Scott Braid Says Esta Revoked For Scotland Fans Before Boston Trip
Dozens of Scotland fans have seen their esta revoked for scotland fans travel status change from approved to travel not authorised in the days before the World Cup. For some, the switch has come after flights and accommodation were already booked, leaving thousands of pounds on the line.
Scott Braid And Boston
Scott Braid, from Kirkcaldy, was due to fly to Boston on 12 June with his wife and two children, but his ESTA moved from approved to pending and then to travel not authorised after an email update on Tuesday. "Out of the blue on Tuesday, I got an email that said there's been an update on your ESTA status," he said.
Braid had travelled to America in 2023 with no issues, and his previous ESTA expired in 2024. He said that since his application there had been "absolutely no changes to my circumstances". He is now encouraging his family to go ahead with the trip in the hope he can join them part-way through after securing a visa appointment in Belfast next week.
Andrew And Nelson Speirs
Andrew and Nelson Speirs, brothers from Kirkcaldy, applied for their ESTA on 14 December and were approved the next day. Nelson Speirs said their status was updated on 3 June to say they were not allowed to travel, after they had planned a trip to Miami for Andrew's 40th birthday celebrations.
"It's not given us very much time to do anything about it," he said. "I don't think it's fair, they shouldn't authorise somebody to go then take it back. We didn't book anything until we were authorised." The brothers said the trip would have cost a total of £10,000, and they have managed to get an appointment at the US consulate in Belfast on 11 June.
World Cup Travel Pressure
UK citizens can travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa if they have ESTA approval, which has made the sudden changes especially disruptive for fans heading to the tournament. Scotland's first World Cup game kicks off in less than two weeks, and dozens of fans said on social media that their application status changed this week from approved to travel not authorised.
Some fans said they could lose thousands of pounds in travel costs because of the changes, and the timing leaves a narrow window for anyone trying to replace a lost ESTA with a visa appointment before departure. For Braid, the trip to Boston is still on the calendar, but only if he can secure a visa in time to travel with his family or join them later.
