Is my airport transit ESTA exceeded by staying in Canada for 6 months? Can I travel back to USA? [duplicate]

I am a citizen of an EU country, currently studying an exchange program at a Canadian university. In January I flew from Berlin to Montréal via Chicago, where I waited 2 hours at the airport before taking another plane to Montréal. For this transit I had to show my ESTA document.

My school will finish this month and I plan to travel in Canada, the US and Peru in the following three months before flying back home to Europe (the end of August). My first entry to the US from Canada will be in June, and it will actually be my first re-entry since the transit at the Chicago airport.

I was wondering if I can enter the US, when basically I haven´t left the ESTA area (USA, Canada) since January? In theory, it means that by staying in Canada (for five months now) I exceed my first entry at the Chicago airport. Will I be considered as illegal for the US border control when I meet them in June?
Can I travel back and forth between Canada and USA later on? Let's say I want to go to Buffalo for three days in June, then come back to Toronto and from there head west to Vancouver and then cross the border to Seattle for a week and then back to Canada.
Will there be a difference between entering the US by plane or bus in this case?
Finally, and most importantly in July, I am going to fly from Canada to Peru for three weeks with a probable transit at an US airport. From Peru I will fly to the US and stay there until flying back to Europe from NYC. This will be my fourth entry to the US since Buffalo, but still in in the 90 days limit. Is that OK?

I will always carry with me my EU passport, the ESTA document, the flight ticket home (August 30th, NYC-Berlin), and a confirmation of study at the Canadian university.

Here's the rough schedule:

1/15 Chicago (transit to Canada)
– 6/15 Buffalo (3days)
– 6/30 Seattle (7days)
– 7/15 Houston (transit to Peru)
– 8/5 Houston (back from Peru)
– 8/30 leaving the US.

Best Answer

Canada isn't part of any "ESTA area"; ESTA concerns just the US. There's a regulation aimed at preventing people from resetting their ESTA duration-of-stay clock by making short trips to Canada, the Caribbean, or Mexico, but you don't need to be concerned about that because you're not doing that.

Rather, you are residing temporarily in Canada, and contemplating short trips to the USA from Canada.

Pictures about "Is my airport transit ESTA exceeded by staying in Canada for 6 months? Can I travel back to USA? [duplicate]"

Is my airport transit ESTA exceeded by staying in Canada for 6 months? Can I travel back to USA? [duplicate] - Silhouette of worker driving baggage carrier on paved airfield with airplane before flight

Is my airport transit ESTA exceeded by staying in Canada for 6 months? Can I travel back to USA? [duplicate] - Back view of female employee in trendy jacket waiting for train departure and leaning on backs of wooden seats in train station

Is my airport transit ESTA exceeded by staying in Canada for 6 months? Can I travel back to USA? [duplicate] - Young ethnic man in earbuds listening to music while waiting for transport at contemporary subway station

Do I need an ESTA for a connecting flight in Canada?

You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country. You don't need an eTA if you're transiting through Canada and you enter by train, bus, boat or cruise ship. You do need to bring the right travel documents.

Can you use ESTA multiple times?

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.

Do I need a transit visa if I stay in the airport?

Most countries that normally require that you have a visa, do not require the visa if you are a transit passenger, someone who is only transiting through the airport. As you don't go through immigration, and you don't enter the country, hence no visa is needed.

Can ESTA be extended?

It is not possible to extend your ESTA but you are able to renew your ESTA. Your ESTA is valid for a maximum period of two years from issue, or until your passport expires if that is sooner. To renew your ESTA, you must submit a new application,in the same way that you submitted your previous one.

Do I Need A Transit Visa If My Plane Has A Stop In The US?

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Gustavo Fring, Kelly, Gustavo Fring, Andrea Piacquadio