davedba

Hello everyone,

I visited the US back in November and I got a stamp that says 'Jan 28, 2015'. I went there by bus and had no ESTA, I paid the $6(?) at the border and got my stamp.

Next week, however I'm flying in and wondering if I need ESTA if I still have a valid stamp??

Thanks!

johnnybrown532

Yes I think you will require the ESTA to fly to the USA as you are arriving by air they are required for arrival by air and sea but not by land. The date stamped is the date you were admitted into the country until. You will seek a fresh admission this time. I don't think the airline will allow you board the flight without the ESTA.

md95065

What is your citizenship?

Basically, if you are eligible to use the VWP and want to travel to the U.S. by air then you need to apply for ESTA.

I suppose that if you were going through pre clearance at a Canadian airport you *might* just get lucky if CBP were in a really good mood that day, but why risk it?

davedba

Thanks for your response.

I'm a Hungarian passport holder, currently living in Vancouver, BC.

The ESTA website says I need to apply if "You are currently not in possession of a visitor's visa." Thought the stamp I got was my visitor "visa".

I'll apply for ESTA. Thanks again!

md95065

The stamp that you got in your passport was just recording your date of admission and how long you were allowed to stay in the US on that visit.

(btw the reason why I asked about citizenship was just in case you happened to have Canadian citizenship in which case you would not have needed either ESTA or a visa to visit the US)

johnnybrown532

He would never get to the pre clearance area the airline would not allow him to board the flight so he would be issued with a boarding pass. I don't think you can check in using machine if you don't have the esta though I have never used a machine I have always gone to the desks.

S Folinsky

According to USCBP, entry over a land border from Canada or Mexico by a national of a VWP country does NOT need an ESTA clearance. See this link. The ferries between Canada and Washington State count as a land entry. [Many years ago, I took the Washington State Ferry from Swartz Bay to Anacortes. We went through US border inspection before boarding the ferry in Canada.] I find it curious that the ferry from Wolfe Island, Ontario to Cape Vincent NY seems to require an ESTA for VWP people. When we took Horne's ferry last summer, we were NOT asked for anything to get on the ferry other than $15.00 for our car, but we did go though border inspection at the Cape Vincent landing. Go figure.

crg

I agree. ESTA is needed to fly. The person would have to be exceedingly lucky even at preclearance because CBP is located *after* the ticket counter. No ESTA = No boarding pass = No passing airport security = No getting to CBP and if the person managed to somehow get to CBP, they would likely send the person back out to find a computer and apply for the ESTA anyway.