ESTA help - middle names

[Reneejbeatte]

For anyone like me who was worrying about this, arrived yesterday with no problems at Sanford. Did them in Feb with no middle names

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by Reneejbeatte

For anyone like me who was worrying about this, arrived yesterday with no problems at Sanford. Did them in Feb with no middle names

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Nice one . You won't/shouldn't have probs at the moment as DHS/CBP have yet to enforce the new rule... it's a piece of string as to when/if they will.

[PPM]

Originally Posted by ChrisS

Nice one . You won't/shouldn't have probs at the moment as DHS/CBP have yet to enforce the new rule... it's a piece of string as to when/if they will.

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Me still🤐😉

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by PPM

Me still🤐😉

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at mannie

[THOscar]

Originally Posted by Wooden Top

Enforcing this would be absolute carnage for them and for travellers. It wouldnt make any sense whatsoever. I'm not sure why anybody in their right mind would even think this. Thedibb really does bring out some 'interesting' comments.

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Explain to us all in your ultimate knowledge on this subject why enforcing completely accurate information for a visa waiver wouldn't make sense please. Really, I want to know why you know more about this subject than everyone else.

[Lily8]

I have no middle name, and do not wish to enter into an argument with anyone, but there is certainly some merit in the suggestion that this is not likely to be 'enforced' any time soon:
1) The requirement to include middle names has essentially been hidden in the instructions. There is no separate rubric for middle names on the actual ESTA application form, whereas such rubric exists in many other US immigration and tax forms. I believe it was included in the form as early as June 2018 when I applied for ESTA for myself and my husband.
2) Where a change is put into place from what has been the previous legal requirement, common sense and natural justice would dictate that users ought to have their attention drawn to this change. We have seen such change, with significant notice on the website pointing to it, with regard to the fact that instant ESTA is no longer available, and applications ought to be made at least 72 hours prior to travel. There has been no similar notice with regard to middle names.
3) The idea that the immigration authorities would take the decision, overnight and without any notice whatsoever, to decline entry to any traveller who has omitted their middle name from their ESTA, when there are no doubt millions of, otherwise presumed-valid ESTAs, would result in such chaos and enormous financial losses that it is not unreasonable to argue such course of action is highly unlikely.
4) Reapplying for an ESTA is not completely without risk. A number of applicants have, despite their best efforts, been caught out giving a 'yes' to what should be a 'no' answer (in all likelihood through scrolling unintentionally with the mouse/track pad). Having an ESTA declined, with just weeks to go, would be most unfortunate, and though it is most unlikely, it is certainly a possible outcome to reapplying.

I took the decision not to reapply for another ESTA for my husband, having omitted his middle name from the application in June. I did read the instruction to include it, but was swayed to omit it having read guidance online (here and elsewhere) that the ESTA should not include a middle name... This was the first time, and would be the last, I take advice on such matters from anyone else but my (otherwise) good common sense. Nevertheless, given the fact that the ESTA is clearly linked to a passport number, I have concluded that it was very unlikely that this would create an issue for us. The omission does not create a 'mis-match' as such, and evidently millions are travelling daily on ESTAs without a middle name. I have also worried, at some point, that my own ESTA would be invalid because I included a hyphen in my surname (whereas in the machine readable section my surname is without a hyphen). I have considered reapplying, but on that issue as well have concluded that there was no need to do so. Others may have come to the opposite conclusion.

[Cooltails]

Couldn't have been summed up more perfectly.

[tspill]

Originally Posted by THOscar

Explain to us all in your ultimate knowledge on this subject why enforcing completely accurate information for a visa waiver wouldn't make sense please. Really, I want to know why you know more about this subject than everyone else.

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Who is this "everyone else"?
People are travelling every hour of every day with no middle name on their esta. Likely thousands of estas done with no middle name since October and used successfully.
So it looks like "everyone else" are doing just fine. I am not aware of a single issue being publicised where someone was refused.
This is pretty much only discussed on this board and a couple of other spurious places. Nowhere mainstream.

I am not saying people shouldn't detail their middle name when completing the esta. But as often happens, this forum (with a minuscule %age of US travellers) way over states and over reacts to the problem.

Will it become a problem? I don't know for definite - but imo, this is very unlikely. I would go as far as to suggest almost certainly it won't be a problem. If it does, it will get HUGE press coverage.

Am I going to redo my esta? No. Redoing in my view carries way more risk. But I will use my middle name when I redo next time I need to.

[lorrie36]

I don’t really want to rehash all this...although no doubt I will.
I have just finished doing my families ESTAS (5 of us).
On the form it says first given name... not names. I understand if you went over the question mark, it would say something about the names. But as it had no “s” at the end, I figured it would be fine.
No I am sat here with the approved confirmation... wondering if I should pay the money to redo them 😱😱.
I know it’s down to your own decision but why are these decisions so stressful 😭😭.

[walden64]

I helped my mom's do her ESTA at the beginning of April as she decided to come to the villa with me for 2 weeks. We didn't put in her middle name and when i read this thread i was worrying that she would be refused entry. But then thinking about it our DS applied for a new ESTA in December and didn't include his middle name and he was fine when he went out in February.
In the end I didn't get my mom to reapply and nothing was said about it at immigration.