US address on ESTA form for EU citizen laying over at LGA en route to Canada
Nov 20, 2018, 10:09 am
#16
Join Date: Jun 2014
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No.
It would not matter if OP is flying via JFK, ORD, MIA or as booked, via LGA.
There is no such thing as "transit" in the US. Inbound passengers are admitted to the US and then depart the US.
LGA is a red herring for this passenger. Whether flying YYZ-JFK/ORD/MIA or LGA he will be processed through Pre-Clearance (with some very rare exceptions) at YYZ and arrive at his US airport as a domestic passenger.
For those who have raised concerns about what a CBP Officer might ask, there is nothing to fear from that. Presuming other aspects of OP'' ststus are not causes for concern, if OP is asked why he flying his ticketed route, he should tell the truth. Presumably to save money. People get themselves into trouble by telling petty lies for no purpose. There is nothing wrong with what OP proposes so he ought not to fear answering the question.
It would not matter if OP is flying via JFK, ORD, MIA or as booked, via LGA.
There is no such thing as "transit" in the US. Inbound passengers are admitted to the US and then depart the US.
LGA is a red herring for this passenger. Whether flying YYZ-JFK/ORD/MIA or LGA he will be processed through Pre-Clearance (with some very rare exceptions) at YYZ and arrive at his US airport as a domestic passenger.
For those who have raised concerns about what a CBP Officer might ask, there is nothing to fear from that. Presuming other aspects of OP'' ststus are not causes for concern, if OP is asked why he flying his ticketed route, he should tell the truth. Presumably to save money. People get themselves into trouble by telling petty lies for no purpose. There is nothing wrong with what OP proposes so he ought not to fear answering the question.
Nov 20, 2018, 10:34 am
#17
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There also is no transit area, zone or other physical location, either at JFK or LGA. At both airports, one would step off one's flight from YYZ the process is the same.
The suggestion that somehow someone is "odd" for not arriving at JFK rather than :LGA and the earlier suggestion that OP check his itinerary are simply from people who may not be familiar with the process of arriving in the US and then proceeding to a third country.
Nov 20, 2018, 10:53 am
#18
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You are setting yourself up for all sorts of things to go wrong. EU-YYZ-LGA new ticket LGA-YYZ? A lengthy immigration queue in Toronto, possibly a change of terminal, US pre-clearance, means you may be protected on a later flight to LGA, but getting back to Toronto may be compromised. Could turn out to be stressful and expensive.
Nov 20, 2018, 11:07 am
#20
Join Date: Jun 2014
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"Transit" is not a legal status in the US. It may well be a reasonable description of OP's physical location which is all CBP wants.
There also is no transit area, zone or other physical location, either at JFK or LGA. At both airports, one would step off one's flight from YYZ the process is the same.
The suggestion that somehow someone is "odd" for not arriving at JFK rather than :LGA and the earlier suggestion that OP check his itinerary are simply from people who may not be familiar with the process of arriving in the US and then proceeding to a third country.
There also is no transit area, zone or other physical location, either at JFK or LGA. At both airports, one would step off one's flight from YYZ the process is the same.
The suggestion that somehow someone is "odd" for not arriving at JFK rather than :LGA and the earlier suggestion that OP check his itinerary are simply from people who may not be familiar with the process of arriving in the US and then proceeding to a third country.
Nov 20, 2018, 1:04 pm
#21
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Even if the OP is booked from Europe to LGA on a single AC flight number as a "direct flight," he will be changing planes in Canada, and going through U.S. pre-clearance there. That's the point I wanted to make sure that the OP understood.
Nov 20, 2018, 1:50 pm
#22
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Location: Canada, USA, Europe
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Nonsense. The OP was oddly worded. The poster did not say that he would be landing at YYZ and changing planes there. Instead, he said that his intercontinental flight (singular) would be landing at LGA, and "passing by" YYZ and the pre-clearance facility there. That suggested (to me, at least) that he was under the mistaken impression that his trip to LGA was either going to overfly YYZ, and come into LGA for Immigration and Customs inspection, or that even if it made an intermediate stop in Canada, he would stay on the same plane without going through U.S. pre-clearance there.
Even if the OP is booked from Europe to LGA on a single AC flight number as a "direct flight," he will be changing planes in Canada, and going through U.S. pre-clearance there. That's the point I wanted to make sure that the OP understood.
Even if the OP is booked from Europe to LGA on a single AC flight number as a "direct flight," he will be changing planes in Canada, and going through U.S. pre-clearance there. That's the point I wanted to make sure that the OP understood.
Nov 20, 2018, 1:58 pm
#23
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I'm not quite sure what you are suggesting the OP is thinking or saying, but it seems pretty clear that he is flying Europe-YYZ-LGA, and will have not only to change planes in Toronto, but clear Canadian and US formalities there, at a minimum. Whether that leaves him enough time to make his onwards LGA flight (without question on a different aircraft, with a different flight number), is a different matter. I think the small savings will turn out to be a loss, but that's just my opinion.
I agree with you that the OP is running the risk of missing his LGA-YYZ flight. And if the OP's long-haul Europe-LGA ticket is actually a roundtrip, he will not only have the expense of getting back to NYC for his flights home, but also runs the risk of missing his flights back to Europe if he encounters IRROPS on a separate YYZ-LGA ticket.
Nov 20, 2018, 2:01 pm
#24
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Yes, it is certainly clear now (see Post #11 ).
I agree with you that the OP is running the risk of missing his LGA-YYZ flight. And if the OP's long-haul Europe-LGA ticket is actually a roundtrip, he will not only have the expense of getting back to NYC for his flights home, but also runs the risk of missing his flights back to Europe if he encounters IRROPS on a separate YYZ-LGA ticket.
I agree with you that the OP is running the risk of missing his LGA-YYZ flight. And if the OP's long-haul Europe-LGA ticket is actually a roundtrip, he will not only have the expense of getting back to NYC for his flights home, but also runs the risk of missing his flights back to Europe if he encounters IRROPS on a separate YYZ-LGA ticket.
Nov 20, 2018, 8:37 pm
#25
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Years ago I asked USCBP what to put in the area because I was transiting at MIA and the agent said put "in transit" because MIA was not my destination.
Let the agent ask to where if they ask at all.
Nov 23, 2018, 7:58 pm
#26
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It works fine, but the airline might insist on being given an address with a zip code. CBP at YYZ isn't entirely unfamiliar with people doing unusual trip routings to save money. "It was cheaper this way."
Dec 3, 2018, 6:21 am
#27
Join Date: Jun 2003
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In Transit
I have done this many times albeit travelling up to Canada in a rental car after flying in to the US. I often ski in British Columbia in February and because of the many places I visit it is far cheaper to fly into Seattle, rent a car and drive up to BC via the Sumas border crossing. (Although I do wish the YVR flights were cheaper!)
Flights usually get into SEA mid-afternoon with a few hours drive up to Chilliwack where I stay for the first night.
As a result I have always put 'in transit' both on the old paper forms and on the electronic versions. Never had a problem. I have been questioned about it on a very few occasions but a quick explanation has always sufficed.
Flights usually get into SEA mid-afternoon with a few hours drive up to Chilliwack where I stay for the first night.
As a result I have always put 'in transit' both on the old paper forms and on the electronic versions. Never had a problem. I have been questioned about it on a very few occasions but a quick explanation has always sufficed.