New Zealand

[johnsmithy]

Hi there,

I am booking a flight to Auckland with Air New Zealand and it stops in LA, will i have to go through US immigration or as im just stopping in the airport will this not need to be the case.

Thanks
John

[dzug]

You will have to go through US immigration and will need either a visa waiver/ESTA authorisation or a proper visa, tourist or transit..

Not sure if they make you go through customs as well - but it will be fairly painless in comparison if they do.

The US stopped TWOV (transit without visa) quite a few years ago.

[johnsmithy]

A bit worried as i have convictions from about 8 years ago, dont wanna be turned away, i filled an ESTA in and it was approved but im still a bit worried

[thugulike]

You have to claim your luggage and go through customs too, even if you're in transit. I no longer take trips which have transit stops in the USA as it's way too much hassle. Saying that I'm flying to Tampa on Monday. Not looking forward to immigration either. Sigh

[johnsmithy]

Funnily enough looking at the flight, its not a connection, its just a stop, its 2 hours but no connecting plane and the flight number is exactly the same, some flights come up as connection in LA this just comes up as 2 hour stop in LA.

[jno]

I've just done that because I forgot the hassles in LA. Yes, you have to go through customs and immigration and collect your luggage, then turn round and check in again (don't waste any time!), and you have to apply for an ESTA authorisation online, on which you point out that you're in transit to Auckland. I doubt that they turn back people who are in transit, though.

Air NZ also fly via Hong Kong, which I would have booked if I'd remembered - could you do so? Much less hassle, though flying east always seems more disruptive.

[jno]

PS they just refuel and hoover and change the crew in LA; it's the same plane and same flight number, NZ001 usually.

[jno]

PPS apply for the ESTA at least 3 days before you leave.

[dzug]

If you got an ESTA no problem then:

you gave the 'right' answers to the questions

you are not in their database of undesirables

Just go and don't forget to give the same answers in the form you still have to fill in on the plane

[cc1]

ESTAs are not yet a requirement, or they weren't in January when my daughter travelled. You still have to fill in the pesky green thing on the plane, even with an ESTA!

[dzug]

The current requirement (and will be for quite some time - 6 or 9 months is what I've seen) is for both an ESTA and the green form

[oldmegan]

Sorry to tell you, but we were there on a stopover. We have no convictions for anything and it was an f......ing nightmare. We ended up out on the street with our luggage because the info we were given was so poor. In fact, we saw some members from the flight crew and they told us where to go! Good luck, you will need it!

[LCDMAN]

cc1 - ESTA is now MANDATORY, since Jan 12th 2009!

[thugulike]

I'm getting ready for the ordeal, I fly tomorrow to Tampa. Has anybody ever answered, when they ask the question if you intend to overthrow the govenrment, yes? The temptation is almost, but not quite overwhelming.

[jno]

I came through LA last night and ... I was wrong. We had to take cabin luggage off the plane and go into a transit room. This involved handing in the green visa waiver form (yes, we had to fill in the online for first) and having photos of eyes and fingerprints. Three hours later we went back on the plane. So no longer any need to pick up luggage or enter the USA; it's back to much the way it used to be.

But apparently the latter - full entry into the USA - is still done occasionally, maybe once a month, as a security test.

Sorry my earlier answer has been over taken by events.