ESTA, US clarifies given name requirement

[Thorpy]

Originally Posted by BerkshireBugsy

I disagree (as is my right to just as it is your right to counter)

My esta (and others apart from me) was/were granted without supplying middle names. I was allowed entry to the USA on friday at MCO without any question of middle names (my partner? Who travelled with me, was in the same situation)

I am repeating myself when I say I am aware of noone who has been refused entry for not supply "the correct information"

As I have said repeatedly on many times...

1) at the moment my ESTA is still valid despite missing a middle name
2) the API information does not request this information either.
3) just because the ESTA requirements may change in the future it does not automatically mean those new rules will be retrospectively applied. I would HOPE that (for example in my case where I dont have a middle name defined ) if the ESTA was revoked I would at least be told about it.

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I am aware nobody has reported being refused for an incorrect ESTA, and have stated so. I also expect them to honour all ESTA's completed before the change, until their natural expiry. I think we agree on those, the differences in our opinions now seem to centre on when the requirements actually change or changed. Did they change when they changed the form, or do they change when they start rejecting ESTA's that don't have full first names. That is the pertinent interpretation here.

If you take the first ESTA refused on name mismatch grounds as the point of real change, and for them to honour all ESTA's that exist prior to that point, then yes I'm in total agreement with you, nothing has changed yet, no need to redo ESTA's.

If you take a change to the form as the point of change, (which I do) then the requirements have ALREADY changed, and we're just not sure exactly when. (I'd guess December last year when the 72 hours banner appeared). It is not then about retrospective application of new rules, it is about the potential late enforcement of rules that would have existed since December, but which many of us haven't been following, and which they clearly haven't yet started to pick people up on. I would fully expect them to start to let people know before they start to enforce, but seeing as it's not my holiday I'm risking, I feel it's responsible to point out the small risk that the authorities may just decide to apply the new rules late.

Try this analogy, Say they put up 50 signs on the motorway, and people stick to 70 because they don't notice the change, and they aren't prosecuted. You're following the old rules, not the new, and doing 70 with no tickets coming through. Would you advise people that nobody has been done for speeding, so crack on at 70, or might you say, nobody has been done, but there's 50 signs up, make your own decision. That's where I sit, not scaremongering, just saying look, it's probably going to be fine, but beware there is a slim chance it might not. I'd fully expect both the US authorities and the analogy traffic cops to make it very clear they are about to start enforcing before they actually do, (Which I think you have indicated you would too), but there is a slim chance the first we know of it actually being enforced is somebody being refused ESTA, boarding or in the analogy issued a ticket.

I'm actually more interested in what is checked, when and against what, as that will give us the clearest picture of the process, and thus allow the best advice to be given out, but the emphatic stating it will be fine, makes me want to come back and be clear there is a little risk here, because it might have big consequences.

[Thorpy]

Originally Posted by kallen

From what I’ve read today, the first time I’ve seen anything about estas changing,is that I presume that the estas that we have that were approved March last year without my dh middle name are still ok to use when we go in 5 weeks at the beginning of Sep. I don’t have a middle name so I’m ok.

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Hi, Yes I'd also suggest you won't have any problems, your ESTA's were completed before they explicitly started asking for middle names, and even those completed after the change they seem to be accepting.

[BucksBugsy]

Originally Posted by Thorpy

I am aware nobody has reported being refused for an incorrect ESTA, and have stated so. I also expect them to honour all ESTA's completed before the change, until their natural expiry. I think we agree on those, the differences in our opinions now seem to centre on when the requirements actually change or changed. Did they change when they changed the form, or do they change when they start rejecting ESTA's that don't have full first names. That is the pertinent interpretation here.

If you take the first ESTA refused on name mismatch grounds as the point of real change, and for them to honour all ESTA's that exist prior to that point, then yes I'm in total agreement with you, nothing has changed yet, no need to redo ESTA's.

If you take a change to the form as the point of change, (which I do) then the requirements have ALREADY changed, and we're just not sure exactly when. (I'd guess December last year when the 72 hours banner appeared). It is not then about retrospective application of new rules, it is about the potential late enforcement of rules that would have existed since December, but which many of us haven't been following, and which they clearly haven't yet started to pick people up on. I would fully expect them to start to let people know before they start to enforce, but seeing as it's not my holiday I'm risking, I feel it's responsible to point out the small risk that the authorities may just decide to apply the new rules late.

Try this analogy, Say they put up 50 signs on the motorway, and people stick to 70 because they don't notice the change, and they aren't prosecuted. You're following the old rules, not the new, and doing 70 with no tickets coming through. Would you advise people that nobody has been done for speeding, so crack on at 70, or might you say, nobody has been done, but there's 50 signs up, make your own decision. That's where I sit, not scaremongering, just saying look, it's probably going to be fine, but beware there is a slim chance it might not. I'd fully expect both the US authorities and the analogy traffic cops to make it very clear they are about to start enforcing before they actually do, (Which I think you have indicated you would too), but there is a slim chance the first we know of it actually being enforced is somebody being refused ESTA, boarding or in the analogy issued a ticket.

I'm actually more interested in what is checked, when and against what, as that will give us the clearest picture of the process, and thus allow the best advice to be given out, but the emphatic stating it will be fine, makes me want to come back and be clear there is a little risk here, because it might have big consequences.

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[Excited2019]

Just wondering if anyone knows whether they are enforcing middle name. Got estas April2019 and didnt put them on but they are in the chevrons. It wouldnt let me put 2 names in despite trying 8 or 9 times.

Please reassure me, we fly on thursday!

[Pumba75]

Originally Posted by Excited2019

Just wondering if anyone knows whether they are enforcing middle name. Got estas April2019 and didnt put them on but they are in the chevrons. It wouldnt let me put 2 names in despite trying 8 or 9 times.

Please reassure me, we fly on thursday!

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No, they're not enforcing.

[Excited2019]

So I dont need to reapply and panic myself. I have been ridiculous the last 24 hours!

[tspill]

Originally Posted by Excited2019

Just wondering if anyone knows whether they are enforcing middle name. Got estas April2019 and didnt put them on but they are in the chevrons. It wouldnt let me put 2 names in despite trying 8 or 9 times.

Please reassure me, we fly on thursday!

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Dont worry - they aren't enforcing it.
And when the do you will know about it as it will be all over the news.

[Excited2019]

Originally Posted by tspill

Dont worry - they aren't enforcing it.
And when the do you will know about it as it will be all over the news.

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Thank you. I will stop googling now!

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by Excited2019

Just wondering if anyone knows whether they are enforcing middle name. Got estas April2019 and didnt put them on but they are in the chevrons. It wouldnt let me put 2 names in despite trying 8 or 9 times.

Please reassure me, we fly on thursday!

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You should be fine, bro/his wife completed ESTA Mar 2018 (no middle names), travelled 3 times in 2018, Easter and 21st Aug 2019. Unless the US enforce atween now/then, they'll travel via that ESTA on the 25th Oct.

Apparently 'names as per pp' has always been an un-enforced US rule, since 2018 clarification only they know if they'll eventually enforce.

Enjoy your holiday

[holls]

Just did new ones with middle name on it,even though I had just under 2years left on my previous ones

No point in risking your holiday for $14 each