Visa/ Visa waiver info wanted

[harz99]

Hi everybody, I have tried searching but can't seem to find an answer to my question which is:

 

We are UK citizens who (we hope) will enter the US at Los Angeles next New Years Eve under the visa waiver scheme - this will not be our first such visit.

 

We will be embarking on B2B cruises a couple of days later that take us to Mexico, Costa Rica, Columbia back to Fort Lauderdale, then to various places around the Caribbean Islands and back to FL again.

 

How does this affect our visa waiver entry - for instance will we have to ensure that part two of our card is retained by immigration on our first visit to FL and a new waiver card obtained and completed, or is the original entry visa waiver sufficient?

 

Any advise/help gratefully received, Doug.

[iain48]

Not sure about re-enry but you will need an ESTA to enter US initially.

 

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html

 

Iain

[harz99]

Not sure about re-enry but you will need an ESTA to enter US initially.

 

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html

 

Iain

 

Hi, yes got the ESTA's - did say I'd been before, although could have been before Esta, so thanks.

[Nallekarhu]

You should be fine. The I-94W form (the green form you had to staple to the passport) has been eliminated as of a few weeks ago. Its all electronic now.

[harz99]

You should be fine. The I-94W form (the green form you had to staple to the passport) has been eliminated as of a few weeks ago. Its all electronic now.

 

Thanks for that - here's hoping there are no glitches in the system when we get to travel in and out of the US!

[imsulin]

Thanks for that - here's hoping there are no glitches in the system when we get to travel in and out of the US!

 

Here's hoping you'll enjoy my country as much as I enjoyed yours! I spent four wonderful weeks in Scotland many years ago, and look forward to returning. Best of luck, and enjoy your cruise! (And the US)

[Capt_BJ]

ABSOLUTELY THE WRONG PLACE TO ASK . . .

 

you might get a correct answer

 

and u might not

 

the guy with the badge ain't gonna listen to "but on cruise critic I was told..."

[Nallekarhu]

Thanks for the vote of confidence... :rolleyes:

 

Ok, just kidding. I've seen plenty of misinformation on boards. Here's a link to the Customs & Border Patrol website regarding the I-94W form phase-out so you can tell the guy with the badge what his own people say.

 

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/i-94_instructions/cbp_i94w_form.xml

[pms4104]

Who knows really how long the phase-out of the paper I94 will take?

 

I believe that, if the paper version still is in use when you travel, you will surrender the I94 at the final port of departure ... not when you go on the cruise but when you fly back home.

[ldlewis45]

Like the poster above me said, you only surrender the I-94 at your final port of departure. If you are planning to return to the United States before it expires, you keep it and then surrender it when finally leaving the United States. It MUST be surrendered on or before the expiration date, though.

[harz99]

ABSOLUTELY THE WRONG PLACE TO ASK . . .

 

you might get a correct answer

 

and u might not

 

the guy with the badge ain't gonna listen to "but on cruise critic I was told..."

 

And I would not be that stupid as to say that to anyone in officialdom in any country - credit your fellow CC'ers with some sense.

 

FYI the first thing I did on getting Nallekarhu's reply was a google search which confirmed via official DHS press releases what had been said.

 

And, given the responses above (well at least those that have tried to answer my original question) it was not "the wrong place to ask"!