esta's help & blue forms

[summersun]

i have a active esta from when i went to new york last year but the other 8 or us dont, can i just renew with them, will it ask if i have a active esta ?

can you still use the little booth machines in customs ?

also do people that havent been to the states on a esta still have to fill in the blue forms when they get of the plane?

thanks all

[toonarmani]

You won’t need to renew your esta if it’s still valid for your trip (unless changing passport).

If you do renew you’ll be prompted you already have an active one before proceeding (current one would be replaced by new one).

If you’re thinking of doing a group application these are still individual estas (i.e. per person) just grouped into a single payment and one off application.

[Minimanam]

Don’t forget to include any middle names in the ‘First Given Name’ field on the esta application

[mick]

The blue and white customs forms, according to Dibbers, seem to be gradually being phased out with fewer and fewer of us being given them. Everyone filled them in as they were not related to ESTAs or previous visits.

I also seems that the automated kiosks, at MCO anyway, are also not being used much. Last November we had no form and no kiosk. Just went straight to the officer who just asked if we had any food.

He was very friendly and basically suggested that the machines were a complete waste of time as everyone had to see an officer anyway. It is they who allow you in the USA not the machine.


Mick

[Pussycat Doll]

We I’ll Ed in the blue and white forms for Miami on Christmas Day

[Fortytwo]

No blue forms for us last week at MCO ,no kiosks available either, just a queue for the officer.

Interestingly security was different on the way home- no need to have liquids in a separate bag or take out larger electronic devices, the advice was everything in a bag and keep on shoes, belt etc. I wonder if this was due to staff shortages because of the government shutdown.

[mick]

Originally Posted by Fortytwo

No blue forms for us last week at MCO ,no kiosks available either, just a queue for the officer.

Interestingly security was different on the way home- no need to have liquids in a separate bag or take out larger electronic devices, the advice was everything in a bag and keep on shoes, belt etc. I wonder if this was due to staff shortages because of the government shutdown.

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We departed MCO on 1 Dec last year and were told to keep everything in the cabin cases but we were TSA pre-checked.

Mick

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Fortytwo

No blue forms for us last week at MCO ,no kiosks available either, just a queue for the officer.

Interestingly security was different on the way home- no need to have liquids in a separate bag or take out larger electronic devices, the advice was everything in a bag and keep on shoes, belt etc. I wonder if this was due to staff shortages because of the government shutdown.

See more...

lol and yet last week,we had to remove shoes,belts etc.Any food,sweets etc had to be taken out of hand luggage. You don't get two days the same it seems.

[Ycryan]

We didn't have to fill in the blue forms at MCO in September, we were told they were no longer required for Orlando when we asked for them on the flight.

The officer didn't even ask us about food either.

[ChrisS]

We fly to Fl each Nov, 2016 was the last time we presented F6059b Customs Declaration. F6059b is being phased out, as are kiosks with gradual install of facial recognition cams on IO desks; circa 16 airports currently have facial recognition installed (includes MCO). Last Nov Atl kiosks roped off, IO advised they'll no longer be used.