Scotland Fan Loses US Travel Permit 1 Hour Before World Cup Flight

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 10

Michael Wright said his ESTA flipped from approved to pending and then to “travel not authorised” about an hour before his Manchester flight, forcing him to miss a 30th-birthday trip to Scotland’s World Cup group games.
£4,500 to £5,000 is now at risk for Wright, who said US authorities gave no reason after initially approving the permit he had obtained in March.
Dozens of Scotland supporters have reported similar last-minute ESTA reversals before Thursday’s tournament start, with some told to make urgent trips to the US Consulate in Belfast for visas.
US Homeland Security has said ESTA applications are continuously vetted under tighter Trump-era immigration enforcement, while First Minister John Swinney and the UK government said they are pressing US officials to resolve the issue before Scotland’s opener on 13 June.