Advice needed: Dual US/UK citizen traveling back to USA without US passport
May 5, 2017, 2:15 pm
#16
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Originally Posted by Often1
In addition, the fact that one can make it into the US if one presents oneself to CBP does not mean that all of this is acceptable to an air carrier.
May 5, 2017, 5:38 pm
#17
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A replacement of the emergency passport with a passport providing for full-duration will indeed be free if the replacement is applied for within the specificied period of time.
There are still US dual-citizens with currently valid ESTAs attached to the known US dual-citizens' foreign passports. The law requiring US citizens to enter the US with a US passport was basically made toothless over four decades ago. And the US is legally required to admit US citizens into the US, whether those US citizens are with or without a current US passport.
There are still US dual-citizens with currently valid ESTAs attached to the known US dual-citizens' foreign passports. The law requiring US citizens to enter the US with a US passport was basically made toothless over four decades ago. And the US is legally required to admit US citizens into the US, whether those US citizens are with or without a current US passport.
May 5, 2017, 5:49 pm
#18
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Could you have boarded flight with ESTA on a UK passport and then asked someone to bring the passport to SFO ? It would be a matter of requesting some official help in carrying the passport to secure area from arrivals area....
May 6, 2017, 3:24 am
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Sure, but good luck with getting it to CBP in the inspection area faster than it takes CBP to verify the identity and citizenship of a US citizen independent of physical possession of the passport as long as the person has had a rather recently issued US passport.
May 7, 2017, 1:59 am
#20
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The Consulate Was Wrong
A few years ago, my UK/US Dual national travelling companion lost his US Passport in Europe, flight back to US was next morning.
He applied for ESTA, got it almost instantaneously. Showed up at LAX, got sent to secondary. He answered some biographical questions that they could check in their database and was admitted.
Would all dual nationals get the ESTA so quickly and easily? I don't know.
He applied for ESTA, got it almost instantaneously. Showed up at LAX, got sent to secondary. He answered some biographical questions that they could check in their database and was admitted.
Would all dual nationals get the ESTA so quickly and easily? I don't know.
May 7, 2017, 6:38 am
#21
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A few years ago, my UK/US Dual national travelling companion lost his US Passport in Europe, flight back to US was next morning.
He applied for ESTA, got it almost instantaneously. Showed up at LAX, got sent to secondary. He answered some biographical questions that they could check in their database and was admitted.
Would all dual nationals get the ESTA so quickly and easily? I don't know.
He applied for ESTA, got it almost instantaneously. Showed up at LAX, got sent to secondary. He answered some biographical questions that they could check in their database and was admitted.
Would all dual nationals get the ESTA so quickly and easily? I don't know.
May 7, 2017, 10:33 am
#22
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The conclusion I reached at the time is that the ESTA is issued unless the traveler matches a name on a "bad guy" list. If you don't exist at all in the database, you get your ESTA.
I assume that they would not knowingly give an ESTA to a US citizen, but as most US citizens don't show up in the bad guy list - the ESTA is issued.
Anyone ever see a dual national born in the US able to obtain an ESTA? My theory is that they won't issue it if it is obvious from the application that the applicant is likely a US citizen, and I assume place of birth is on the ESTA application.
I assume that they would not knowingly give an ESTA to a US citizen, but as most US citizens don't show up in the bad guy list - the ESTA is issued.
Anyone ever see a dual national born in the US able to obtain an ESTA? My theory is that they won't issue it if it is obvious from the application that the applicant is likely a US citizen, and I assume place of birth is on the ESTA application.
Last edited by TWA884; May 7, 2017 at 5:44 pm Reason: Merge consecutive posts
May 8, 2017, 2:56 am
#23
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The conclusion I reached at the time is that the ESTA is issued unless the traveler matches a name on a "bad guy" list. If you don't exist at all in the database, you get your ESTA.
I assume that they would not knowingly give an ESTA to a US citizen, but as most US citizens don't show up in the bad guy list - the ESTA is issued.
Anyone ever see a dual national born in the US able to obtain an ESTA? My theory is that they won't issue it if it is obvious from the application that the applicant is likely a US citizen, and I assume place of birth is on the ESTA application.
I assume that they would not knowingly give an ESTA to a US citizen, but as most US citizens don't show up in the bad guy list - the ESTA is issued.
Anyone ever see a dual national born in the US able to obtain an ESTA? My theory is that they won't issue it if it is obvious from the application that the applicant is likely a US citizen, and I assume place of birth is on the ESTA application.
There are persons born in the US at the time when their parents were diplomats assigned to the US by countries that are currently US VWP countries. I doubt that they all go to US embassies/consulates for procuring US visas prior to travel to the US. I asked some such people how they still visit the US, since I know some of them don't hold US passports and still visit the US for personal social visits at the very least. When I hear back from enough, I'll let you know what they said about ESTA applications. I know a couple of whom have had issues like Boris Johnson -- minus the tax complications and having to formally file to give up US citizenship -- but they have been the exception not the norm in having issues when flying to the US as persons born in the US but using non-US passports when flying to the US.
May 8, 2017, 8:48 am
#24
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Moderator's Note:
The OP's problem was resolved.
We're straying off topic.
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
We're straying off topic.
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
May 9, 2017, 4:56 pm
#25
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I had a Gloabl Entry card so proving US citizenship would not have been an issue. The issue woudl have been with being allowed to board the aircraft in Amsterdam without a US Passport or a British passport with an ESTA.
May 9, 2017, 5:00 pm
#26
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The conclusion I reached at the time is that the ESTA is issued unless the traveler matches a name on a "bad guy" list. If you don't exist at all in the database, you get your ESTA.
I assume that they would not knowingly give an ESTA to a US citizen, but as most US citizens don't show up in the bad guy list - the ESTA is issued.
Anyone ever see a dual national born in the US able to obtain an ESTA? My theory is that they won't issue it if it is obvious from the application that the applicant is likely a US citizen, and I assume place of birth is on the ESTA application.
I assume that they would not knowingly give an ESTA to a US citizen, but as most US citizens don't show up in the bad guy list - the ESTA is issued.
Anyone ever see a dual national born in the US able to obtain an ESTA? My theory is that they won't issue it if it is obvious from the application that the applicant is likely a US citizen, and I assume place of birth is on the ESTA application.
May 10, 2017, 12:09 pm
#27
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I do know that some US citizens not born in the US have easily obtained ESTAs in foreign passports at recently as end of 2016, therefore the embassy staff were wrong that an ESTA would have definitely been denied, at least as of that date.
Having a valid ESTA and not having the US specified as their birthplace in their non-US passport, airlines would not suspect them of being US citizens and thus there would be no risk of denied boarding unless the US decided to revoke those ESTAs, which did not happen in the cases I know about.
<deleted by moderator>
Last edited by TWA884; May 10, 2017 at 2:25 pm Reason: Off topic and comment on moderation
May 10, 2017, 2:34 pm
#28
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Moderator's Note: Please let's get back on topic
We're straying off topic.
The OP's problem has been resolved.
Please bear in mind that this is the Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues forum. It is the place to ask questions and get information to help you travel safely with minimal hassle.
Before posting in this forum, please ask yourself whether this is information that you need to know if you were traveling today.
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security
The OP's problem has been resolved.
Please bear in mind that this is the Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues forum. It is the place to ask questions and get information to help you travel safely with minimal hassle.
Before posting in this forum, please ask yourself whether this is information that you need to know if you were traveling today.
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security
May 11, 2017, 4:13 am
#29
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Would there have been any penalty for the OP denying other citizenships on the ESTA application but then on arrival in the USA telling the CBP officer "I'm American, I forgot to bring my US passport."