Enter Usa June 2021

Wexford96

Hello.
My daughter worked and lived in the USA with a greencard for a few years but she has now let the greencard expire by staying out of the USA for over a year. She now works and lives outside the USA and is not interested in re-entering permanently. She still holds the greencard physically though its lapsed. She wants to enter the states to study a short programme this June and July. Residency is not required to take this class, and she wants to just surrender the greencard officially and get an ESTA to enter in June. She will then leave the USA again after the 8 week class is finished.
I'm wondering if its even possible to get an ESTA at the moment with covid etc? Also, will she have enough time to surrender the greencard and apply for an ESTA?
Thanks.

SweetSand

Hi,

Thats an interesting question with multiple unknown variables I am not an expert, just my opinion.

ESTA - its all done electronically and the easiest way to know if your daughter can get it - just apply and see, make sure to use the official site, link on US embassy Dublin page, its only $14. Keep in mind she can only legally study on ESTA for a max of 18 hours per week.

Travel - right now only green card holders, citizens and few other categories can travel from Ireland, Uk and most EU countries + few other countries. Is it going to change by June - maybe, nobody knows. She will have to be outside of any country on the proclamation list for 14 days to enter US (if nothing changes).

Will the course even go ahead - probably not. Depending where is the course suppose to be, but most courses are either cancelled or online only right now.

Green card - unless she is going to try to use it to enter US - I think I wouldn't worry about it. How long has she been outside of US? If its few years - it will probably cease itself.

rorrissey

I applied for an ESTA last month in case the border reopens since mine had just expired. The process was very quick - I filled out the form online, paid the small fee and it was granted within the space of 24 hours.

Wexford96

Thanks for your replies. She has been out of US approx 16 months now. Perhaps the greencard has elapsed in the system and she can obtain an ESTA online. Hoping this works out. Thanks again.

Fr Tod Umptious

People need to stop talking about ESTA as if it is a visa.
It's not.
It's just an authorization to travel.
Once you get to the US (or at pre-clearance in Ireland) you still need a visa, or visa waiver to get in, regardless of whether you have the ESTA or not.

In your case OP I'm going to assume your daughter is Irish.

If so then she can just enter the US by completing the visa waiver form on arrival, that will allow her access for 90 days.
Of course she will also need to have the ESTA completed.

Now a poster did mention the study hours earlier so I'd make sure she knows what that involves before getting to the airport in case she is quizzed about it.

As regards the green card, the border agent may or may not be aware of it once they scan her passport and they would be unlikely to challenge her for not mentioning it once they are happy she is willing to give it up and that she has no intention of overstaying the 90 days.

I traveled to the US a few times since my green card expired without it even coming up in conversation.

Wexford96

Just an update. Her ESTA has been granted and the course is going ahead in person. Thanks

SweetSand

That’s great �� Where is she going to by flying from?

Wexford96

Heathrow.

lonestargirl

The proclamation is still in place though. Only certain categories of people who have been physically present in the UK / Ireland in the last 14 days are allowed to travel. Green card holders are one of those groups but it looks like hers is surrendered?

Wexford96

Thanks for info. I've just read the proclamation you mention and it outlines the people who may enter and ESTA holders travelling for something like study will not be permitted entry. Thanks for pointing this out.

circular flexing

Yes as things stand she won't be allowed to fly. If she tries to use ESTA to check in, it will be cancelled and she will have to apply for a new one.

Wexford96

circular flexing wrote: »

Yes as things stand she won't be allowed to fly. If she tries to use ESTA to check in, it will be cancelled and she will have to apply for a new one.

Is there any indication as to when the travel ban might be lifted? The gov website gives no indication and presumably this might go on for weeks if not months.

SweetSand

Wexford96 wrote: »

Is there any indication as to when the travel ban might be lifted? The gov website gives no indication and presumably this might go on for weeks if not months.

No, unfortunately no one knows (( this ban has been in effect since last spring and no indication at all when it will be ended. Depending how much your daughter wants to jump through the hoops/wants to do the course her few options are:
- buy a fully refundable ticket from UK in a hope that ban will be lifted;
- go and stay 2 weeks prior entering States in the country that’s not on the list, Turkey used to be a good option until recently, when they had a full lock down;
- try to enter on her green card and forget about ESTA. We don’t know how she got her GC so hard to advise, like if it was through marriage and it since broke down - definitely a no go, if it’s work related - she might try to say that she was unable to travel due to COVID. I did read few recent cases when people were able to enter on GC without being in the country for over a year but have to have very good reasons. (By no means I am advising this route but maybe an option),
Her aporoved ESTA doesnt really mean anything so she shouldnt be relying on it.

Wexford96

SweetSand wrote: »

No, unfortunately no one knows (( this ban has been in effect since last spring and no indication at all when it will be ended. Depending how much your daughter wants to jump through the hoops/wants to do the course her few options are:
- buy a fully refundable ticket from UK in a hope that ban will be lifted;
- go and stay 2 weeks prior entering States in the country that’s not on the list, Turkey used to be a good option until recently, when they had a full lock down;
- try to enter on her green card and forget about ESTA. We don’t know how she got her GC so hard to advise, like if it was through marriage and it since broke down - definitely a no go, if it’s work related - she might try to say that she was unable to travel due to COVID. I did read few recent cases when people were able to enter on GC without being in the country for over a year but have to have very good reasons. (By no means I am advising this route but maybe an option),
Her aporoved ESTA doesnt really mean anything so she shouldnt be relying on it.

Thanks for your detailed response. It's been decided to forget about the program for now and simply wait until the border is properly open again if things calm down in the future. Much appreciation for all the info you've shared.