US Immigration

[MicCanberra]

No, advice to me by agent at the checkpoint in Sydney airport is that the self serve SmartGate only works with the chipped passport. Mine is due for renewal next year and will be an upgraded one, so I should be good to go then. That said, as an Aussie returning to Australia, it is not the proceesing thru immigration that slows me down, it's either waiting for the luggage, or the customs line, or both :)

Yes, they have major problems when there are several planes all arriving at the same time.:D

[aussiedisneyfan]

And no, I wasn't able to use the self service immigration without a chip. My passport is Sept 2005 so only a couple of years to till my new one.

[fishtaco]

My past few overseas returns have seen the Smart gate queues much longer and slower than normal immigration queues so not much advantage in having the chipped passport!:rolleyes:

[fishtaco]

Don't know if the rules have changed recently or not but I was able to obtain an ESTA without a chipped passport. Mine was issued one month before they were introduced. I believe it is a machine readable passport.

 

 

What are the passport requirements for visitors to the U.S.?

 

 

Visa Waiver Program travelers must present a separate machine readable passport for each traveler, including infants. See VWP-eligible passport. Emergency and temporary passports must have an electronic chip

 

 

 

My confusion as it only needs to be machine readable:)

[bobhsv]

Just back from 6 weeks in the States. The ESTA was never required by customs, but was ALWAYS required by the airlines. We did 3 cruises, with air inbetween, within the states. DH has the old machine readable passport, me the new chipped one. We had to line up because of this. Never a problem ie officials always courteous and polite/chatty. The airlines we travelled with in the States were American and Alaska, with all flights ticketed on the same single Qantas (oneworld) ticket. Also flew with Southwest, on separate ticket, who also asked to view the ESTA.

Take a copy with you.

Jen

[fishtaco]

Just back from 6 weeks in the States. The ESTA was never required by customs, but was ALWAYS required by the airlines. We did 3 cruises, with air inbetween, within the states. DH has the old machine readable passport, me the new chipped one. We had to line up because of this. Never a problem ie officials always courteous and polite/chatty. The airlines we travelled with in the States were American and Alaska, with all flights ticketed on the same single Qantas (oneworld) ticket. Also flew with Southwest, on separate ticket, who also asked to view the ESTA.

Take a copy with you.

Jen

 

Strange? last year we didnt have to show or was not even asked for our ESTA while doing internal flights!

 

We only had to show our passports to security along with boarding passes at airport security screening points because being Australian we didnt have USA ID.

 

We were not asked for our ESTA at arrival in USA or when boarding a Cruise out of LongBeach to Mexico?

 

With all our internal flights boarding passes were issued by self service machine and baggage was just dropped at "Baggage Drop" point where a worker looked at luggage tag and put it on the correct conveyor.

 

Perhaps they are tightening up the security?

 

One thing i did learn is that on USA internal flights your checked luggage doesnt always travel on the same flight as you do!

[bobhsv]

Strange? last year we didnt have to show or was not even asked for our ESTA while doing internal flights!

 

We only had to show our passports to security along with boarding passes at airport security screening points because being Australian we didnt have USA ID.

 

We were not asked for our ESTA at arrival in USA or when boarding a Cruise out of LongBeach to Mexico?

 

With all our internal flights boarding passes were issued by self service machine and baggage was just dropped at "Baggage Drop" point where a worker looked at luggage tag and put it on the correct conveyor.

 

Perhaps they are tightening up the security?

 

One thing i did learn is that on USA internal flights your checked luggage doesnt always travel on the same flight as you do!

 

Quite possibly so, re tightening up on security. We actually had been told prior to leaving, that this would be the case, due to recent events, and we did feel security was tighter and very good. I never have an issue with extra security....makes me feel a whole lot safer.

We were also surprised that we were unable to use the baggage drop facilities. Each time, the self checkin kiosk would not print out the boarding pass, and directed us and our luggage to the main counter.

Did not need the ESTA for the cruises though, which like you included Mexico. Funny you should mention the luggage not travelling on the same flight.....we knew this, worried each time, but got lucky and our luggage was there for us on arrival.....except when we finally arrived back in Oz from lax. Lucky it was DH's bag and not mine:D

[fishtaco]

Quite possibly so, re tightening up on security. We actually had been told prior to leaving, that this would be the case, due to recent events, and we did feel security was tighter and very good. I never have an issue with extra security....makes me feel a whole lot safer.

We were also surprised that we were unable to use the baggage drop facilities. Each time, the self checkin kiosk would not print out the boarding pass, and directed us and our luggage to the main counter.

Did not need the ESTA for the cruises though, which like you included Mexico. Funny you should mention the luggage not travelling on the same flight.....we knew this, worried each time, but got lucky and our luggage was there for us on arrival.....except when we finally arrived back in Oz from lax. Lucky it was DH's bag and not mine:D

 

 

I found out about the luggage with much tears from Tracey when her luggage containing wedding dress didnt turn up:eek:

 

You could have made a TV advert from it,Hysterical Women watches empty airport luggage carousel go round and round as the airport lights dim :D

 

What made it worse was the lost luggage department seemed not to care for some reason:eek:

 

The reason they didnt seem to care was "they didnt know" that "we didnt know" how it works lol.

 

Luggage arrived on a later flight as suggested it would by lost luggage guy:)

[bazzaw]

On Arcadia earlier this year, from Auckland to San Francisco, the U.S. officials were on board and did he face to face interview before we arrived at Honolulu. Very quick and easy.

On arrival at Honolulu there was no further procedure.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Also on Arcadia, but in 2010 (where does the time go???) -- our first US port of call was San Francisco, followed by Honolulu.

 

I recall the P&O staff telling everybody how "difficult" US Customs can be and many times told us what to do to ensure an easy orderly process-- everybody did what they were asked to do and frankly we got off the ship in San Francisco quite easily and painlessly.

 

Our most surprising easy access to any country so far was -- wait for it !! -- RUSSIA!!!! St Petersburg

 

Barry