Automated kiosks and new passports

[Libsmum]

As a family we are returning to Disney this summer. Since our last visit in 2015, dh and dd1 have had new passports and therefore new Estas. My passport and Esta are fine but dd2 passport (& therefore esta) expires 3 weeks after we return. I understand that the kiosks will reject passports with less than 6 months left but what about new passports? Are the machines clever enough to recognise previous visitors with new passports?

I'm debating renewing dd2s passport and esta before we go but if dh and both dds will be rejected by the APC anyway is it worth the extra expense?

[scoobydooby]

My daughter had a new passport when we travelled last month and we got the Red Cross. As we had sat in the two only seats at the back of the plane and were last off anyway it was just another addition to an already tediously long experience anyway TBH.

[ianc]

The automated kiosks appear to have been evolving over the past few years and have obviously been extended to more people. When I went in September, all US Nationals and all ESTAs were told to go in one queue to use the kiosks. Global Entry went somewhere else. When you use the kiosk you get a printout which may or may not have an X on it. Those without an X then joined a queue to see an officer, those with an X joined another queue to see a different officer. The kiosk was obviously just a pre-processing stage - everyone still saw an officer. The officer will be able to see the machine's input and can therefore check it and confirm any details if necessary. How long it takes in these two queues depends on the number of officers assigned to each and the number of passengers in each - so either queue could be quicker. They decide who gets an X - it could be any number of reasons. They can pick people at random if they want to. This was at Detroit (I was going indirect), but I understand MCO is now similar. It is pointless trying to guess whether you will get an X, and which queue will be faster - you might guess wrong. The only thing that matters is whether your passport and ESTA is valid. If they are, then you are OK.

[Libsmum]

Thanks, we're flying via JFK and there are some horror stories about terminal 7 around. Just trying to make the process as smooth as possible but you're right you can never predict these things.

[skyl1ned]

When we went last year (flew into Miami) we all had new passports and all had a big X.

Had a rare friendly officer who explained that you get an X on a passports first use as they like to check them.

[Lisbon]

We have just had guests and they said the machines had been taken away at Orlando International, does anyone know if this is correct
Rob

[mick]

Originally Posted by Lisbon

We have just had guests and they said the machines had been taken away at Orlando International, does anyone know if this is correct
Rob

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On 20 February there were more than a dozen of them but they were in a separate room as you reached immigration.

We were asked if we were travelling with an ESTA and when we last visited and were directed to them. Sailed through then waited ages for the carousel to start

Mick

[floridasarah]

Does it have to be an ESTA that you have used before? we have new ESTAs for this year but the same passports as our last trip in 2015.

[Kraken]

Originally Posted by floridasarah

Does it have to be an ESTA that you have used before? we have new ESTAs for this year but the same passports as our last trip in 2015.

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Given that passports are valid for anything up to 10yrs 9mths, loads of passengers will be using the same passport as a previous visit, but with a new ESTA. If everyone with a new ESTA got the X there would be chaos.

I suspect a new passport is the main driver for an automatic X from the kiosk to the officer can have a good look at the passport. You can also get an X if your fingerprints don't scan properly, or if the kiosk does not get a close enough facial match against your passport photo page.

Either way, X or not, everyone still has to speak to an immigration officer to get formally admitted to the USA & have your passport stamped.

[Libsmum]

Originally Posted by floridasarah

Does it have to be an ESTA that you have used before? we have new ESTAs for this year but the same passports as our last trip in 2015.

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FloridaSarah- It's definitely ok with just new Estas because we had new Estas in old passports last visit and sailed through immigration in Miami in less than 15 minutes.
So much better than the almost 3 hour queue we had in Orlando on our first visit