ESTA Query

uncommon_name

Hi all,

Just a quick question about an ESTA. I was in the US last November and got myself and my partner an ESTA. We are heading back to Miami in December this year, staying overnight and then joining a cruise for 2 weeks.
I am wondering do I need to change the address on the ESTA application to the hotel we are staying in in Miami the night before the cruise, if yes then how do I go about this. And also do we need to add in the cruise ship also and again if so how do I do this and what would a cruise ship address be?

I don't want any issues while traveling through the American Border control in Dublin airport, mainly because herself is terrible on flights and will be worrying enough as it is.

circular flexing

No need to update ESTA, you will be asked for hotel address while checking in for the flight so just update it there.

uncommon_name

circular flexing wrote: »

No need to update ESTA, you will be asked for hotel address while checking in for the flight so just update it there.

Ok, so even though the address for the hotel we stayed in last year will be on the application it wont matter? Just double checking.

Thanks for the help.

circular flexing

uncommon_name wrote: »

Ok, so even though the address for the hotel we stayed in last year will be on the application it wont matter? Just double checking.

Thanks for the help.

Nope it won't matter. The airline will collect the relevant information on check in.

jack presley

It's no harm to update the address anyway. You might not need to but it'll take you 30 seconds and won't cost you a penny so why not?

The reason I'd say to do it was because one year when I was going to NY and staying in the same hotel as I'd stayed in the year previously and on the same flight number so didn't update the ESTA and the CBP agent was in a foul mood and had a go at me for not updating the form. I presume he could see that it hadn't been updated.

mightyreds

Yeah they have added functionality to change address on the ESTA site so I presume it wasn't added for no reason , I changed mine heading over this year after being in a different part last year.

coylemj

circular flexing wrote: »

Nope it won't matter. The airline will collect the relevant information on check in.

I'm not sure that your airline cares about which hotel you'll be staying in, I don't recall any check-in clerk ever asking me if the address data on my ESTA was up to date.

jack presley wrote: »

It's no harm to update the address anyway. You might not need to but it'll take you 30 seconds and won't cost you a penny so why not?

mightyreds wrote: »

Yeah they have added functionality to change address on the ESTA site so I presume it wasn't added for no reason , I changed mine heading over this year after being in a different part last year.

+1 I'd update it just in case, at the very least, it will reassure you that your ESTA is still current.

circular flexing

coylemj wrote: »

I'm not sure that your airline cares about which hotel you'll be staying in, I don't recall any check-in clerk ever asking me if the address data on my ESTA was up to date.

I flew to the US last week (United) and I couldn't complete check in until I provided an address.


In any case, the address portion of the ESTA application is optional and not required. By all means update it if it makes you feel better but the answer to the OPs question is no, they do not need to update the address on ESTA.

uncommon_name

mightyreds wrote: »

Yeah they have added functionality to change address on the ESTA site so I presume it wasn't added for no reason , I changed mine heading over this year after being in a different part last year.

I didn't know they added the option to change the address. I just spotted it now when I went looking. Thank you
I will update and print off again.

Regarding the address, do I just put in the Hotel I am staying in before the cruise, or should I put in the cruise line address instead. Or both?

uncommon_name

jack presley wrote: »

It's no harm to update the address anyway. You might not need to but it'll take you 30 seconds and won't cost you a penny so why not?

The reason I'd say to do it was because one year when I was going to NY and staying in the same hotel as I'd stayed in the year previously and on the same flight number so didn't update the ESTA and the CBP agent was in a foul mood and had a go at me for not updating the form. I presume he could see that it hadn't been updated.

Fair enough, bit annoying considering all the information was the same.

coylemj

circular flexing wrote: »

I flew to the US last week (United) and I couldn't complete check in until I provided an address.

That might be because United don't let you enter the API data on their website so their check-in staff are used to asking passengers for all of the data. When I'm checking in with Aer Lingus to fly to the US, I've already filled in the API data and they never ask me anything.

circular flexing wrote: »

In any case, the address portion of the ESTA application is optional and not required. By all means update it if it makes you feel better but the answer to the OPs question is no, they do not need to update the address on ESTA.

+1 the US authorities don't really seem to care about it any more.

coylemj

uncommon_name wrote: »

Regarding the address, do I just put in the Hotel I am staying in before the cruise, or should I put in the cruise line address instead. Or both?

The hotel you'll be staying in on the first night, they don't care what you do after that.

uncommon_name

Nice one, thanks guys. I will update the ESTA on the website now