Esta application fucking nightmare

[Monicawasbetterwithrichard]

What the fuck? Asking me the US point of contact? Is that just the address of the hotel I'm staying in? The apartment number? Erm I have no contact in America I'm just staying in a hotel? Then you try to check your email for the validation code and go back to it but can't so have to start the whole thing again? What if I end up applying for two at once then use the wrong one?! How accurate does the contact thing have to be because when I put the hotel name in it says not valid?

Freaking out that I'll get to the airport and be turned away? Never done this before and really don't want to get it wrong I'll be nervous enough as it is.

Help!!

Yes. It’s all about the accommodation. You can add all their contact details.

Just google your hotel and use their address and zip code.

It needs to recognise it but the bottom line is you can travel more than once and stay in different places so it’s not reliable. We did New York last year, Florida this year. Didn’t have to change the esta to show the Florida address.

Okay so I now have ANOTHER email to say thanks for starting your application here's your reference number but it's the same reference number. A good thing I hope!

Think I'll just do it on my laptop tomorrow. What if I think it's valid and I get shunned at the airport?! Nervous traveller here and I've wanted this trip for decades.

You will get a notification to say when it is approved, and you can go back to the website and put in your details to double check.

Yep as the previous posters have said, put name of hotel and address and zip code if you can, the hotel is your point of contact, I fly regularly from Dublin to the states, the esta is valid for two years, my sister lived in New York for 30 years, now lives in Florida and I did have to change point of contact when I first went to Florida, maybe because my esta was still valid at the time though.

That's good the reference number is the same, have you finished the application OP, are you waiting for confirmation

I've given up for tonight as I'm trying to do it on my phone and it's a pain in the arse! Will revert to laptop tomorrow. Really worried I'll not do it properly

Was just going to say the same 😊 I also take a photo of the message that says approval granted and then I print the page with the validation dates, that's probably over kill but I like to be prepared 🤭

Have a great time 😀

It's absolutely not mobile friendly, but it does work, and you'll get an email confirming it's approval when it is approved. You can also go back any time afterwards and check again! I have done several times as i've been to the US about 5 times in the period mine is valid for and I keep needing the reassurance ;-)

I did mine on my phone and found it easier to compete in the ESTA app than on the website. You should be able to continue an existing application started on the website via the app.

I get the stress. I always dread having to get visas and visa waivers as it’s one more thing to worry about messing up… I never have, though, as worriers tend to be careful. Good luck with it.

I literally feel sick. I've got mental images of them shaking their head and pointing to the train home with me crying my eyes out 😔

Honestly it’s a faff but not hard. Hotel address and zip code and you will get a separate email, usually a few hours after you complete the application saying you’ve been approved.

The airline will ask you if you’re flying on an ESTA and many US airports have a separate immigration line for “first time ESTAs” (ie first time you fly on it) but you shouldn’t need to show anything.

Theres no need to update the address on future trips.

You can do more than one person on the same apication (if they are family)

I don't need to show anything?

I'll print off 400 copies just in case

No, it’s linked to your passport but a copy (or 400) of the approval won’t hurt 🙂

Done online now pending approval. I have a worry though! It asked for social media usernames and apparently it's now mandatory so I provided my Facebook name... which is a nickname not my real one. With a profile picture of a tree so not me. Nothing sinister just something I keep as an online photo album and I didn't want a load of friend requests as I don't like social media and my name is a bit unusual. Will it get rejected do you think?!

I'm no help to you I'm afraid, but I strongly recommend not going to India as I went last month and the visa application was incredibly annoying and involved quite a bit of cursing on my part.

APPROVED 😁

Just do a screen grab of the page and save as a photo!

I went to Russia some 10 years ago, and that asked for every time I'd left the UK in the previous 10 years.....

For my Algerian visa I had to provide 2 photocopies of single every page in my passport..... including the blank ones!

🙄

I would if I knew how @Soontobe60 😀 I'm not great with things Ike that, is it the same as a screenshot, only figured that one out a couple of weeks ago 🤦☺️

Brilliant, have a great trip 😊

My daughter has just come back from New York and no one even asked to see her Esta. As visas go, it's one of the easiest and quickest to get approved. It's honestly nothing to worry about.