UK Emergency Travel Document via the States
 

Hello All
I am a British ex-pat living in the Cayman Islands. My UK Passport renewal is caught up in the massive processing backlog. Due to travel in next 2 weeks and looking at getting an Emergency Travel Document. Problem is I need to fly via the US (flights already booked months ago) which it says does not accept ETDs unless one has a visa (even if I am in transit) which I can't get as I don't have a passport...
have heard anecdotal evidence of people being able to get an ESTA under the visa waiver on an ETD, has anyone been able to do this recently and are there any tips I might need when applying for the ESTA or when I am at passport control in the US? Thank you

Welcome to FT.

I don't have any personal knowledge of this. Did you reach out to any travel agents or try on any European forums? You might try that, or try emailing one of the UK bloggers or something too if no one on this forum has advice.

Have you tried contacting the UK office handling the renewal and asking for it to be expedited for this reason?

Remember that the issue isn't just USA authorities but whether your airline will let you board for the flight to the USA.

Have you checked TIMATIC?

If you try this, be sure to get to the airport really early to argue if necessary. Carry printouts, ideally from that day, from TIMATIC and any official documentation you can find on consulate websites.