only planning to transit through the United States en route to another country, when he or she completes the ESTA application, the traveler should enter the words "In Transit" and his or her final destination in the address lines under the heading “Address While In The United States.”

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/frequently-asked-questions-about-visa-waiver-program-vwp-and-electronic-system-travel

theguzman

coylemj wrote: »

Things should be smoother this time because you land in the US before you travel to Mexico. When you arrive in LAX and do immigration, you will get a 90 day travel permit stamped in your passport. During this 90 days, you are permitted to leave the US to visit Canada, Mexico and the 'adjacent islands' which is basically the Caribbean, excluding Cuba. If you travel to any other country or territory, the permit is cancelled and you start a new trip to the US when you return.

So when you return to the US, that 90 day permit will still be current and you should not get any hassle. You said three weeks but in case anyone is reading this who plans on travelling out of the US for longer, the 90 day clock keeps runing while you are out of the US.

On the issue of 'accommodation details', this may be relevant ....

Eligible nationals or citizens of countries that participate in the VWP require either an ESTA or a visa to transit the United States. If a traveler is only planning to transit through the United States en route to another country, when he or she completes the ESTA application, the traveler should enter the words "In Transit" and his or her final destination in the address lines under the heading “Address While In The United States.”

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/frequently-asked-questions-about-visa-waiver-program-vwp-and-electronic-system-travel

Lovely one, My ESTA is actually one year (Its valid for 2 years) old after last years trip, I will just login to the ESTA Website and update the information as above. Cheers!

CelticRambler

Do you need to update it?

Zetor19

Do you need American visa going from uk to Mexico with a 4 hour layover in the us?

coylemj

Zetor19 wrote: »

Do you need American visa going from uk to Mexico with a 4 hour layover in the us?

From my post (#2) above, quoting from the CBP FAQ ....

Eligible nationals or citizens of countries that participate in the VWP require either an ESTA or a visa to transit the United States.

Even if the OP was making a connection to a flight to Mexico, he still needs a visa or ESTA approval. The US does not quarantine transit passengers, everyone gets processed by immigration.

But the OP would not be considered a 'transit' passenger. He is going to get into a car and drive to the Mexican border so even if the US permitted passengers to transit through their international airports without being processed by immigration, it would have no effect in his case as he is going to walk out of the airport terminal in LAX.

theguzman

CelticRambler wrote: »

Do you need to update it?

No, I thought I might have had but I was confusing it with the airline advanced passenger info.

jhegarty

You just enter the address as "in transit".

joeysoap

The us border person in Dublin has always asked me where I was staying. ‘ in transit’ should cover that base.