The USA cancels your ESTA?! A what now? When travelling to the United States, people from certain countries may visit as tourists without the requirement for a Visa. Instead, people apply for a Electronic System for Travel Authorization, more commonly known as an ESTA. This costs US$14 and lasts for two years.
Thanks to the current travel restrictions, foreign nationals are generally not permitted to visit the USA. Those who have an ESTA who try to travel will have it cancelled. When the USA cancels your ESTA, it is quite disconcerting. Should you worry?
What Happens When The USA Cancels Your ESTA?
A friend of mine has parents who live in the USA on Green Cards and he decided to visit them. He had seen advice where children of Green Card holders were permitted to enter the country. All well and good, so he booked flights but did not enter his Passport information.
When it came time to online check-in, he entered the details and checked in for the flight. Not too long after, he received a notification that his ESTA was cancelled. Naturally this surprised him, so he contacted the relevant authorities to enquire as to why.
The rule is that children of Green Card holders can enter the USA, but they must be 21 or under. Since he was over 21, he is not eligible to travel at the moment.
Happily the representative assured him that the cancellation of the ESTA would not affect anything in the future. As a result, there is no penalisation for this and he can apply for another ESTA in the future as per normal.
Overall Thoughts
As you can see, it’s no big deal if the USA cancels your ESTA at this time. In normal circumstances, it would be more of a major deal since it’s unusual for these to be rescinded.
My advice would be to make sure you enter your Passport details in Manage My Booking for any upcoming flights you have planned. I’d certainly rather find out I am not permitted to go somewhere with more than the 24 hours or less notice you’d have if you waited until online check-in.
Have you tried to travel to the USA recently and had your ESTA cancelled? Did you get the same advice as my friend? Should the USA be cancelling these? I mean, you are losing some of your two years if this happens. Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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I fly to to the US on 1st July 2021 and I believe that the only reason I was allowed in was that I was married to a US citizen and luckily could prove it with my marriage license or I believe they wouldnt have let me on the plane. They also said at the time my ESTA was invalid . I was due to fly again 1st Sept 2021 but the day before i was due to fly I had an email saying my ESTA was cancelled. For medical reasons we could fly but the question is my ESTA… Read more »
Yes, I did hear the ESTAs were cancelled. Since US travel from Europe is now going to be permitted again, I imagine you would need to get a new ESTA. The ones that are cancelled are gone for good, as far as I know. It has been very frustrating for anyone who has been wanting to travel to the USA. Fingers crossed we’re at the end of any kind of this now, especially with the recently announced changes. Good luck with your travel and thanks for sharing your experience!
I had my ESTA authorized in 2019 October, and travelled 3 times to the US, always respected the rules. The last time I travelled it was during the pandemic 2020, October. On the February 1st, 2021 I got an e-mail that my status have changed and when I called they said I am no longer eligible for ESTA and I will need a visa from now one…. in the mean time I got in touch with 12 more people who got the same e-mail and response but they did not travel during the pandemic…I don’t understand why did this happen.
What country is your Passport from? There may have been a rule change in that regard. Or it is just because of the pandemic as I’ve heard of no rule changes. Interesting to hear your experience!
I got the same email on February 1st! I was travelling during October 2020 too. Did you get to solve this issue?
I managed to get into the US 4 days ago as a UK citizen on an ESTA because my husband is a US citizen. Reading this I feel very lucky because I entered my passport details in advance, but they had no way of knowing from my passport details that I am married to a US citizen (husband was not travelling with me as he was already in the USA). I think perhaps rather than just cancelling it outright, they should contact the traveller and find out their reasons for travel so that they don’t cancel the ESTA of someone… Read more »
It’s quite possible and even probable that the computer knows who your spouse is, when it comes to the immigration systems. So I’d bet they let you in because they’re well aware you’re married to someone in the USA. I’ve not heard any stories of people eligible being cancelled, but I’m sure if there is, someone will pop up on here about it. We shall see! Thanks for the comment!
Sadly, I was denied boarding because my ESTA was cancelled a few hours before my flight. I m Belgian, married to a U.S. citizen. I had all my documents ready, totally on top of the game. I checked in online, which probably triggered the US authorities and my ESTA was cancelled. We got married in the States, so we should be in the system. When i called the number on the ESTA website, they told me to go to check in with a copy of my wife s passport and our marriage certificate. They can call the ‘regional carrier liaison… Read more »
Wow, what a story. Makes sense from an airline perspective though, as they have to ensure you have a valid Visa. Would it make any sense to go to a US Embassy (are they even open?) and get a proper visa instead? Or perhaps they will know what you should do. I know if you spend 14 days outside of Europe you can then fly to the US, but that’s some expense. Good luck and hopefully someone else has more information.
Hi Jan, i have the same issue and i am travelling from Brussels at the end of this month. What air carrier told you that?
I too am waiting to visit my family in the US but I know about the restrictions on ESTAs because I regularly check the US Embassy website. It is madness to book a flight without first checking if the ban has been lifted that was first declared in March and then extended in June. I am shocked that your topic of expertise is travel and you don’t even know that all ESTAs have been cancelled, as the US is a very popular place for the British to visit.
I completely agree with you, I wouldn’t be booking flights when travel is currently restricted, unless it was for months and months in the future. Don’t worry, Barbara, it wasn’t me who made the booking, it was a friend. Hence why I communicated the experience here, to increase awareness. For the record, I’m not British and don’t live in the UK and the friend I was referring to who had the experience is French and lives in Amsterdam 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
Why do we have to put up with the USA changing its stupid laws at will. I am a US citizen and my wife was denied entry after I had filed and paid for I- 130, along with other pertinent filings. Then there was the loss of the tickets from the unscrupulous airlines.
Time for the touring innocent public to consider other nice landscapes for example Russia, China, Notwithstanding the vast commonwealth
It’s certainly an interesting situation people can find themselves in. Things will gradually return to normal in good time. Thanks for the comment!
I have plans to go visit my wife this coming September 21 in Minnesota using ESTA. When will be the right time and date to get the ESTA?
I wouldn’t be able to advise you on this. I can tell you that when I last needed a two year ESTA prior to a trip to the USA, I applied for it in February for a trip I was taking in May. I hope you get to travel and thanks for the comment!