Yesterday evening when Jamie was leaving I texted a friend who is travelling from Scotland to Hawaii at the crack of dawn Monday UK time just to make sure that she had completed her ESTA for the Visa Waiver for the USA. "What's an ESTA?" "Read the blurb that came with your ticket from the travel agent."
I wonder how many people turn up at airports without the ESTA and cannot then travel to the USA or anywhere if they are stopping in the USA even as a transit passenger for 1 hour. It's the stuff of nightmares. After completing the on-line form and paying £40 it looks as though all may be OK for my Scottish friend even though the ESTA confirmation hasn't come through yet.
I wonder what the odds are of a near problem in New Zealand making a bystander think of a friend on the other side of the world and just asking......
We'll see what happens tomorrow morning.
We'll see what happens tomorrow morning.
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Wishing your friend all the best for her trip! Some things that are in the small print should really be a lot clearer; I am sure that there are many people who are not aware of something like an ESTA form even existing.
ReplyDeleteIt would look like that is the case. Wendy was a laywer (was as in she doesn't practice now) and a very thorough one who has got her family around the world including China several times without mishap and she missed it as did Jamie. The problem arises from a lack of expectation for a visa waiver when one is just transiting through an airport - even China doesn't require that.
DeleteI have often thought there is something rather fey about your timing, Graham! You have had so many strange coincidences in your life. Ever considered you might be psychic? (I'm not entirely joking)
ReplyDeleteWell, Jenny, there are certainly more things in life (and probably death) than we will ever understand.
DeleteYour friend is lucky to have an experienced traveller (you) for a friend...! Hope all goes well.
ReplyDeleteActually Monica all did turn out well but not because of me. When she arrived at the British Airways check-in BA discovered that the application (the £40 version!) that had been applied and paid for and for which my friend had the reference number had not been processed yet. BA got her one for $14 in about 2 minutes. Hmmmm. Anyway by now she should be in Hawaii.
DeleteWell at least your friend had had some time to understand beforehand what it was about instead of just being confronted with it at the check-in. (I still don't really know what it is as I only had a very quick glance at article you linked to. But since I'm not going anywhere it doesn't really matter, just at the moment...)
ReplyDeleteToo true Monica.
DeleteOh GB you are a true and thoughtful friend....I'm sure she appreciated your kind help and concern on her behalf.
ReplyDeleteWhat a variance in price though at the check-in counter.
Here we have to have to have a US visa stamped in our passports in order to travel there or be an intransit passenger. I have heard some horror stories of uninformed passengers, especially of cruisers going to US ports. Not anymore though, since you can't book an airfare or cruise to any US territory without a valid visa.
I think she was grateful Virginia but spent a few worried days as a result.
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