I dont think the USA people here really fully understand the implications here and WHY its such a big deal that ALL the Europeans on the cruise NEED to know about this.
Unfortunately USA Border Control don't care why you have an over stay on your ESTA. All that will happen is that on the ESTA database it will automatically log the overstay. Whether people are notified or not, whether they are aware of the current issue with
DCL or not, every single European, adults, children and babies who were passengers on the transatlantic cruise, now have an overstay logged in the ESTA database.
As far as we know, the majority of these people are unaware of the situation.
I'm sure we can assume that many of the Europeans who were passengers on the transatlantic cruise may in the future wish to visit either
Disneyland California or Walt Disney World or return to USA for any number of reasons. Also ESTA is also needed for visits to USA territories such as Guam, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
As an ESTA is valid for 2 years, anyone booking flights to USA whose ESTA is valid until April / May 2021 will have no reason to check if their eligibility to enter USA has changed. They will just book flights, hotels, Disney tickets etc etc.
They will only find out when they go to the airport and try to check in for their flight. ESTA information shows up on the airline check in computer screen. If you do not have a valid ESTA you are not allowed to board the flight. Before 2018 you could get an ESTA at check in as it was processed in real time. However since December 2018, ESTA's are not processed in real time. It is going to be a nightmare for these people, to be denied boarding the flight, due to the ***** up by DCL in 2019
Maybe in 3, 5 or 10 years time other people will go to this website
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ and try to get a new ESTA for their next visit to USA. They will only find out about the ***** up by DCL in 2019 when they get denied an ESTA.
Also just an explanation about ESTA for non Europeans.
Electronic
System for
Travel
Authorisation is not a visa. It is is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.
The Visa Waiver Program is a program of the United States Government which allows citizens of specific countries to travel to the United States for tourism, business, or while in transit for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa.
These countries are
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Chile
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom