KARFA

It seems when you update it the only details you can update are the fields for "Address While In The United States". As noted by Nightbus to Dalson, I don't think arrival date or flight number are particularly crucial hence why these are not updateable - they only matter for your first trip to the US on a new ESTA.

Deanog1976

Thanks for your time and replying all. I've always been able to change the flight number details but if there's no need to I will just update where we're staying first.

Visa_Help

Hi everyone,

I am travelling to Vegas tomorrow morning. I am a British citizen with a passport issues after 2006 (IE it has a biometrics chip).

In order to qualify for the Visa Waiver program, I need:
The passport must have a machine-readable zone on the biographic page.
Issued on or after October 26, 2005 – Each Visa Waiver Program passport issued on or after this date must have a digital photo.
Issued on or after October 26, 2006 – Each Visa Waiver Program passport issued on or after this date must be an electronic passport with a digital chip containing biometric information about the passport owner.

Now the issue I have is that my chip is not working (found that out coming back in to the UK most recently). I have everything set and approved.

Does anyone know if this is going to be an issue?

Thanks
Tom

GUWonder

It is not generally a problem if the passport's RFID chip is non-functional on departure to -- and/or upon arrival in -- the U.S. As long as the passport is otherwise acceptable for the passenger's transport to/from the U.S. and otherwise the person is admissible, the RFID chips's functional status is not a problem.

To Eat.To Drink

I have two UK passports, one of which is linked to my US ESTA. Would anyone know if it is possible to hold two ESTAs, each assigned to a different passport number? I have always been very careful as I'm not sure if US immigration are comfortable with the concept of holding multiple passports (from the same country) and I have a latex allergy...

mjh0

I know several people with two passports, and it is perfectly legitimate to hold two passports in the same name, from the same country, as long as a case can be made.

The most common one is for a person who travels for work a lot to countries for which they need a Visa, and the argument is that one of the two documents will almost always be away for Visa processing.

I'm unsure if they have an ESTA bound to both passports though, as I know at least one of them has a US Visa instead, and two are US Citizens themselves.

I guess the best thing to do is contact the US authorities for advice. It's not unusual to have to two passports, they issue second passports ot their own citizens. They are bound to have come across this situation before.

Mike

Cymro

I can't give a definitive answer but the one and only time I've been selected for enhanced screening was after I landed at ORD three months after losing my passport in Cologne. Latex was not involved but the interview was quite thorough even though they had my fingerprints from a visit a year previously, and the lost passport definitely came up.

Personally I'm sure you'd get into the country but I wouldn't be booking any tight connections.

UKtravelbear

Yes it is possible but to avoid any confusion I'd try and keep all your US travel on the one with the ESTA and keep the other one ESTA free.

As others have said it is perfectly possible (and legal) to have more than one passport but equally you want to avoid any possible problems.

They have non-allergenic gloves available so no need to worry when you hear the 'snap'

whatisfirst

I also have two passports because of all the travel I do. US immigration don't care if you have two passports, but you will need an ESTA for each passport as each authorisation is associated with the passport number as well as your bio data.

Note though that if you travel to the U.S. and want to bypass the queues by using an automated kiosk (if available), you can only do so if you have been manually processed on a previous visit with the passport you're using - this isn't necessarily obvious. (Ie you can't use passport 2 to use the kiosk even if you've previously been admitted using passport 1 - again, ESTAs are associated with passport numbers rather than you).

Hope this is helpful!

corporate-wage-slave

For practical reasons I would stick to one ESTA. I've got more than one nationality, as well as multiple passports/ID cards but for ESTA purposes I keep to just one (UK in this case). Apart from the reasons given above, your departure is tracked against one passport, and so if you have multiple visits on multiple passports then that may over time lead to awkward, er, encounters. It's unusual (but not unprecedented) for Americans to have multiple passports.

MAN Pax

Agree - when I've had two passports, I've always made sure I only use one for the USA. Why complicate matters if you don't need to and have questions asked that don't need to be?

windowontheAside

I know that the plural of anecdote is not data but some years ago a colleague was given a lengthy (20+ mins) questioning about having two UK passports when we entered the US.

It seems the USBP agent just couldn't get his head around someone legitimately having two UK passports with different numbers, dates etc. I think he said that in the rare cases US citizens need a second passport it's a copy of the first, not another number. So he was very suspicious - but ultimately let him through.

Since ESTA I've been very careful to keep my US travels on one passport. I nearly had to use the other this year, and was wondering if it would raise any interest, but my ESTA registered one made it back in time for my trip.

So, I'd stick to one unless I had no choice. But in that case, I'd get an ESTA on the other and not worry too much about it. After all, since they started fingerprinting I travelled on both passports without comment, so I suspect they already know I have two passports.

DoctorCopper

I have two passports and have a valid ESTA for each passport. I've never had an ESTA/passport issue when entering the USA.

GUWonder

Unusual,for Americans to have multiple passports? A few million Americans have had two or more American passports with some overlapping, concurrent validity. Further to that, the number of US dual-citizens and US citizens eligible for non-US citizenship is very large in absolute terms. It's not common, but it is usual.

That said, it's indeed better to try to use the same passport to enter and exit the US as much as possible. And don't consider trying to use two different passports, each with their own ESTA, as a way to avoid scrutiny over a past visit or over the upcoming visit -- that often flops. Having two or more separate passports each with their own ESTA generally works fine in practice.

To Eat.To Drink

Thanks for all the replies. The justification for both passports is of course the delay in visa approvals and the need for frequent travel. I currently have to think carefully about which passport I send to which embassy when, should I have a possible or confirmed US trip planned. My current technique is to staple a tiny (1/4 passport page size) printout of my ESTA confirmation into the relevant passport. This also help to remind me when it is due to expire. I think I will keep doing this as it's easier than wasting time explaining to an official...

I'm not sure whether the availability of latex-free gloves is a comfort...