ESTA for a departure from Miami

Hi there, I just applied for an ESTA since I’m leaving in February on MSC, and my request was approved. I just noticed I put “transit” (we arrive from France the day before and spend one night at the hotel before boarding) instead of “stay.” Does this matter, and I don’t know how to change it? Thanks for shedding some light on this! Best regards to everyone

Hi there,

I had listed the hotel where we were staying for the first night. Logically, you can edit your application online (with your reference number, etc.).

Good luck!

Thanks. I’ve searched in vain for how to proceed. Any ideas??

How long are you staying in Miami? Because a transit is less than 24 hours, so if you land at 7 PM and board the boat at noon, that should work.

I’d put the stay address (your hotel) as your US address.

If you want to be 100% sure, you can do another one that’ll cancel the previous one (but unfortunately, you’ll have to pay again). Also, keep in mind that in Miami, they’re not really strict about the ESTA for flights coming from Europe... I’ve had clients who did the same as you, and it went smoothly... However, one person isn’t another, and there’s no guarantee it’ll work out

hmm, don’t be too relaxed about the ESTA and flights coming from Europe. When you go through immigration at Miami airport, you’ve got to queue for quite a while, and I remember the agent takes your photo (to be confirmed).

Hi, no, you’re not in transit... Being in transit means not leaving the airport. For example, it’s when you have a flight to another destination outside the United States and you’re just passing through the U.S. So you filled out your ESTA incorrectly. You need to select "stay" and enter the name of your first hotel.

The ESTA, whether for transit or stay, is the same. If you use it once for transit, you can use it later for a stay. But if you indicated Transit, what did you put as your destination?

I noted: MSC Seaside cruise terminal

Thanks, but how do I fix this error?

Thanks, but how can I fix this error?

I don’t think you can edit it—you’ll have to redo it. The transit is to another country, but here you’re staying overnight in the US, so it’s not a transit.

The ESTA, whether for transit or a stay, is the same. If you use it once for transit, you can use it for a stay afterward. But if you indicated Transit, what did you put as your destination?

Yes, but in this case, it’s not a transit.

There’s no such thing as transit in the USA. Whether the ESTA is for the US as your final destination or just to pass through, it doesn’t make any difference. Staying in the airport or leaving it doesn’t change the type of application you need. So no worries at all.

And if you already have an ESTA for a layover and then go back the following year for a vacation, you don’t need to apply for a new one—once again, it doesn’t change anything.

Hey there,

Nope, don’t agree 😄

Find me an official text and explain why I ended up there and others...

I don’t know, but personally, I wouldn’t take the risk.

Did you check “transit” for a stay? Or was it on the second attempt, because it’s not the same thing

Anyway, the official site clearly states that transit is for traveling to a foreign country and not for staying overnight in Miami

I’ve got one from 2023 and I’ve re-entered twice this year and again in 15 days. The difference is that when you book your tickets, you enter your accommodation details on the airline’s website.

Do a search on the forum—the topic’s been covered a lot.

This FAQ screenshot doesn’t address whether I can stay in the USA with an ESTA for transit. Here, it’s just clarifying that even if you’re only transiting, you still need a travel authorization.

From what I’d read the first time, you can enter with a transit ESTA if you’re doing a real transit, and the next time if you’re staying you’re allowed to enter—but the first time, if you check “transit,” it’s *only* for transit.

Now, I don’t get why you’d have gotten a transit ESTA if you were staying. Mistake?

Personally, I definitely wouldn’t risk getting turned away at immigration just because I filled out the ESTA wrong. After that, everyone does what they want, but if I made a mistake, I’d just do another one that’s correct…