Am I a repeat traveler in terms of ESTA?
I am currently travelling to the US and I have a EU passport. I also have a valid ESTA document. I fly from Germany to Chicago and continue with a domestic connection flight.
Chicago Airport provides information for international travellers:*
If you are traveling from a country that requires a visa- or if you are a first time ESTA passenger- you must wait in line at immigration.
If you are a permanent U.S. or Canadian resident, have Global Entry, or are a repeat traveler from a country with a visa waiver, you may skip the line at immigration and use the Global Entry or Automatic Passport Control kiosks to the left instead.
I was in the US three years ago, also with a ESTA document. The first ESTA of course expired, so I got a new one. Am I a repeat traveller by the definition above or not? I ask because I want to know if I can "skip the line at immigration and use the Global Entry or Automatic Passport Control kiosks to the left instead."
* This link became invalid some time before July 2017. The information is now at Chicago O'Hare: Automated Passport Control and no longer uses the form of words present in the question.
Best Answer
It's unfortunate that a semi-official site was using such imprecise language. The confusion between ESTA and the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is very common among travellers but the Chicago Department of Aviation ought to know better. (Indeed, perhaps they do now, since they no longer use the text quoted in the question.)
WVP is the programme that allows people from various "friendly" countries to make tourist and business visits to the USA without a visa. ESTA is a security check programme that requires VWP visitors to submit information to the US government online before travelling. An ESTA authorization is only valid for two years but can be used for any number of visits within that time.
What they should be talking about is repeat Wisa Waiver Program visitors. What matters is whether or not you've entered the USA under the VWP before; it is irrelevant whether this was on your current ESTA or on some previous, expired ESTA. (Nean Der Thal's answer quotes the official documents on this.)
Pictures about "Am I a repeat traveler in terms of ESTA?"
Can you enter the US multiple times on an ESTA?
There is no limit on the number of times you may enter the U.S. under either ESTA of a visa. However, if reentering the U.S. using ESTA soon after staying for nearly 90 days, you can expect to be questioned in detail by the immigration officer about the purpose of your visit.Can I travel twice on the same ESTA?
Your ESTA authorization is generally valid for multiple trips over a period of two years (starting the date that you are approved) or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. As long as you received an ESTA authorization to travel, you do not have to reapply during the validity period.Can an ESTA be used for multiple trips?
How long is a travel authorization via ESTA valid? Each approved ESTA application generally is valid for two years and allows for multiple visits to the United States within that period without having to apply for another ESTA approval.Can I leave and reenter the US on ESTA?
Minimum waiting period between two trips to the USA with an ESTA. Travellers are not allowed to leave the United States for a short while and then come back solely to refresh the 90-day validity period. Even so, there is no official minimum required waiting period between two trips to the USA with an ESTA.What is the experience of traveling on an ESTA?
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Andrew Neel, Hang Wang, Rimvydas Ardickas, Vasily Baranov