OMG, please help, i've messed up our ESTA application (UPDATED 18th)

[poppie123]

Oh my god i feel sick and i just don't know what to do.
I did my ESTA application ok and then when filling out my eldest daughters i filled in all her name etc but picked up the wrong passport and put her sister passport number in instead with all her sisters passport details.
It approved and now i can't change it or submit an application for my youngest as it says passport number already exsists.

WHAT DO I DO?????
Who do i contact i have no idea

[UKDEB]

Can't you amend the details of the application you have submitted so that it matches the passport number rather than trying to do it the other way around? I was under the impression that you could access previously submitted applications to make amendments.

[poppie123]

You can only change where you are staying and flight details, not names etc. I just don't know what i am supposed to do. How stupid of me, i can't believe i have done it!!

[UKDEB]

Here's a 'copy and paste' from the FAQs.

Q: How can an applicant correct a mistake when completing their ESTA application?

A: The ESTA Web site will prompt applicants to review the data submitted for the overall application prior to submission. In addition, the ESTA Web site will require the applicant to reaffirm the passport number prior to submission. If an applicant makes a mistake when filling out the passport information, identifying biographic information, or eligibility questions, and he or she realizes the mistake only after having submitted the ESTA application, he or she will need to submit a new ESTA application. Any other mistakes, including e-mail address, telephone number, carrier, flight number, city of embarkation, and address while in the United States may be corrected or updated by using the ESTA update function.

[UKDEB]

Try submitting a correct application for your elder daughter first. Maybe then you will be able to submit a further application for your younger daughter.

[catrinuk]

does everone need to complete an ESTA application from now? we are flying out in december

[poppie123]

does everone need to complete an ESTA application from now? we are flying out in december

No they don't come into force until January 2009.
I just thought i would do mine early, like 1 YEAR:sad2: early

Wish to god i had left it alone now, there was no need to do it but i though oh i am sitting here not doing very much at all i might as well do them now.
:headache:

I've now either got to ring the states at god knows how much per minute to try and sort it or apply for a new passport as you get a new number. Drastic as that sounds i think a new passport may well turn out to be the cheapest option.!!!!!!

[wayneg]

If you have ring US then use http://www.telediscount.co.uk/index2.php you should never pay more than 1p/min these days to ring US.

Hope you sort it out online somehow, I haven't looked at the site yet.

[poppie123]

If you have ring US then use http://www.telediscount.co.uk/index2.php you should never pay more than 1p/min these days to ring US.

Hope you sort it out online somehow, I haven't looked at the site yet.

Thanks for that, what a joke. I could kick myself for doing it.:headache:

I think by the time i have messed around trying to get hold of the right department to explain what i have done and how it can be corrected it would be cheaper and far less hassle to just renew her passport next year. I was told you can renew a passport whenever you want, you don't have to wait for it to the expiry date.
At least then by renewing it she will get a new passport number which would solve the problem.

[Snowy-girls]

Sorry i can't help as i have'nt tried it yet,but i hope you can get it sorted and not in an expensive way.x.

[wayneg]

Like I say not used the site so not a clue about it yet but what good will new passport do? I am lost with it. If you can enter new passport why cant you enter old one?

[poppie123]

I submitted my eldest daughters application, put all her details in but accidentally picked up her sisters passport and used the passport number and dates from that. It approved no problem.

Then when i tried to submit my youngest's application it said passport number already in use. (well it would because i already used it, it was then i realised what i had done)

So i then submitted another application for my eldest with her own passport number and details and that went through fine.
So technically she has 2 authorisations, one with correct details and one with incorrect.

So now 2 of us have permission to travel with all the right details but i can't do my youngest's application as i just keeps saying passport number already in use. Which it is, because of my stupid mistake.

If i renew my youngest's passport then she will automaticaly get a new passport number and i can then submit her application. It will not recognise the passport number and viola, problem sorted.

Hope that makes sense!!

[Karenpowley]

Is the ESTA intead of the Visa Waiver form u usually fill in upon arrival?

Kx

[paulh]

Is the ESTA intead of the Visa Waiver form u usually fill in upon arrival?

Kx

think itsexactly the same form but online,it will do away witht he green form.it will be valid for 2 years
Then all you would change each time you visit,would be the date of arivial and the first nights stay
Has to be aplied for no less that 3 days prior to departure
Paulh

[Nicola2010]

Sorry as im not of any help to this but what is an ESTA and what is it needed for after Jan 09? Holidays?

Im getting married in Florida in 2010. Will i need an ESTA?

[Karenpowley]

think itsexactly the same form but online,it will do away witht he green form.it will be valid for 2 years
Then all you would change each time you visit,would be the date of arivial and the first nights stay
Has to be aplied for no less that 3 days prior to departure
Paulh

Thanks Paul - hope that saves abit of time then....:rotfl:

Kx

[Karenpowley]

Sorry as im not of any help to this but what is an ESTA and what is it needed for after Jan 09? Holidays?

Im getting married in Florida in 2010. Will i need an ESTA?

As I understand it Nicola - it officially starts in Jan 2009 - u fill it in online - think there is a link somewhere, not sure how far in advance u do it, but quite a while in front of your dept date.

Kx

[Lizzybear]

If i renew my youngest's passport then she will automaticaly get a new passport number and i can then submit her application. It will not recognise the passport number and viola, problem sorted.

Just to keep in mind you can add a maximum of 9 months from an old passport to a new one. I would ring them.. If it's a mistake you can't change with the update tool then they may need to be made aware of it and should be able to sort it out for you.

[poppie123]

Just to keep in mind you can add a maximum of 9 months from an old passport to a new one. I would ring them.. If it's a mistake you can't change with the update tool then they may need to be made aware of it and should be able to sort it out for you.


That's just the thing i have no idea who to ring. I have looked all through the ESTA website but it doesn't give you any numbers to call if you make a mistake. It just says this regarding mistakes:

If an applicant makes a mistake when filling out the passport information, identifying biographic information, or eligibility questions, and he or she realizes the mistake only after having submitted the ESTA application, he or she will need to submit a new ESTA application.


I have re- submitted my eldest daughters application with the correct passport number as it tells you and that was authorised ok, I think it has more to do with passport numbers than it does names etc, otherwise if it went on names i would not have been able to submit a second application for her.
i still can't do my youngest though as it just says passport number already exists.

I have sent off a couple of emails to the Dept Homeland Security in the States explaing everything and will wait to see if they know what to do.

Other than that i will just get her a new passport. Ridiculous i know to have to do that but i can't see any other way to do it.

[wickesy]

If I were you I would try ringing the US Embassy in London to see if they can offer any advice.

Switchboard: [44] (0)20 7499-9000

[Dimplenose]

That's really worrying - what if someone inputs your passport number by mistake by getting a digit wrong? I think I'll be filling in my family's application as soon as the kids renewed passports arrive.

I suppose putting it online so early is a way of getting the customers to test the system.

Good luck with your application.

[wayneg]

Personally if I had done everything I could I would wait until I got there with all relevent info printed off, ie screenshots of not being able to do anything, but I am not a worrier.
I posted before about the newspaper interview while I was in Florida last month, the US travel industry is terrified this new system is going to affect tourism in US, when asked the question what if people arrive after the compulsory start date without filling in ESTA? their reply was there will be a long transition period without anyone being turned away.
Once the system is in full swing, maybe the will see problems like you have and correct it, you have a while yet. good luck with it.

[poppie123]

Personally if I had done everything I could I would wait until I got there with all relevent info printed off, ie screenshots of not being able to do anything, but I am not a worrier.
I posted before about the newspaper interview while I was in Florida last month, the US travel industry is terrified this new system is going to affect tourism in US, when asked the question what if people arrive after the compulsory start date without filling in ESTA? their reply was there will be a long transition period without anyone being turned away.
Once the system is in full swing, maybe the will see problems like you have and correct it, you have a while yet. good luck with it.


OMG, i wish i could be more like you, i do nothing but WORRY. This has just made me feel sick.
I doesn't help that there is nobody to ring and there is no information on what to do if you are stupid :sad2: like me and mess up big time.
I am going to ring the US Embassy in London tommorow and see if they can help but if they don't know what to do i will just pay out for a new passport. Drastic for some but peace of mind for me.

I am sure at some point someone else will do something wrong with regard to putting in passport details and only realise once they have submitted the application, whether it be the number or the dates. I can't be the only idiot out there surely.!!:lmao:

[irongirlof12]

I have to agree with Wayne you have ages to sort this out. I would be concerned if I was going tomorrow! Just wait and see waht replies you get to your email- they may not have encountered this yet and will find a solution as you won't be the last to do this.;)

[wayneg]

OMG, i wish i could be more like you, i do nothing but WORRY.

I can tell from your posts what a worrier you are. Holidays are fun to plan these little obsticles come up but you will get thru it. Everything will be fine in the end, we missed a flight 2 year ago, no worries another was leaving 3 hours later, this Easter we turned up at the hotel and the only had one room for us when we booked 2, a few minutes later it was sorted, all part of the travelling experience. :hug:

[Snowy-girls]

poppie123,to not worry is easier said than done.I also am a worrier,not just about WDW either,people like 'us' just can't help it,you're not stupid or an idiot :hug: .As irongirlof12 said-it would be a different story if you were going pretty darn soon but you do have a while to sort it out.Let us know how you get on,good luck.x.

[poppie123]

I have just had this email back from US customs and Border Protection. I think i emailed just about everyone i could think of including the Dept of Homeland Security.:rotfl:

Anyway i just had this sent to me:


ESTA is new so you are helping to explore new territory in making an application! Don't worry since if we can't figure this yet, I will alert the ESTA office to this weakness in the process if it turns out to be unsolvable.

Have you tried going back to application **************** and updating the bio information to match with the correct daughter? Basically doing a reverse correction from what you might have tried before.

Let me know if that works, please.


Well you can't do what he said to try, you can't change anything to do with passport details.
At least i know they are looking into it although i do think the only solution is to remove the particular application from the system.
It is a bit worrying though, what if someone submits their application and gets a digit wrong in the passport number. It would authorize even though that might be someone elses passport number.:scared:

[The Fetherstons]

Try not to WORRY:hug: to much and good luck :thumbsup2 hope you get it sorted, keep us informed:wizard:

[Lizzybear]

"ESTA is new so you are helping to explore new territory in making an application! Don't worry since if we can't figure this yet, I will alert the ESTA office to this weakness in the process if it turns out to be unsolvable."

I was thinking along those lines myself (the system being so new -still in testing stages in fact- so there will be teething problems) I'm sure lots of people will have and will continue to make mistakes, please don't feel like you're stupid :hug: When I was booking Easyjet flights to Paris for me and my sister I put MY name as both passengers :headache: Luckily they waived the amendment fee but I felt like a right plonker at the time :rolleyes:

[poppie123]

When I was booking Easyjet flights to Paris for me and my sister I put MY name as both passengers :headache: Luckily they waived the amendment fee but I felt like a right plonker at the time :rolleyes:

That made me smile, it's the sort of thing i would do.:lmao:
I feel happier that i am now in contact with an official who is going to contact ESTA about it. If they do not know what to do or if i can't be amended at least i know that by renewing my youngest's passport it should solve the problem as it will be a new passport number.
I don't really want to have to pay out for that though so i will try everything else first.

[jackieleanne]

I just did a completly new form for my dbf because when checking his form that i printed the night before we flew he saw that I had put him through as a woman by mistake.

[poppie123]

I have done a new form for my eldest daughter with HER OWN passport number and details and that's gone through fine. So now she has 2 authorizations, one with her own correct passport details and one with her sisters.

The trouble i have is that i can't submit an application for her sister because it just says passport number already exists. Yeah it does, because i was stupid.

I am still waiting to hear back from them today to see if they have any ideas. If not renewal of her passport seems the way to go.:headache:

[poppie123]

I just received this email...

Hello,

I was out unexpectedly yesterday. Can you tell me what your dates of travel are? I have an answer from the ESTA office but want to clarify something with them first.


PS Don't lose sleep over this. You aren't the only person that has found this weakness in the current application process

OMG there there really are other stupid people out there, i am not alone. :yay:
Hopefully he will get back to me today with whatever solution ESTA come up with. I hope it's not something like don't worry it has been logged on our systems, your daughter will be able to travel. I don't think i could stand the worry of it between now and August, they would have to send me written confirmation.

[Pinky166]

Whereabouts did you fill in the online form Brigette? TIA.

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I just received this email...

Hello,

I was out unexpectedly yesterday. Can you tell me what your dates of travel are? I have an answer from the ESTA office but want to clarify something with them first.


PS Don't lose sleep over this. You aren't the only person that has found this weakness in the current application process

OMG there there really are other stupid people out there, i am not alone. :yay:
Hopefully he will get back to me today with whatever solution ESTA come up with. I hope it's not something like don't worry it has been logged on our systems, your daughter will be able to travel. I don't think i could stand the worry of it between now and August, they would have to send me written confirmation.



Looks like they are getting it sorted then, full marks to the US as lets face it most people you email never reply, but the US seem very good at customer service.

Hope it all works out soon but looks like its going the correct way now.

[poppie123]

I received this a short time ago....


Hi

Here is the response I got from the ESTA office:

"Thank you for your inquiry. The ESTA Program Management Office is aware of this problem. ESTA is currently a voluntary program which will become mandatory starting January 12, 2009. A Solution to allow for corrections is currently being evaluated and will be available once ESTA becomes mandatory."

So, it looks like you will have to wait until January to make corrections. That is when they should have the online application process in its final version and ready to roll. For now, it is more or less in the testing phase and people who apply to ESTA for travel before January will still be processed the old-fashioned way concurrently with the ESTA procedure. That will help spot any weak points in the process before it is mandatory.

Since you are not traveling until August next year, there is plenty of time to see how the new process gets worked out. In the meantime, is there any reason you know of why your daughters would have a problem using the Visa Waiver Program? Have you ever been told that they had an overstay on a previous trip or have been sent to secondary inspection for anything else?

It looks like i am just going to have to wait it out. I am not too sure what he meant about the visa waiver and whether they have had an overstay?? we have never visited the States before.