Thank you both for your re-assuring reply.
Am happy to say that when I re-checked the application......(it gives you the option to check back for the next 72 hours).....I found that my husband had been accepted.....
(would have been strange if he hadnt as we were last in america December/Jan 2008/2009....and he was admitted readily then usin the old system)
Will contact the airline tomorow and see if they ahve any restrictions re the passports....will report back as I am sure this is something which must come up time after time....

That's good ESTA is sorted. As for the passport validity, it might be better to check the airline website so that you may at least see it in writing for yourself.

David

UPDATE.....WHICH MAY PROVE USEFUL FOR OTHER TRAVELLERS

As stated earlier, my passport (and my 16 yr old son's) will expire 5 months after I return from America. Common 'Folklore' would have you believe that you must have 6 months left on your oassport to travel to USA.

Have spoken today to my airline (KLM)....who told me as long as I have given my expiry date on my ESTA, and been accepted --that is all they require. They did however advise me to ring the American Embassy to double check their requirements.

The Embassy confirmed that, as the ESTA only grants you a 90 day stay in USA...that is that they require on the passport.

PHEW!...thankfully no last minute jaunt to the passport agency for me and my son then!

Thanks for the update.

luci

The US government are to start charging $14 for the ESTA from 8 September. SEE HERE

If you apply before 8 September you will avoid the fee and the ESTA will be valid for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is earlier.

luci

We applied for our ESTA's last year and was accepted, but I didn't keep the printouts. Do you need any printed proof of your acceptance or do they have it all on record? Going to Florida in Sept and was a bit concerned about not having proof of the ESTA acceptance.

Many thanks
Sarah

Hi just apply for a new one it will last untill 2012
annx

Just had to do the ESTA & API.The first ESTA was returned stating ' Pending ' My wifes went through ok.Applied again 24 hours later and mine came back approved.My wife has never been to the US. but I have been twice on business and no problems with the old system.Anyway, all go now we leave on Tuesday.Antalya ----Istanbul-----London-----New York. Long way around but half the price with BA than Turkish Airlines.Apparently they do not ask for the ESTA Authentication so they must have it on record I guess.

Ian

You don't need a hard copy and you don't even need the number. It's Electronic hence held on computer.

Yes I would agree with reapplying before 8 September as the new one will cancel the old one and be valid for another 2 years.

Most people are reporting that if it comes back Pending, it is usually authorised within 72 hours.

luci

Hi, This question may have been asked already.

I have recently done the ESTA form and got approved, I did get arrested a couple of times about 19 years ago for the following:

1) Threatening behaviour - i was drunk went to court - £50 fine ( not a moral turpitude i believe)
2) Intent to steal - got a caution which i believe is not a conviction.

I believe I have answered truthfully on the form at the time and said NO to all questions asked, but after reading a few posts im getting a little worried, surely if you answer incorrectly on the ESTA form it would not get approved especially if they have access to all our criminal records.

PLease let me know your thoughts

Thanks
Matt.

Well a caution is not a conviction in the UK but it's possible the US would regard it as such. And you were arrested anyway - which means you have lied on the form about the stealing one. You were arrested for moral turpitude. Even if you had gone to court and been found not guilty you are still supposed to declare it and get a visa.

ESTA doesn't do very detailed checks - it checks that the answers you have given qualify you for an ESTA and that you and/or your passport are not on a 'wanted' list. It doesn't check the UK criminal records database - to which they don't have access anyway, not in that sort of way.

My own guess is - it's 19 years ago. We didn't share ANY records then. If we are sharing a selected portion now, it wouldn't have made it into those shared, having long dropped off our own list.

Thanks Deetee,

I have now asked for my criminal record from the police to see exactly whats on there, my thoughts are with:

1) Seeing whats on my record first, (and if bad do the following)
2) fill out another ESTA application declaring I have been arrested, this apparently will void the first one.
3) Apply for a VISA, better be safe than sorry im thinking.

Like you said, it was such along time ago there should be no problems, but from reading a few forums I was under the impression that they shared all files not just a "wanted list" I would be keen to know more on this as im a little worried about canceling the first ESTA and applying again, would that draw attention to me.

Regards
Matt

My understanding (which may be wrong) is that they share a file of names (and dob, passport number etc) that represents people defined as being of interest to immigration/law enforcement bodies. That is, just an index derived in part from the criminal records database. What you have to have done to get on that list - don't know.

If that flags someone up as being of interest then the can ASK for full details on him. I'm pretty sure they don't have unfettered access.

Thats very interesting and gave me a different approach, I even read on a couple of forums about people who had lied on their ESTA and got into the country no problem.

It seems like London US Embassy are onto a nice little earner with visa's costing money and taking advantage of decent honest people who may of been a little stupid in their younger days.

I suppose I just have to make up my mind as to what i should do:
50% of me is saying go on take a chance why go down the road of paperwork and expense of getting a visa, but the other 50% of me is saying better to be safe than sorry.

The good thing is I have plenty of time to make this decision.

I would like to hear from people who have or know somebody who has travelled to the USA with an ESTA who have criminal records.

Thanks
Matt

Since the notification of the charge for ESTAs I have had to apply for two. In both cases I had to wait 24 hours before getting approval. Previously have applied for around 3 dozen of these (for school trips) including a dozen in the weeks before the announcement. On all of these approval was instant! The cynic in me thinks that they have put in an automatic dealy to give the impression that some sort of work has to be done to check these applications to justify the charge!

I applied for one last night and it came back approved within seconds.

Hi Matt

I have a criminal record dating back 26 years, i applied for my visa because i quite simply had no intention of lieing to the US immigration.

If i was you i would be honest and apply for a visa, yes it's costly and time consuming but it is better to be honest than spend the whole time worrying.

NO ONE except US Immigration can answer truthfully what access they have to what records, i can only again reiterate what my experiance was on arriveal in the USA.

I was sent to a room for secondary questioning, i.e why the visa how long im staying etc etc, i was in there a matter of mins, at no point did i feel scared threatened or intimidated, they treated me with respect, i didn't feel singled out as they point you to the secondary interveiw room not march you off there as some would have people believe, passport was then stampped for 6 months entry, normal ESTA visitors only get 3 months and with an ESTA you have NO RIGHT of appeal, with a visa you have rights, so for me it's a no brainer GET THE VISA DON'T LIE, the simple fact is you have been arrested= you need to apply for a visa

Hope this helps
Jords

Hopefully the girl I am taking on our aschool trip to Chicago who has a Nigerian passport is in London today with her father getting her visa sorted out! I shall have to give them a ring tomorrow to make sure they kept their appointment!

Hi Jords,

Many Thanks for your reply, I have looked into this in great lenghts now and I agree with you I have enought time to do this the legally, at least that gives me peace of mind.

However just for conversation and im not advising anyone, after a lot of research and I BELIEVE the USA only have access to certain UK records and my 20 year old conviction would not be on it, nor would your 26 year old record either. They would only know if you declare it.

I believe if you have your 2 week holiday plan, your return ticket, spending money, hotel booked, park tickets if your of to disney, then I dont believe they will do any background checks on you. but if you turned up with a tenner in your back pocket and nowhere to stay then they might be a little suspicous.

As for the finger printing when you arrive thats only for their records, just in case you commit a murder and leave all your prints behind.

So I dont think ESTA is any different to the form you used to get on the plane where it seems no one declared their criminal record and just lied anyway, its just cuts out the admin and they can charge you for it.

Regards
Matt.