Guest requesting my information for ESTA forms?

Hi all - I am a brand new host (hosting my second guest right now), and I have several bookings for this summer from families in Europe. I was just asked by one of them (from France) for my full name and address because they need it for the ESTA form in order to visit the US. Seems very legitimate but since I am so new at this, I am wondering if there’s any reason for me to keep my antennae up… Thoughts??
Thanks in advance!!

I can’t think of any reasons why you shouldn’t give them the info, but I can tell you it’s true - the esta does require info about where you’re staying and who with. I guess so they can track down anyone who overstays

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The requirement is on the US Customs website for the visitors Visa Waiver Program which commenced in 2010 and made traveling from Australia to USA easier by waiving issuance of a full visa.

Travelers submitting an ESTA form online in lieu of obtaining a Visa need this information:

1- Address while in the United States; and
2- US Point of Contact Information.

I used to have a link to all this but it must be buried in my many forms. I can’t recall what other countries participate in ESTA and I don’t have new Australian guests anymore ~ only two sets of returnees.

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Fantastic - thanks so much. So helpful to have confirmation!!

Very common for EU passport holders to need this info for travel into the US

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Thank you so much - good for me to know, since I do have a few families traveling from Europe to stay with us this summer. As a new host, it brings me great relief to have this info corroborated!

The information is optional and they do not need your name, if they are visiting New York they could just put in New York.

Contact person would not be a Host anyway. If you were visiting for business of family reasons you may have a contact person.

US Consulate web sites do specifically say not to book non refundable arrangements without Visa or Waiver to hand.

ESTA is an online Visa program that automatically generates a touristic or business Visa for travel to the US, and is VERY easy to obtain as long as you do not have outstanding issues with the US government. You are required to put in the places you will be staying while in the US, of course, you could put NYC, SF, etc, but why would you open yourself up to additional questions from Immigration? This is not ‘sponsoring’ a foreigner’s visa, this is simply a formality so the US government knows where the foreign person will be. This is really not a huge deal. I also would not tell someone guests to lie and put a hotel address down as this could cause the traveler bigger issues.

My guess is MANY guests use the information without hosts ever knowing since it is all available immediately after booking. I really do not think this is a huge deal.

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ESTA is a pre qualification for the VWP.

VWP stands for Visa Waiver Programme, no visa required.

Obviously you have to qualify first to use the VWP, if you do then assuming you have no issues then you are very likely to be approved.

I have never heard of anyone been queried because they did not put down a specific address, remember once turning up at the PoE not knowing where I was going other than the State, I was being met, not an issue.

ESTA is good for multiple entries during its 2 year validation, certainly many guests I have had obviously have used the VWP and are travelling around, they have not planned the next night never mind their whole stay.

Not sure how often you travel to the US, but we havr many friends/family that have only put 'San Francisco ’ and called/texted in a panic bc they needed the full address.

It all depends on the Immigration officer you get, but my point was its not a big deal for a guests to use a host info on their ESTA.

Like I said previously, when flying to EU on my US passport I have been asked uptenth times for the actual address of where I will be staying. (And Im an EU citizen) So the sword cuts both ways.

US? Number of entries must be double digits. Euroland many many more and have never been asked.

How can they call or text you, cell usage is not permitted until you have cleared immigration.

Certainly in the days of package tours I never knew the address anyway, you booked a hotel in a resort which included being picked up at the Airport. My first visit to the US was in the days before Internet and had a rough plan but no prior bookings.

Once was from secondary screening, bc they did not have a valid US address, another time they were sent to the back of the que told to find the address and get back in line, and the other times the IO just let them step over and text us.

I’m only saying it happens, everyone’s experiences differ, and while you may have never had issues, that doesn’t mean other travelers will not. I was simply am making the point that it’s better to error on the side of caution and enter the info that is asked.

I take these forms seriously and have a typed list of where I will be staying when I enter the EU. I sign something that says I have answered truthfully, so I am as truthful as possible. On several trips, I have not had definitive plans for a couple of nights, and I remember being questioned about this at least once. The world has changed… and I am easy entry. I am white. I don’t have a record. I am not wearing a hijab. I am remarkably unremarkable. But, one still can be questioned.

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My point exactly. No need to draw further attention or possible secondary screening by not entering info. I understand people come to the US or EU for a spontaneous trip, but they must have at least the first night planned or an idea of where they will be staying. Imagine getting pulled to secondary screening and saying ‘I have no clue where I’m staying tonight’. I can see that causing larger problems for the individual.

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I just had my first request from guests coming from France to provide full name, address and phone, and I also was a bit insecure. I did not give my cell, only my landline. I’ve had guests from everywhere outside the US since 2017, but this was the first request for ESTA info. When I called AirBnB to ask about it (should have checked here first!), the rep (who’s been on the job for almost a year) said that this was the first question she’d had about it but that she’d “heard about it”! And that I was correct in thinking that addresses were not given out immediately. My upcoming guest (Sept.) said that he always receives addresses immediately upon confirmation of booking.
My understanding has always been that the address is not released from AirBnB until 72 hours prior to arrival. And I prefer that. When did this change? How many of you are getting this request?
Thanks – I realize this is an old topic for some of you!