LangerhansCellHistiocytosis

Does anyone know how UA checks for valid visas with an ETA? Are we supposed to print the confirmation page for UA to check while boarding?

docbert

The "E" in ETA stands for Electronic. The verification is carried out electronically when you check in. The immigration staff in Australia will also be able to check it electronically.

There is generally no need to have a printout of the confirmation page, but it's a good idea to have it with you just in case there is a problem.

fumje

I never printed anything for Australia, but that said it is never a bad idea to print something.

JVPhoto

Out of habit I print things. Worked out flying JFK-NRT-BKK-PER when I got paged to the front of the BA lounge so the NH rep could check that I had a visa.
But never a prob with my UA flights.

TA

If the agent cannot see it in their system, then you have not done it correctly. There is nothing a printout will help with.

Wyfind

Fun fact I've learned from personal experience: United (neither the agents nor the kiosks) will let you check in if you don't have a valid ETA. They say there's no option to "override" anything, even if you share a printout or email with them.

My brother entered his Social Security number as his passport number on his Australian ETA application so while his ETA went through, he wasn't able to check in at SFO. The check-in agents couldn't do anything because, on their end, there was no valid ETA associated with his passport number. He purchased a new ETA in front of the agent and they couldn't check him in until 15 minutes later when it must've cleared through the computers.

katan

I had a very strange experience with the Visa back in September. I had a combination of an expiring passport and an expiring AU Visa. My travel agent preemptively renewed my Visa even though technically it would have been fine for the itinerary. It caused a snafu at check in, because their system had the old Visa but I had a new passport. The GS agent could not print my BP without resolving it. They can't force it through even though they could search the system and find the new Visa associated with the new passport. They had to call the Australian consulate to get some kind of override code to allow me to board.

Very strange. My arrival into SYD was uneventful, so I'm guessing it was a combination of factors at United confusing the system.

Repooc17

Delete please. Wrong thread.

laxmillenial

I want to say that the e-visa processes immediately. If you're at the airport in the US and have access to the web, just submit it right then and there and wait 5-10 minutes. When I submitted them for my parents at home, I was able to verify them within 5 minutes that they had been processed.
But, don't take this and wait for the last minute to do this. I can't / don't know if it is real time to UA's systems when they verify the E-Visa.

docbert

Sometimes it processes immediately. I'll even go so far as to say most of the time.

But sometimes they will take a few days to be approved (or rejected). The presumption is that if it can be approved automatically it will be, but if it decides there's something that requires further investigation then it's sidelined for a human to look at.

Whilst leaving it to the last minute may have worked for you, there have been reports of people who doing that resulted in them not being allowed to catch their flight as it wasn't approved automatically.

Hammer0425

Agree with don't plan on an immediate processing. In the past, yes, you do it online and you'll see the email within minutes. I also don't ever remember seeing any sort of time restriction on there. When I went to Australia earlier this month though and applied for the visa, there was a 10-14 day recommendation on the application and I did not see any sort of confirmation that it had been processed for a couple of days. I suppose it was possible it was done immediately and I just have no way of knowing that but it seems like assuming that may be the case could be a risky prospect.