New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

[Hvr]

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bolstered background checks on Monday for foreigners from dozens of countries who do not require a visa to land on US soil.


Citizens of Australia, Europe and other ally nations who try to travel to the US on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will be forced to disclose additional personal information, including if they hold other passports or have ever used a different name or alias.


Other new information they will be required to supply includes any other citizenships they hold, parents’ names, city of birth, contact information such as an email address and phone number, and employment information.
US cracks down on Australian travellers

Just what we don't need. Here's hoping it's not too onerous.

 

[RooFlyer]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Wonder how that's going to work with the new kiosks, VWP are entitled to use? Here.

 

[dajop]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Wonder how that's going to work with the new kiosks, VWP are entitled to use? Here.

Why would it be any different to the counter/human processing. The background checks I assume would be done as part of ESTA process before someone even gets on the plane. But I wonder for those who already have current ESTA's how it will work.

 

[knasty]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

I came in on Monday through CBP @ YUL 60 seconds nothing new. Maybe they didn't get the memo.

 

[RooFlyer]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Why would it be any different to the counter/human processing. The background checks I assume would be done as part of ESTA process before someone even gets on the plane. But I wonder for those who already have current ESTA's how it will work.

Your assumption remains to be tested; hope you are right, but as you observe for all of us with current ESTA, it'll be 'back to the counters' and no kiosk, perhaps.

 

[serfty]

My last ESTA expired six weeks ago.

I am planning an a new one anyway before my next journey to the USA in January.

I just had a look at the ESTA site and all the new questions are there (Parent's Names, Employment etc.)

 

[jojen]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Applied on Tuesday for our trip next year and thought the questions had changed. Could not remember being asked for parents names 2 years ago. Did notice that this new one does not expire until November 2016 which seemed to be longer than last time.

jojen

 

[JohnPhelan]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Your assumption remains to be tested; hope you are right, but as you observe for all of us with current ESTA, it'll be 'back to the counters' and no kiosk, perhaps.

Then just do a new ESTA, with the extra information!

 

[serfty]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Applied on Tuesday for our trip next year and thought the questions had changed. Could not remember being asked for parents names 2 years ago. Did notice that this new one does not expire until November 2016 which seemed to be longer than last time.
jojen

November 2016 is correct - that's the two years ESTA's have always been valid for.

 

[albatross710]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

I am planning an a new one anyway before my next journey to the USA in January.

How close to your travel do you do your ESTA?

I try and finesse it but get nervous if I leave it too late. I think mine expires this month but I'm not due to travel there again until April 15.

 

[ashleyn]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Just done mine, quite a bit more info required, allow 15 minutes.

 

[jukebox333]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

How close to your travel do you do your ESTA?

I try and finesse it but get nervous if I leave it too late. I think mine expires this month but I'm not due to travel there again until April 15.

Last year I muffed the application for two of the five in our party (read an M as an N on a passport. Well, two passports, actually...) and was refused check-in by Emirates, 90 mins before the flight closed.

After a fairly sphincter tightening 15 minutes, I was able to get two replacements online using an airport internet terminal, and we all boarded.

I'd not want to repeat the exercise...

 

[RooFlyer]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Then just do a new ESTA, with the extra information!

Nah, the cost would break me ...

 

[FlyboyAl]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

I renewed my ESAT 2 weeks ago and didn't notice anything different. Fly into LAX tomorrow, so will see if anything has changed. We are hoping to use the kiosks.

 

[DC3]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Please post how you go with this in LAX, now that the ESTA has been enhanced.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

Last year I muffed the application for two of the five in our party (read an M as an N on a passport. Well, two passports, actually...) and was refused check-in by Emirates, 90 mins before the flight closed.

The 'M' and the 'N' thing is a frequent occurrence. Another thing people do eg if travelling on an NZ passport is incorrectly put their nationality as Australian (if they hold dual nationality). The nationality you use on your ESTA application should be that of whatever the country is who issued the passport ie NZ passport number = nationality New Zealand.

You would only say your nationality is Australian if using an Aussie passport.

When airline checkin people scan your passport the system searches for an ESTA matching that passport number & country of issue.

Australians travelling to the United States will need to pass extra security vetting by the American government to address fears that local supporters of Islamic State jihadists could use their Australian passports to enter the US and launch attacks.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bolstered background checks on Monday for foreigners from dozens of countries who do not require a visa to land on US soil.

Citizens of Australia, Europe and other ally nations who try to travel to the US on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will be forced to disclose additional personal information, including if they hold other passports or have ever used a different name or alias.

“These foreign fighters are likely to gain experience and training from the Syria-based groups and eventually may return to their own countries battle-hardened and further radicalised,” the DHS said.

I don't think these extra 'security measures' will achieve anything as it wrongly assumes that people are still dual nationals and hold other passports. These people have either been born in Australia so are Australian citizens by birth or arrived here post 2007 when the floodgates opened and were subsequently granted Australian citizenship.

Even if they have ever used a different name or alias before doesn't mean they're going to admit to having used one.

 

[RooFlyer]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

<snip>


I don't think these extra 'security measures' will achieve anything as it wrongly assumes that people are still dual nationals and hold other passports. These people have either been born in Australia so are Australian citizens by birth or arrived here post 2007 when the floodgates opened and were subsequently granted Australian citizenship.

Even if they have ever used a different name or alias before doesn't mean they're going to admit to having used one.

May not achieve anything, but perhaps if they answer wrongly, and are caught, this is something easy to get them 'on the hook' - and held - while the trickier stuff is sorted out.

 

[JessicaTam]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

I did my ESTA a few months ago, and the questions don't look much different.

The quote the OP has put up says that applicants have to disclose if they have ever used another name or alias, but the application doesn't ask that. It only asks if you are known by another name (not used to be). So I would expect that you wouldn't have to disclose you had entered the States under your maiden name if you are now known by all and sundry by your married name, for example.

 

[FlyboyAl]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

OK, here is yesterdays experience after arriving on QF11 into LAX
We both have "N" series passports, and both have current ESTA details, with mine only updated about 2 weeks ago, and Flygirls done in August.
We came off the flight and arrived into the immigration area with lots of staff calling "ESTA this way". So we went "that way". It put us into a queue (sorry, a line!). While in the line, a guy kept calling for anyone with a "new passport" to come forward. This was clarified with a question if the passenger had ever been to the US before. They were sent in another direction to the normal immigration checkpoint. We waited in the line and were both directed to one kiosk ("please use one kiosk per family"). So we did that - put in the passport, answered all the questions with NO, then did the finger prints,then did the other passport with the same responses - probably took 3 minutes per passport. So far all is good.
The kiosk put out 2 tickets with our photos on it, so we headed for the EXIT line, only to be met by a woman who looked at our tickets, said "ESTA", and pointed us to ANOTHER bloody line.
We then waited here for another 6-8 minutes to be processed through a normal immigration checkpoint with fingerprints, photo, questions etc, and then we were sent on our way.
Total bloody waste of time using the kiosk, yet we could see others going straight out the exit line from the kiosks.
I'd also say that the woman who "processed" us was the most unhappy, miserable, sour individual we have EVER had on arrival into LAX.
On the upside, our rental bus arrived just as we arrived to the pickup area, so that was something good.

In hindsight, all I can say is that the new system is just an excuse to have MORE staff wandering around looking like they are doing something, but they are actually doing bugger all.

Others may have different experiences, but ours was NOT a positive one!

 

[RooFlyer]

re: New ESTA Questions - "Moral Turpitude" gone -"Serious" Crimes, not just "any"

OK, here is yesterdays experience after arriving on QF11 into LAX
<snip>

So, were any of the questions asked at the kiosk, or at the usual checkpoint of 'new' type per the OP?

Otherwise, it sounds more like a stuff-up, with you needing to do both the kiosk and the live person.