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DJClayworth
DJClayworth
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I am one of those people on this site who almost always prefixes my answers to ESTA questions with "ESTA is not a visa. Your entry to the US is governed by the Visa Waiver Program".

The reason I do this is that questioners are often confused. They say "I read that I can only stay 90 days on an ESTA, but my ESTA say it is valid for three years." Or "If I drive to Canada and come back, do I need to get a new ESTA?".

So my intention is to direct people to look up the rules of the VWP, which usually tell them what they want to know. I also don't want to be one of the people perpetuating the mistake, so I always want to be saying "VWP will allow you to stay 90 days" rather than "ESTA will allow you to stay 90 days". If people learn "you can stay 90 days with an ESTA", and then find that with you can drive to the US without an ESTA, they ask "so how long can I stay then?". If they learn that VWP rules apply to both, they aren't confused.

My other reason for saying "ESTA is not a visa" is that is how the US sees it, and the US gets to decide. Correct terminology is important when you are dealing with legal issues. Calling it a visa is going to confuse people, especially if they eventually read official sites that call it something else. If the US asks if you have held a visa before, they do not want ESTA holders to answer "yes".

I am one of those people on this site who almost always prefixes my answers to ESTA questions with "ESTA is not a visa. Your entry to the US is governed by the Visa Waiver Program".

The reason I do this is that questioners are often confused. They say "I read that I can only stay 90 days on an ESTA, but my ESTA say it is valid for three years." Or "If I drive to Canada and come back, do I need to get a new ESTA?".

So my intention is to direct people to look up the rules of the VWP, which usually tell them what they want to know. I also don't want to be one of the people perpetuating the mistake, so I always want to be saying "VWP will allow you to stay 90 days" rather than "ESTA will allow you to stay 90 days". If people learn "you can stay 90 days with an ESTA", and then find that with you can drive to the US without an ESTA, they ask "so how long can I stay then?". If they learn that VWP rules apply to both, they aren't confused.

My other reason for saying "ESTA is not a visa" is that is how the US sees it, and the US gets to decide. Calling it a visa is going to confuse people, especially if they eventually read official sites that call it something else.

I am one of those people on this site who almost always prefixes my answers to ESTA questions with "ESTA is not a visa. Your entry to the US is governed by the Visa Waiver Program".

The reason I do this is that questioners are often confused. They say "I read that I can only stay 90 days on an ESTA, but my ESTA say it is valid for three years." Or "If I drive to Canada and come back, do I need to get a new ESTA?".

So my intention is to direct people to look up the rules of the VWP, which usually tell them what they want to know. I also don't want to be one of the people perpetuating the mistake, so I always want to be saying "VWP will allow you to stay 90 days" rather than "ESTA will allow you to stay 90 days". If people learn "you can stay 90 days with an ESTA", and then find that with you can drive to the US without an ESTA, they ask "so how long can I stay then?". If they learn that VWP rules apply to both, they aren't confused.

My other reason for saying "ESTA is not a visa" is that is how the US sees it, and the US gets to decide. Correct terminology is important when you are dealing with legal issues. Calling it a visa is going to confuse people, especially if they eventually read official sites that call it something else. If the US asks if you have held a visa before, they do not want ESTA holders to answer "yes".

Source Link
DJClayworth
DJClayworth
  • 68.5k
  • 10
  • 174
  • 243

I am one of those people on this site who almost always prefixes my answers to ESTA questions with "ESTA is not a visa. Your entry to the US is governed by the Visa Waiver Program".

The reason I do this is that questioners are often confused. They say "I read that I can only stay 90 days on an ESTA, but my ESTA say it is valid for three years." Or "If I drive to Canada and come back, do I need to get a new ESTA?".

So my intention is to direct people to look up the rules of the VWP, which usually tell them what they want to know. I also don't want to be one of the people perpetuating the mistake, so I always want to be saying "VWP will allow you to stay 90 days" rather than "ESTA will allow you to stay 90 days". If people learn "you can stay 90 days with an ESTA", and then find that with you can drive to the US without an ESTA, they ask "so how long can I stay then?". If they learn that VWP rules apply to both, they aren't confused.

My other reason for saying "ESTA is not a visa" is that is how the US sees it, and the US gets to decide. Calling it a visa is going to confuse people, especially if they eventually read official sites that call it something else.