ESTA, US clarifies given name requirement

[Thorpy]

Originally Posted by sha9

I would think the logical course would be to expect it for any ESTA granted after the change and allow the lack of middle name for any before. That way it will naturally be phased in.

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I think you're right...with the caveat that I think they will also allow plenty of no middle name post rule change people through as well, but tell them they did it wrong. Then when enough people have learned to comply start refusing those that are incorrect, by which time the rules will have been in for multiple years.

[PPM]

Originally Posted by BerkshireBugsy

I wonder how Kylie deals with the issue (although I suspect she has a visa)

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She would just do as it asks on the ESTA. Put her names in as per her passport, just exactly the same as everyone else.

[PPM]

Originally Posted by scooby99

I entered the US today on a pre Oct 2018 ESTA; middle name on my passport, no middle name on my ESTA.

DH also entered the US today on a Jan 2019 issued ESTA; middle name on both passport & ESTA.

I also entered the US in December 2018 & again in April 2019 on the same ESTA.

No issues or questions.

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So had everyone else in a similar situation as yours, but from now on you will just have to conform with the instructions when ESTA due for renewal.

[Cooltails]

I'd love to know where this comes from, it appears to me to be confined to this little website in this corner of the internet. There's literally 0 noise anywhere else about it.

[BucksBugsy]

Originally Posted by Cooltails

I'd love to know where this comes from, it appears to me to be confined to this little website in this corner of the internet. There's literally 0 noise anywhere else about it.

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I beg to differ when I googled this morning there were a few references to it on other travel threads including TripAdvisor

[bernard301]

Originally Posted by Thorpy

It's all about how quick the changes need to take place and how much their publicity or reputational damage costs are. When they banned bottles over a certain size they had an urgent need, so took the hit in terms of advertising and chaos costs. With this they can collect data and see how many people are picking up on the rule. When enough people are complying and enough time has lapsed for the rule to have seeped into public knowledge organically they can enforce without cost or chaos.

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Not quite it's about proportionality rather than "costs and chaos", the liquids ban was brought in overnight due to credible intelligence that a Terrorist Group wanted to use a binary liquid based explosive to down a trans-atlantic jetliner. It was a proportionate response. Homeland Security or ICE or whoever administers the ESTA scheme are enforcing what appears to be a data quality update to make their screening process more efficient. It would not be a proportionate response for them to cancel all ESTAs with immeadiate effect unless they had a credible reason to the contrary

The fact that ESTAs have a 2 year validity is probably a fair trade off of processing costs/capacity

[sha9]

Originally Posted by Cooltails

I'd love to know where this comes from, it appears to me to be confined to this little website in this corner of the internet. There's literally 0 noise anywhere else about it.

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It comes from the ESTA website...

[Mel49]

I just wish they would make it clear cut ie ESTA authorised before a certain date (we think October 2018) does not need name as printed on bottom of passport and those after that date must have full details of all given names. Maybe once it gets nearer the 2 year expiry of one's before the apparant change they will bring in consequences if it doesn't match up and as crazy as it seems they could and plenty of time for them to advertise any fine or penalty.

I have a middle name but not on my ESTA as approved pre Oct 18 and my DD has a middle name but is on her ESTA as approved May 19. I noticed also when completing API information on BA website that it now says all given names (as shown on passport) so my API does not fully correspond to ESTA. I don't know if BA has always said that but it seems to be so that eventually post Oct 20 all API's should exactly match ESTA when they do the pre flight security checks. It could however just be a coincidence.

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by scooby99

I entered the US today on a pre Oct 2018 ESTA; middle name on my passport, no middle name on my ESTA.

DH also entered the US today on a Jan 2019 issued ESTA; middle name on both passport & ESTA.

I also entered the US in December 2018 & again in April 2019 on the same ESTA.

No issues or questions.

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Hiya Scoob - travellers report current US entry, without travel doc [ESTA/pp] name match, is ok as the US have yet to enforce their new ruling. Bro/sil intend to travel, in July, on their Easter 2018 approved ESTA's. As they hold rolling ESTA, unless change occurs afore their Autumn trip, they'll re-apply with all given names for Easter 2020.

[Thorpy]

Originally Posted by bernard301

Not quite it's about proportionality rather than "costs and chaos", the liquids ban was brought in overnight due to credible intelligence that a Terrorist Group wanted to use a binary liquid based explosive to down a trans-atlantic jetliner. It was a proportionate response. Homeland Security or ICE or whoever administers the ESTA scheme are enforcing what appears to be a data quality update to make their screening process more efficient. It would not be a proportionate response for them to cancel all ESTAs with immeadiate effect unless they had a credible reason to the contrary

The fact that ESTAs have a 2 year validity is probably a fair trade off of processing costs/capacity

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We're saying the same thing. I'd already taken it for granted that there was no immediate security need to bring in such a change, based on the evidence of the implementation thus far. Without such a driver behind said change, it's focus centres around re-educating passengers to comply with the new rules in as cheap and smooth a way as possible... minimal cost, minimal chaos. Which by talking about it, we're helping with !