Amylouisematz

What I am struggling to understand is why the ESTA is denied. I have never overstayed a visa, no criminal background, I have abandoned my residency and been truthful on the application. I have had an ESTA before with no issues, K1 visa and permanent residency with no issues either. It is Frustrating that it is denied but no reasons given and no way to find out either. Then to have to go through extra costs and jump through hoops for a b2 Visa just for a two week visit seems insane. 

Hi there 

I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on an issue I’m having. I was granted a permanent resident card back in 2013, after entering on a K1 visa. I lived in the USA with my

husband and our daughter until 2017, when we decided to move to the UK to be closer to

my family. Back in September I found out I had to formally cancel my resident status with USCIS, and filled in the paperwork and received a notice that they had processed my case. It has been 92 days since the paperwork was filed, and I have gone on to renew my ESTA for an upcoming trip in April, but it is still telling me I am not authorised to travel to the states. What more do I need to do?! Does anyone know why my ESTA keeps getting denied? Any advice greatly appreciated! Thanks :)

Hi guys 

as of the change in July, we sent it off to the USCIS in Vermont. I did expect some kind of processing number or a letter but have received nothing as yet. 

Hello have recently filed form I-407 to formally abandon my US green card. 

This was sent almost a month ago, but I have had no confirmation from the embassy that processing is in place or acknowledging that they have it.

does anyone know roughly how long the process takes / how / if they make contact once processing is complete? 

Im struggling to fine a definitive time frame anywhere on this!

thanks 

5 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

Poster is still an LPR are they not? If so would make sense that the ESTA is no longer valid, as the poster should *not* be using the VWP to travel back to the US, they should be coming and going as an LPR.

I thought that they would flag that I had left the US for over a year, thus nullifying my LPR. So coming and going I presumed I had to have an ESTA. I didn’t realise I had to formally abandon it with more paperwork. I had read before that your card is invalid to re enter USA if you have left for 6 months / one year. They simply won’t accept it....seems that isn’t the case! 

It was ARC. I brought it with me “just in case”, but had read before that once you leave for over 6 months your GC is then invalid. So when visiting after well over a year, I didn’t think there would be any issues-and there weren’t! I think this is because my card hadn’t expired-but the ESTA did not authorise me to visit. Am really hoping that once it gets abandoned formally, the ESTA process will be nice and easy and approved! 🤞🏻

Processing time is around 60 days. The trip isn’t until April luckily. I’m just so confused as to why and how they let me in back in October if my ESTA was “unauthorised”. 

Thank you everyone for your help, and for reading my rambly panicked post! Virtual beers for all!

I’m assuming that I can reapply for the ESTA once the abandonment paperwork has been filed and all sorted and it will hopefully be approved? Am slightly panicked and stressed now as there’s a wedding we are meant to be attending!

I did not...we thought that once you leave for 6 months it is automatically “rejected”, and to re enter you do the standard esta stuff. Damn. Will have to look into that now. What a headache. 

when we entered there was absolutely no issue whatsoever, which was strange. Just showed them my British passport and on we went!!

Hi everyone

I was wondering if anyone had any guidance or could shed some light on my issue. This forum has been so helpful over the years, with many knowledgeable and amazing folks helping others. 

My husband and I had our K1 approved back in 2013. I moved to the USA and did all the necessary to have my permanent resident card to live and work legally. This expires in 2026. However, back in 2017 with a young child we decided it would be a better quality of life for us to do it all again and move to the UK. We have been living here for 2 years with all the necessary visa stuff taken care of. 

We aim to visit the in laws once a year. Last year I applied for an ESTA (as we left the US for over 6 months and weren’t intending to return). My ESTA visa said “TRAVEL NOT AUTHORISED” yet I had no issues at security and we had a lovely 3 week visit. I have applied for a new ESTA for our next trip, but it still says I am not authorised!!!!

Has anyone else had this experience or know What I should do next? I am worried that this time there may be an issue, but I am unsure what this issue is. We have done everything by the book, never had any issues before! 

Thank you in advance, and happy Sunday :) 

Hi folks,

Not sure if I'm in the right topic but I was wondering if anyone could help. I am currently waiting for the removal of my green card restrictions (K1 visa) and have a trip planned to the UK in April. Does anyone know if it is ok to travel whilst these restrictions are waiting to be lifted? If so, are there any steps to take to make this easier when checking in at the airport with security / customs etc?

Any advice and info would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!