Unemployed Traveling With ESTA first time? What to expect?

[johnpromise01]

Hi, not sure if this the right place to ask this and what to expect. I and my spouse with our new born will be traveling to the US for the first time with ESTA for two weeks visit to my spouse's brother in New York. But we're afraid we might be denied pre-clearance at Dublin airport because we're currently unemployed. We saved towards this trip but we became unemployed unexpectedly as our employer and branches closed down in Ireland. However, i am currently working as a volunteer but it's an online job. Or should we just call off our trip and wait till we're employed and during holiday? The second thing is i once changed my US point of contact address from hotel to my spouse's brother's address that we're now going to stay with in New York, will this affect our pre-clearance at Dublin airport? In addition, i was once denied visa at embassy in Dublin in 2015 before i became an Irish citizen, but i declared this in my ESTA application, i was surprised my ESTA was approved because my friend who was denied visa at the US embassy in Dublin few years ago was denied ESTA too, but my was approved. My spouse and our new born ESTA was approved in minutes no issues. As it is, do you think there will be no issues traveling unemployed?

[alterhase58]

As far as I know there’s no employment requirement to get an ESTA. No sure what the pre-screening in Dublin does. Last time I used ESTA at JFK there was no question about employment.

[johnpromise01]

As far as I know there’s no employment requirement to get an ESTA. No sure what the pre-screening in Dublin does. Last time I used ESTA at JFK there was no question about employment.

I have a valid ESTA. Just asking if there would be no issue when boarding while I'm unemployed. Pre-clearance at Dublin airport enables them to complete the US Immigration process prior to departure. Passengers will only arrive US and pick up bags and go without the need to meet immigration for questioning. Will be treated as domestic arrivals.

[alterhase58]

Visitors don’t need to prove employment from my experience at JFK. For you clearing is at Dublin so should be same.

[lolo2]

You don't need proof of employment for travelling, but I guess your concern comes from being questioned about your employment/employer details by the USCBP officers.

I don't know how the US pre-clearance service works at Dublin's airport but I understand it operates in the same way as any passport check-point upon arrival in the US.

I traveled once to the US with a B1/B2 visa without having a job at the time - and very limited money - wasn't asked about employment at all upon arrival. You don't need to mention anything about it.

However, on other occasions USCBP officers asked me about employment. The key here is being calm all the time.