Validate your status after you return when travelling on an ESTA visa!

[harriet2]

Currently there seems to be something off at the CBP and people traveling on an I-94 visa (the visa you get when you enter with an ESTA) aren't correctly registered to have left the US. This happens both on cruises and airplanes. People this affects risk getting an overstay on their record. If you are unaware of this and travel again to the US, they will not let you enter the country without proof you didn't overstay your visa. Because of this it's really important people are aware of the issue so they can collect the proof and maybe get their departure registered.

You can check your status on the official DHS page, subsection CBP, subsection i94 (It won't let me post a link)
There are two indicators, for both of which you'll have to log in with your passport details. First is the Compliance, this shouldn't have a number after "Days Left to Leave the Country: " (so it should be N/A). Next is the travel history, make sure your departure is present.

If the CBP I94 website doesn't indicate you left the US (I don't know how long it takes to process! We found out after 80 days, which clearly is to long, but I'd give it a week or something before you take action), you need to send proof to CBP you did leave.
First, send an email to the airline or cruise company you travelled with and request proof you did leave the US. They'll resend your booking confirmation and you'll get a (unsigned) letter stating <names of the entire party> were on board. You need to make a screenshot of the booking confirmation (explicitly stated by CBP, sending the email itself won't do apparently). It can take a long time though! Apparently Delta has so many people affected it'll take weeks!

Go to the ask section of the official CBP website (again, not allowed to post the links) and select in the dropdown menu entering or exiting the US and then the other drop down menus to what is most likely what has happened. Explain what happened and attach the proof you left.
What's needed:

• passports of entire party
• screenshot of booking confirmation
• letter supplied air/cruise line

Also make sure the following information is present in your appeal:
SURNAME
GIVEN NAME
DOB:
Passport#
Arrival Date
Departure Date
Departure Port
Flight Number/Vessel number:

Until Passport# it should be present for each person in your party, the arrival en departure information can be shared. Vessel number apparently is the name of the ship, but just to be sure I also added the IMO and the MMSI.

They also asked for a summary of your previous travel to the United States.
I’m not sure if that’s only the arrival and departure date also mentioned above or all you’re travels (or the ones on your current ESTA). We’d only been three times in total, so I included information (arrival and departure date and time) of all of them.

 

[cheryl.UK]

Where do I find the CPB subsection on the DHS page?

 

[harriet2]

Let me try to post it differently:
[normal start of a secure page, no w] i94 [dot] cbp [dot] dhs [dot] gov/

ETA: might be interesting to know that the first known case of the current chain of mistakes seems to be in may 2019

 

[DrunkJam]

I am confused by this. I have travelled on an ESTA lots of times (although I see this is new ish) but, since most people wouldn't check or know to check this once they arrive back home, surely, if they need to re-enter the country, they would have to adjust their ESTA to accommodate a new address, before leaving the UK for USA again, and, would the exit stamp in their passport not be enough proof that they left the country, since it is dated?

 

[Tony Toon]

I am confused by this. I have travelled on an ESTA lots of times (although I see this is new ish) but, since most people wouldn't check or know to check this once they arrive back home, surely, if they need to re-enter the country, they would have to adjust their ESTA to accommodate a new address, before leaving the UK for USA again, and, would the exit stamp in their passport not be enough proof that they left the country, since it is dated?

Pretty sure passports are no longer stamped as you leave the country - only upon entry.
I have a friend who wasn't 'checked out' of the country after their holiday a few years back. This was pre ESTA when you used to get a slip of paper in your passport when you arrived that was removed as you left. His wasn't taken and he didn't realise it until home and so appeared not to have left the country. Despite jumping through many hoops including he eventually gave up and has now crossed holidays to the USA off their list of places to visit.

I'm sure mistakes still happen. Hope it's possible/easier to rectify now.

Mrs TT

 

[DrunkJam]

Pretty sure passports are no longer stamped as you leave the country - only upon entry.
I have a friend who wasn't 'checked out' of the country after their holiday a few years back. This was pre ESTA when you used to get a slip of paper in your passport when you arrived that was removed as you left. His wasn't taken and he didn't realise it until home and so appeared not to have left the country. Despite jumping through many hoops including he eventually gave up and has now crossed holidays to the USA off their list of places to visit.

I'm sure mistakes still happen. Hope it's possible/easier to rectify now.

Mrs TT

Hmmm. You might well be right about stamps. I would have to check. I have traveled to USA on a variety of visas both pre and post ESTA. Only place I have ever had a piece of paper in my passport (other than visas) was a trip to Cuba, where they used to not stamp your actual passport to avoid prejudice (all the US customs forms were collected on arrival, not departure - I recall this, as I had to queue twice in JFK one visit, in order to get the correct ones completed).
I DO have plans to return to USA after my upcoming trip, so this is somewhat concerning. I will have to look into it further.

 

[harriet2]

I am confused by this. I have travelled on an ESTA lots of times (although I see this is new ish) but, since most people wouldn't check or know to check this once they arrive back home, surely, if they need to re-enter the country, they would have to adjust their ESTA to accommodate a new address, before leaving the UK for USA again, and, would the exit stamp in their passport not be enough proof that they left the country, since it is dated?

There are no more exit stamps (three trips to the US in the last 2 years, left every possible way (over land, by air and by sea) and didn't got a stamp for any of them. Yes, you could find out if you adjust the ESTA (the ESTA isn't the visum though, it's a pre-check, the visum is the i94) and you probably wouldn't have a problem, because you still have access to the proof, but if it's been a few years and your new ESTA isn't approved because of this, you try and collect the proof! The air/cruise line probably isn't going to be helpful and the chance you can still find your boarding pass aren't that great either. That's why it's important people know they should check.

Pretty sure passports are no longer stamped as you leave the country - only upon entry.
I have a friend who wasn't 'checked out' of the country after their holiday a few years back. This was pre ESTA when you used to get a slip of paper in your passport when you arrived that was removed as you left. His wasn't taken and he didn't realise it until home and so appeared not to have left the country. Despite jumping through many hoops including he eventually gave up and has now crossed holidays to the USA off their list of places to visit.

I'm sure mistakes still happen. Hope it's possible/easier to rectify now.

Mrs TT

If you bring the proof you left (the letter from the air/cruise line) and a boarding pass, it is easy to rectify, you just need to know you might be needing this proof, so you collect it and keep it safe!

 

[DrunkJam]

There are no more exit stamps (three trips to the US in the last 2 years, left every possible way (over land, by air and by sea) and didn't got a stamp for any of them. Yes, you could find out if you adjust the ESTA (the ESTA isn't the visum though, it's a pre-check, the visum is the i94) and you probably wouldn't have a problem, because you still have access to the proof, but if it's been a few years and your new ESTA isn't approved because of this, you try and collect the proof! The air/cruise line probably isn't going to be helpful and the change you can still find your boarding pass aren't that great either. That's why it's important people know they should check.


If you bring the proof you left (the letter from the air/cruise line) and a boarding pass, it is easy to rectify, you just need to know you might be needing this proof, so you collect it and keep it safe!

Ah, OK, then a way to not have to be anxious about it is to hold on to my flights docs. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[harriet2]

Ah, OK, then a way to not have to be anxious about it is to hold on to my flights docs. Thanks for the heads up.

Yes, it's no big deal if you have the proof, it's a problem if you don't. The check on the website is really easy and quick, please do it, they really want that letter stating you actually boarded the plane/ship (or at least, that's what they told the person I spoke to who was waiting on the proof from Delta)

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

This got me in a small panic so I just checked mine and my boyfriends. All OK on our most recent trip. But, I have three trips in the past five years where is says my departure is "unavailable" and I've never had a problem going back so I wouldn't worry too much everyone!

 

[DrunkJam]

This got me in a small panic so I just checked mine and my boyfriends. All OK on our most recent trip. But, I have three trips in the past five years where is says my departure is "unavailable" and I've never had a problem going back so I wouldn't worry too much everyone!

Phew!

 

[harriet2]

This got me in a small panic so I just checked mine and my boyfriends. All OK on our most recent trip. But, I have three trips in the past five years where is says my departure is "unavailable" and I've never had a problem going back so I wouldn't worry too much everyone!

Is the location unavailable or the date? (or both)

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Is the location unavailable or the date? (or both)

Can’t remember I’ve logged out now, I’m not worried though

 

[harriet2]

Can’t remember I’ve logged out now, I’m not worried though

I'm not worried for you, but if it was the location that was unavailable, that's a different situation and I wouldn't want the issue to be downplayed and cause issues because people think it doesn't matter

 

[steve_rob]

I had an "Unavailable" for location as well, but it was the same trip (to NYC) and it had both the entry and exit dates correct, so I'm not too worried about that. Either side of that are my trips to Orlando and those do have the correct location and dates.

 

[harriet2]

I had an "Unavailable" for location as well, but it was the same trip (to NYC) and it had both the entry and exit dates correct, so I'm not too worried about that. Either side of that are my trips to Orlando and those do have the correct location and dates.

After our situation got fixed, we had the correct date, but the location was still "Unavailable", so i't the date that's of importance

 

[finchy3]

Thanks for the heads up harriet2, I have just checked our's and all is good

 

[harriet2]

After the half term holiday, seems relevant to have this come up again