Entering US on ESTA during corona virus bans

[Veronika.Zi 1]

I'm thinking to travel to the US soon. The country I'm from is on the ban list. I'm planning to travel out of the Schengen area to Croatia and fly out from Serbia to JFK. I will stay in Croatia and Serbia for 15 days before my departure. 

I know I won't be the case of the presidential proclamation. However, I'm afraid of the immigration officers. Has someone done this? We're they been let in the country? Also are the officers being really strict? I have belongings in the US and some unfinished business since my J1 was unexpectedly canceled due to COVID and I was forced to leave quickly. I also have a boyfriend in the US who I haven't seen for 4 months. However, I don't know if I should mention that since they might think I want to stay there. 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

There have been reports of people doing what you plan and being able to enter. So the Schengen travel ban itself should not be an issue.

 

Of course, expect them to ask why you are traveling at this time. They will see you were there not too long ago on J1. If they ask if you know anyone/who you are visiting/what your relationship is, you will need to be honest. You don’t need to volunteer anything they don’t ask about.  Given what you have just outlined I’d be sure in your situation to have convincing evidence of why you need to return home after a short visit.

Edited June 23, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Quarknase 1,072]

According to some Embassies, ESTA cannot be used currently - see discussion here:

It does make a lot of sense since it certainly cannot be up to the airline staff to check if someone is eligible to board or not.

 

Worth doing some more research on this before purchasing a ticket.

 

[Veronika.Zi 1]

I contacted the CBP and that's what they said

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

23 minutes ago, Quarknase said:

According to some Embassies, ESTA cannot be used currently - see discussion here:

It does make a lot of sense since it certainly cannot be up to the airline staff to check if someone is eligible to board or not.

 

Worth doing some more research on this before purchasing a ticket.

 

There are airline staff who do not understand what is going on. We have seen enough reports of them trying to deny people who are allowed to visit. Why should there be a difference in how an airline staff member judges a b visa vs an ESTA for something like this?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Also the official ESTA page on CBP website does not say anything about not being able to travel on ESTA. It does however warn that if you travel on ESTA when you are subject to the ban your ESTA will be canceled - the obvious implication of this being that you can actually travel on it if not subject to ban.

 

”Any traveler with a valid ESTA who is subject to the Proclamation and who attempts to travel the United States in violation of the Proclamation will have their ESTA canceled.” https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

[HRQX 4,145]

1 hour ago, Quarknase said:

According to some Embassies, ESTA cannot be used currently - see discussion here:

That is for traveling directly from a banned area and it's the method to prove the visitor meets an exemption to the relevant PP. OP doesn't meet an exemption in the Schengen Area PP.

 

But OP isn't going to travel directly from the Schengen Area. OP is going to be outside of Schengen Area in the 2 weeks prior to attempting US entry.

1 hour ago, Veronika.Zi said:

Has someone done this?

@SBML entered with ESTA after being in Mexico for 2 weeks:

 

Edited June 23, 2020 by HRQX

[Quarknase 1,072]

33 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

There are airline staff who do not understand what is going on. We have seen enough reports of them trying to deny people who are allowed to visit. Why should there be a difference in how an airline staff member judges a b visa vs an ESTA for something like this?

Not sure what airline staff has to do with an embassy statement. But it seems like the OP got that part covered.

 

There are lots of benefits to this (and actually many other countries are doing exactly this). Cancelling e-visas and requesting a new valid visa to enter the country ensures the pre-check if the person is eligible under exempt rules. It’s not the job of an airline member to verify the validity of a marriage certificate at boarding.

[Quarknase 1,072]

2 minutes ago, HRQX said:

That is for traveling directly from a banned area and it's the method to prove the visitor meets an exemption to the relevant PP. OP doesn't meet an exemption in the Schengen Area PP. But OP isn't going to travel directly from the Schengen Area. OP is going to be outside of Schengen Area in the 2 weeks prior to attempting US entry.

@SBML entered with ESTA after being in Mexico for 2 weeks:

 

Thanks!

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

44 minutes ago, Quarknase said:

Not sure what airline staff has to do with an embassy statement. But it seems like the OP got that part covered.

 

There are lots of benefits to this (and actually many other countries are doing exactly this). Cancelling e-visas and requesting a new valid visa to enter the country ensures the pre-check if the person is eligible under exempt rules. It’s not the job of an airline member to verify the validity of a marriage certificate at boarding.

Well, that was what was in the post you quoted - “It does make a lot of sense since it certainly cannot be up to the airline staff to check if someone is eligible to board or not” - that is the sentence I was responding to.
 

Anything can change between having a visa issued and boarding a plane, it doesn’t guarantee anything. And is irrelevant to OP, who can travel on ESTA from spending enough time in a non banned country,

Edited June 23, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[JeanneAdil 6,505]

Have you dhecked the itinerary for the flight you want?

Use to be (and i know things change) you would leave African country and there would be a plane change in Europe (made 7 trips myself) 'Had to change planes in Paris,  Belgium,  London and Qatar before boarding actually to the US into JFK and Chicago

I don't know how this works during the virus but if your site says crotia to US , check the layovers and plane changes before you purchase