ETSA needed for Alaska cruise?

[Floridiana]

You still have to fill out paperwork on the plane even with ESTA.

 

 

Isn't it a different form asking whether you bring in heaps of money and gifts, plants, meat, whether you have been on a farm etc. ?

[WaveSplasher]

Isn't it a different form asking whether you bring in heaps of money and gifts, plants, meat, whether you have been on a farm etc. ?

 

Its on the back of the form where they give it to you on the plane for foreigners...The bluish form, can't remember the name.

[mr walker]

Isn't it a different form asking whether you bring in heaps of money and gifts, plants, meat, whether you have been on a farm etc. ?

 

Yes it's a different form, nothing to do with visa or ESTA etc. As you say, it's a customs declaration form asking about what you are bringing in, equivalent to our Aussie incoming passenger one, that has to be filled in by all - US & Canadians, Aliens (with our without visas etc). It is one form per family group.

 

On our recent trip we had to fill this form at 6am at Vancouver Amtrak Railway Station before we passed thru US Immigration (with ESTA in place) before boarding the train to Seattle. Interestingly, the train stopped after entering US and US officials boarded train and checked our credentials again??

Edited November 24, 2014 by mr walker

[fishtaco]

Isn't it a different form asking whether you bring in heaps of money and gifts, plants, meat, whether you have been on a farm etc. ?

 

No you have to say on the card where you will be spending most of your time in US and addresses of hotels ect! They accepted Flamingo Vegas and carnival cruiselines for me in June:) I had no idea of the correct addresses and Zip codes? especially 13 hours into a 15 hour flight lol

[fishtaco]

Yes it's a different form, nothing to do with visa or ESTA etc. As you say, it's a customs declaration form asking about what you are bringing in, equivalent to our Aussie incoming passenger one, that has to be filled in by all - US & Canadians, Aliens (with our without visas etc). It is one form per family group.

 

On our recent trip we had to fill this form at 6am at Vancouver Amtrak Railway Station before we passed thru US Immigration (with ESTA in place) before boarding the train to Seattle. Interestingly, the train stopped after entering US and US officials boarded train and checked our credentials again??

 

2 trips to USA in 3 years on ESTA I have had to state where I will be staying in USA as well as the customs deceleration?

[Bellamariya]

Me again and I need more help!

Just as a reminder, we are Australians travelling to Vancouver (stopover at LAX) for an Alaskan B2B starting and ending in Vancouver and flying out from Vancouver (again with a stopover at LAX).

Now I have applied for our ESTA's and I am confused about one question where they ask if we are in transit and I answered yes. I assume we are in transit as we have no accommodation or contact details for the US that they ask for if we answer no. Am I wrong? Was I supposed to say not in transit and write down the ships details?

[Big Kev]

Me again and I need more help!

Just as a reminder, we are Australians travelling to Vancouver (stopover at LAX) for an Alaskan B2B starting and ending in Vancouver and flying out from Vancouver (again with a stopover at LAX).

Now I have applied for our ESTA's and I am confused about one question where they ask if we are in transit and I answered yes. I assume we are in transit as we have no accommodation or contact details for the US that they ask for if we answer no. Am I wrong? Was I supposed to say not in transit and write down the ships details?

 

Stopover ?

If it is an airline stop and you are staying in transit area of airport, you do not need ESTA.. However, if entering USA thru Immigration/Homeland Security, and going beyond "airside" and also not going thru transit lounges, you will an ESTA because you will enter USA..

 

Sue and Phil.

[WaveSplasher]

Me again and I need more help!

Just as a reminder, we are Australians travelling to Vancouver (stopover at LAX) for an Alaskan B2B starting and ending in Vancouver and flying out from Vancouver (again with a stopover at LAX).

Now I have applied for our ESTA's and I am confused about one question where they ask if we are in transit and I answered yes. I assume we are in transit as we have no accommodation or contact details for the US that they ask for if we answer no. Am I wrong? Was I supposed to say not in transit and write down the ships details?

 

No..if you are in transit in the US, then what you did is right.

[Bellamariya]

Stopover ?

If it is an airline stop and you are staying in transit area of airport, you do not need ESTA.. However, if entering USA thru Immigration/Homeland Security, and going beyond "airside" and also not going thru transit lounges, you will an ESTA because you will enter USA..

 

Sue and Phil.

 

Hi Sue and Phil, I need an ESTA for the cruise, my question was should I choose "in transit" as I am not staying in the US but visiting US ports on a cruise ship or "not in transit" in which case I need to supply an address and contact details in the US.

[Bellamariya]

No..if you are in transit in the US, then what you did is right.

 

Thanks WaveSplasher :)

We assumed the port stops were classed as transit, just wanted to be sure and see what other Aussies put on their applications.

[Pushka]

I will tell you how up to date the US Border Protection people are these days. My fingerprints are on file in Australia being a retired Police Officer, having had prints taken back in 1967 on joining.

 

 

 

When I arrived in LA in April post cruise, the US Border Protection guy said ' Your fingerprints are on file in Australia, but we will let you in to the USA of A, welcome to America sir, how is retirement after law enforcement sir ?' True story.

 

 

 

Of course there is cross border cooperation, there has to be. And as has been said, be up front with US Authorities, you won't win if you argue, believe me.

 

 

My fingerprints are on file too as a former SA Police Officer but no reference to this when I travelled to the US three years ago.

[cassamanda]

Hi Sue and Phil, I need an ESTA for the cruise, my question was should I choose "in transit" as I am not staying in the US but visiting US ports on a cruise ship or "not in transit" in which case I need to supply an address and contact details in the US.

 

You are visiting Alaska on a Cruise Ship. Alaska is an American State. You will no doubt do shore excursions, therefore, you are not in transit and should have answered that you were At Sea on ...xxx.. Cruise ship.

 

You also mention that you are on a stopover in LAX but i am assuming you are staying airside and just changing flights. This is the only time you are in transit.

 

The same logic goes for Americans flying into Australia to do a NZ cruise ex Sydney. They still need the ETA.

 

Hugh

[Bellamariya]

You are visiting Alaska on a Cruise Ship. Alaska is an American State. You will no doubt do shore excursions, therefore, you are not in transit and should have answered that you were At Sea on ...xxx.. Cruise ship.

 

You also mention that you are on a stopover in LAX but i am assuming you are staying airside and just changing flights. This is the only time you are in transit.

 

The same logic goes for Americans flying into Australia to do a NZ cruise ex Sydney. They still need the ETA.

 

Hugh

 

So confusing! I have also been advised by someone off this site that they chose in transit last time they did this and had no issues.

I have now sent the question directly to the authorities in the US and will post back their reply.

[celle]

Stopover ?

If it is an airline stop and you are staying in transit area of airport, you do not need ESTA.. However, if entering USA thru Immigration/Homeland Security, and going beyond "airside" and also not going thru transit lounges, you will an ESTA because you will enter USA..

 

Sue and Phil.

 

This is incorrect.

 

Even if you are In Transit and staying in the transit area of the airport you do need an ESTA. You will still go through Immigration, even if you are in transit. (In its approach to transit passengers, the US is different from most other countries.)

[Bellamariya]

Received an official reply and among other things it said this:

 

At this time, travel details, flight details, and the in transit field do not have to be updated.

 

So it seems this field does not matter and doesn't even need to be filled in.

[MMDown Under]

Received an official reply and among other things it said this:

 

At this time, travel details, flight details, and the in transit field do not have to be updated.

 

So it seems this field does not matter and doesn't even need to be filled in.

 

That was my understanding. You just need to have a current ETSA.