K-1 and ESTA

[Jane8 4]

So, my ESTA will expire on March 15th or something, but I am planning to move to the US a little later.

I did some research here and found out that an ESTA in not necessary since you'll be entering the US with a valid visa. I also read that someone was admitted with the ESTA instead of using the K-1 (not his/her mistake) and didn't receive a I-94.

From what I understand, I won't have to apply for a new ESTA since I'll have my K-1, but every time I checked-in at the airport before my flights, they always wanted to see my ESTA. I'm just worrying that I will stumble upon an employee that won't know a lot about this and will give me a hard time. On the other hand, having an ESTA, might confuse them even more.

Does anyone here have a recent experience?

[JTB11 1,079]

You have a valid K1 visa in your passport, they should ask you about it at the airport when you check in....or just check your passport and see it there. Either way it should be non-issue.

As for the I-94...since you know you need it just get it from the people that pass it out on the plane before you land. On ESTA you would do nothing but in this case just listen out for them announcing it towards the end of the flight and fill out the form. That should also be straight forward since you know that is what you need to begin with.

Once you are at your POE and standing in line also make sure to notify the people who divide the lines up. In my experience they usually make sure you got the right forms. When I was coming on ESTA they would ask me which visa I came on and also check I-94s from other people standing in front of me.

Dont worry it will all be fine. Good luck !!!

[saphina 7]

I am actually one of those people that check you in at the airport ;-) (or was :-( )

We do know how to handle Visa and ESTA. The systems don't let us check anyone to the US unless one or the other is valid. If you want to be sure the information is correctly entered you can always go to your booking and enter it yourself ahead of check-in (helps us too).

As for the I-94, its like the post before says. You get it on board or some airlines pass it out at Check-In but thats rare. Its 99% of the time passed out together with the custom form that everybody gets and you just take both forms.

As for accidently going through immigration on ESTA instead of the Visa....well honestly that's their own fault. You have to take the form and fill it out and let people now you will travel on the Visa. If you still have a valid esta, which will be in my case, I have to actively tell that I am traveling on the Visa. Its a simple switch on the computer for them or like I said it can already be entered into your reservation. (even though people tend to think so, it is not the person at the check in who has to know how and where you travel and they ain't mind readers either ;-), it's up to you)

[HK12 273]

I would have to agree with Saphina on the last part. I arrived via cruise ship on my K1, and the cruise line gave me the wrong form to fill out (I-94W instead of I-94). I just went to the purser's desk and asked for an I-94 instead, no big deal. You just have to actively tell them what you need.

My ESTA ran out a couple of weeks before my entry on the K1, and I didn't have any problems while checking in. Let them know you're traveling on a K1 Visa - they should know how to handle it.

[B & G 200]

I am actually one of those people that check you in at the airport ;-) (or was :-( )

We do know how to handle Visa and ESTA. The systems don't let us check anyone to the US unless one or the other is valid. If you want to be sure the information is correctly entered you can always go to your booking and enter it yourself ahead of check-in (helps us too).

I agree with Saphina, I am a supervisor to the people that check you in. So tips when dealing with the airline.

First of all, tell the check in agent that you are travelling with a visa not ESTA, so that they can out put your K1 visa number into the system. These details get sent to your POE before your arrival, so you want it to show you will be entering with a K1 visa and not your ESTA. I say this because a valid ESTA will automatically match itself to your reservation in the system. The check in agent will not look for the K1 if the ESTA is valid.

The next thing they might ask for is your return ticket, I'll safely assume here that you might not have one seen you are migrating. Now here is where you might have to explain to the check in agent that your visa is to move to the US not to visit thus you dont need a return ticket. If they have never come across a K1 visa before, be prepared to wait alil bit while they clarify that, mostly by calling the CBP supervisor of your POE in the US or the US embassy. Its what I did many years ago when I first came across a K1 visa.

Hope that helps

[Jane8 4]

Well, thank you everyone for the insight! I'm not implying that I don't trust airline employees. It's just that I'm a highly stressful person and sometimes I'm getting paranoid.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You know what you are doing, so there is no need to be scared.

The confusion arises in people who think that ESTA is a thing for every traveler to the US, not realizing that it is only for people traveling on the VWP as tourists. You got good advice in this thread too, to make sure you say you are traveling on a K-1 at various checkpoints, including the check-in counter, so there is nothing to worry about.