Roryb

I was meant to be travelling to LAX today but opted for a voucher instead on Sunday morning only to get an email from BA to say they had cancelled my tickets and would give me a full refund. Yay! However, they actually did not cancel my ticket and this morning I got an email from the DHS in the US to say they had cancelled my ESTA as I was trying to travel to the US. Now I understand BA are under some load to try and catch up on things but they are now causing knock on issues. Anyone else had this?

Misco60

It is quite understandable that there is a backlog in processing cancellations, so I dont think it's entirely fair to claim that BA got your ESTA cancelled.

And does it really matter, in a practical sense? You can't travel to the US anyway, so you don't need an ESTA. Just apply for a new one when the crisis is over.

Roryb

Well, the fact that the ESTA was cancelled was directly down to BA not cancelling my flight after saying they would and the DHS seeing I was trying to travel against current immigration rules. So BA did get it cancelled. It's less of an issue of getting a new one, that's easy enough, it's more how DHS will view the new application having someone who was trying to travel when they know they can't. Technically a revoked ESTA is a black mark and a cancelled one is not but who knows these days with immigration paranoia.

Fatdickie

Could this not hinder any future ESTA application?

Why not try

Reply to the DHS email
Explain the situation
Enclose any cancellation emails from BA
Ask nicely if they would be so kind as to reactivate your ESTA and remove any negative notes on your record.

clubman

Never realised the airline can cancel your ESTA.

UKtravelbear

DHS cancelled it likely on the basis of the data transfer from APIS etc.


unfortunate though and something to watch out for. I was due to fly HEL-JFK today on AY which I cancelled last week so am hoping it won’t happen to me.

Likely to happen to other people as well just as some departures don’t get properly recorded and people get emails reminding them to leave the US by the date on their entry permission,

DHS will surely have a protocol for dealing with errors like this like they do for departures errors.

Tobias-UK

Is you ESTA cancelled or suspended? Would you post the actual wording.

chymron

Probably already posted elsewhere but I was suposed to be travelling LHR- DFW today and US CBP linked me to this:
" In accordance with Proclamation—Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus, effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 16, 2020, the entry into the United States is suspended for most individuals, other than United States citizens and lawful permanent residents, who have been physically present within the United Kingdom, excluding overseas territories outside of Europe, or the Republic of Ireland within 14 days of travel to the United States. Proclamation 9993 regarding travel from a Schengen Area country also remains in effect. Any traveler with a valid ESTA who is subject to the Proclamation and who attempts to travel the United States in violation of the Proclamation will have their ESTA canceled. ESTA will not refund applications that are canceled due to this Proclamation. Travelers who have questions about whether they are subject to, or exempted from, the Proclamation should refer to the Proclamation language, and consult with the U.S. Department of State and the air carrier, as appropriate, in advance of travel to avoid travel disruptions. Proclamation 9984 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Other Appropriate Measures To Address This Risk), Proclamation 9992 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus), and Proclamation 9993 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus) all remain in effect".
In accordance with Proclamation—Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus, effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 16, 2020, the entry into the United States is suspended for most individuals, other than United States citizens and lawful permanent residents, who have been physically present within the United Kingdom, excluding overseas territories outside of Europe, or the Republic of Ireland within 14 days of travel to the United States. Proclamation 9993 regarding travel from a Schengen Area country also remains in effect. Any traveler with a valid ESTA who is subject to the Proclamation and who attempts to travel the United States in violation of the Proclamation will have their ESTA canceled. ESTA will not refund applications that are canceled due to this Proclamation. Travelers who have questions about whether they are subject to, or exempted from, the Proclamation should refer to the Proclamation language, and consult with the U.S. Department of State and the air carrier, as appropriate, in advance of travel to avoid travel disruptions. Proclamation 9984 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Other Appropriate Measures To Address This Risk), Proclamation 9992 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus), and Proclamation 9993 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus) all remain in effect.

Roryb

All I had was the notice:If I logon it tells me it's been cancelled and not suspended. Hopefully they did not accidentally hit the revoke button. I guess I'll find out in a month or two when I try and get a new one
I rang up the GGL line who managed to get the ticket cancelled there and then (apparently it had not been touched despite the email two days ago to say it had) and a full refund to make sure I was not marked as a No Show.

Roryb

Correction the wording on the site is "Application Expired"

UKtravelbear

Where does it say you were trying to travel to the US and that’s why it was cancelled?

’application expired’ is strange wording. Had you applied for a new ESTA last September and it not get approved or something?

Roryb

It doesn't say that explicitly but refer to the wording from chymron above - makes it clear if you try to travel you will have it cancelled. BA obviously sent the passenger manifest overnight.

I renewed my ESTA last September, definitely approved as I have been into the US at least 6 times since then.

GumshoeW12

Same situation as OP.

Due to fly to JFK on Thursday, waited until this morning to cancel (Avios/241 booking) but overnight got the email from CBP as above.

On trying to log in it just says “application expired”.

So it does seem the CBP is summarily cancelling ESTAs for people it thinks are about to fly to the US from a banned country.

I suspect many will be in the same boat. I just hope it doesn’t prejudice future applications.

DYKWIA

There was a report of this a couple of days back (which was originally scorned upon as being misinformation).

Now... what would you answer to this question on a future ESTA application :-

OddJobMan

Do you have Global Entry by any chance, may be worth also checking that.