5 ms·

He seems to have tried to enter USA using ESTA. ESTA is not a visa, it's a visa-waiver program. It's specifically created as an easier method of entering a coun

He seems to have tried to enter USA using ESTA. ESTA is not a visa, it's a visa-waiver program. It's specifically created as an easier method of entering a country, but as a trade-off, it says in the terms that they can deny it for any reason with no questions. This does not mean that the person cannot enter the country per se, it just means they need to apply for a real visa.

pricechild 9y ago
It's frustrating they couldn't warn him prior to the hour of travel? I find it difficult to believe they'll have rejected him for something they couldn't have contacted him about days or weeks ago. With ESTA they've got perfect contact details too? I assume he's lost the price of the flight? Travel insurance wouldn't repay it?
- daemin 9y ago
  At least they told him before he flew over. They could have done that when he actually landed, and he would have been denied entry there, then shuffled back onto a flight.
zerr 9y ago
> it says in the terms that they can deny it for any reason with no questions Same goes for any visa.
- Kurtz79 9y ago
  But in the case of a normal Visa, a certain amount of vetting is done beforehand, although you can still be denied entry. To get a J1 I had to deliver quite a few documents and go the local US embassy to do an interview there. An ESTA you can do literally 10 minutes before checking in (I did it once), I doubt anything else than a few basic automatic checks are done.
  - zerr 9y ago
    I believe the border control personnel act as if that vetting hasn't been done at all. All in all, I think this path is worse, since you get denied to entry after a long flight, and you have to flight back...
ckastner 9y ago
> but as a trade-off, it says in the terms that they can deny it for any reason with no questions Notably, the Customs and Border Patrol officer at your point of entry can do this [1], on the spot. [1] https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e1s1 https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e1s...
raverbashing 9y ago
It's one thing to be denied for it upon application, the other one to have the authorization revoked after it was given in the first place
baby 9y ago
I do not get your point. The ESTA is the only way to get to the country if you're going to a conference or on holidays or to visit someone. If you're looking for better, you need to find a job to sponsor you and you need to go through the lottery (H1B). Or you need to work for a US company abroad for more than a year (L1). Or you need to get married with an american person.
- rockdoe 9y ago
  There are regular tourism/business visitor visa's I'm sure. But those are more of a hassle compare to ESTA. Nobody from an ESTA country will do those if they're not immediately denied.
  - baby 9y ago
    > There are regular tourism/business visitor visa's I'm sure. Nope.
    - Capt-RogerOver 9y ago
      Where are you getting the information? There absolutely are other visas. The ESTA is just an easier way to do it, and as such, can sometimes be more limited. You can also get normal visa and get other vetting procedures and likely other outcomes.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
- gergles 9y ago
  You can absolutely get a B-1 or B-2 visa. Only VWP-eligible country citizens are even eligible to get an ESTA in the first place. https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visitor.html https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visitor.html You fill out a DS-160 and go through the process, but you don't have to get an ESTA. You are always allowed to apply for a full visa instead. More succinctly, click the "May I apply for a visa instead of using the VWP?" question on this page: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visa-waiver-program.html https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visa-waiver-...

pricechild 9y ago

It's frustrating they couldn't warn him prior to the hour of travel? I find it difficult to believe they'll have rejected him for something they couldn't have contacted him about days or weeks ago. With ESTA they've got perfect contact details too? I assume he's lost the price of the flight? Travel insurance wouldn't repay it?

daemin 9y ago
At least they told him before he flew over. They could have done that when he actually landed, and he would have been denied entry there, then shuffled back onto a flight.

zerr 9y ago

> it says in the terms that they can deny it for any reason with no questions Same goes for any visa.

Kurtz79 9y ago
But in the case of a normal Visa, a certain amount of vetting is done beforehand, although you can still be denied entry. To get a J1 I had to deliver quite a few documents and go the local US embassy to do an interview there. An ESTA you can do literally 10 minutes before checking in (I did it once), I doubt anything else than a few basic automatic checks are done.
- zerr 9y ago
  I believe the border control personnel act as if that vetting hasn't been done at all. All in all, I think this path is worse, since you get denied to entry after a long flight, and you have to flight back...

ckastner 9y ago

> but as a trade-off, it says in the terms that they can deny it for any reason with no questions Notably, the Customs and Border Patrol officer at your point of entry can do this [1], on the spot. [1] https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e1s1 https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e1s...

raverbashing 9y ago

It's one thing to be denied for it upon application, the other one to have the authorization revoked after it was given in the first place

baby 9y ago

I do not get your point. The ESTA is the only way to get to the country if you're going to a conference or on holidays or to visit someone. If you're looking for better, you need to find a job to sponsor you and you need to go through the lottery (H1B). Or you need to work for a US company abroad for more than a year (L1). Or you need to get married with an american person.

rockdoe 9y ago
There are regular tourism/business visitor visa's I'm sure. But those are more of a hassle compare to ESTA. Nobody from an ESTA country will do those if they're not immediately denied.
- baby 9y ago
  > There are regular tourism/business visitor visa's I'm sure. Nope.
  - Capt-RogerOver 9y ago
    Where are you getting the information? There absolutely are other visas. The ESTA is just an easier way to do it, and as such, can sometimes be more limited. You can also get normal visa and get other vetting procedures and likely other outcomes.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
gergles 9y ago
You can absolutely get a B-1 or B-2 visa. Only VWP-eligible country citizens are even eligible to get an ESTA in the first place. https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visitor.html https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visitor.html You fill out a DS-160 and go through the process, but you don't have to get an ESTA. You are always allowed to apply for a full visa instead. More succinctly, click the "May I apply for a visa instead of using the VWP?" question on this page: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visa-waiver-program.html https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visa-waiver-...