|
U.S. Visa Waiver Program Travelers Must Obtain Authorization Prior to Travel |
|
|
|
|
Thursday, 08 January 2009 |
Beginning 12 January 2009 All U.S. Visa Waiver Program Travelers Must Obtain Authorization from the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) Prior to Travel
Beginning January 12, 2009, all nationals and citizens of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries will be required by law to obtain a travel authorization prior to initiating travel to the United States under the VWP. Accompanied and unaccompanied children, regardless of age, will be required to obtain an independent ESTA approval. This authorization may be obtained online through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), a free Internet application administered by the Department of Homeland Security. Third parties, such as relatives, friends, or travel agents, are permitted to submit an ESTA application on behalf of a VWP traveler.
ESTA enhances the safety of travelers and the security of the United States by enabling DHS to evaluate whether an individual is eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP, and whether such travel poses any law enforcement or security risks PRIOR to their boarding a U.S.-bound carrier. ESTA counterbalances vulnerabilities inherent in visa-free travel by establishing an additional layer of advanced scrutiny that will enable DHS officers to focus on the small population of potentially dangerous travelers. ESTA is similar to a program in place by the Government of Australia called the Electronic Travel Authority.
There is no charge to VWP travelers for completion of an ESTA application. Eligible visitors seeking to travel to the United States under the VWP may apply at any time for travel authorization via the ESTA Web site at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. The ESTA application website is available in 16 languages and includes a help section that provides additional information for VWP travelers to guide them through the application process.
When can a traveler apply for travel authorization via ESTA?
Any time, but preferably as soon as a VWP traveler begins to plan a trip to visit the United States. Travelers may file ESTA applications through the ESTA Web site at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
May a traveler, whose ESTA application is not approved, travel to the United States under the VWP?
VWP travelers who submit an ESTA application that is not approved, who then attempt to travel to the United States, may be denied boarding, experience delayed processing, or be denied admission at a U.S. port of entry. Therefore, it is recommended that all VWP travelers who are denied an ESTA apply for a U.S. visa.
What happens if a VWP traveler flies to the United States after ESTA is mandatory, but does not have an ESTA?
As of 12 January, all nationals or citizens of VWP countries who plan to travel to the United States for temporary business or pleasure under the VWP will require an approved ESTA prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the United States under the VWP. Travelers who have not received ESTA approval by the mandatory compliance date may be denied boarding, experience delayed processing, or be denied admission at a U.S. port of entry.
How long is ESTA approval valid?
Each approved ESTA application generally will be valid for a period of two years or until the applicant’s passport expires, whichever comes first. A new ESTA authorization is required if (1) the traveler is issued a new passport; (2) the traveler changes his or her name; (3) the traveler changes his or her gender; (4) the traveler’s country of citizenship changes; or (5) the circumstances underlying the traveler’s previous responses to any of the ESTA application questions requiring a “yes” or “no” response have changed.
What happens when a traveler submits an application and how long does it take for ESTA to process an application?
In most cases, ESTA will provide an almost immediate determination of eligibility for travel under the VWP. Each approved ESTA application generally will be valid for a period of two years and allows for multiple visits to the United States within that period without having to apply for another ESTA. Travelers whose ESTA applications are approved, but whose passports will expire in less than two years, will receive an ESTA valid until the passport’s expiration date.
Can prospective VWP travelers apply for an ESTA without specific travel plans if they want to be able to travel to the United States later on short notice?
Yes. VWP travelers are not required to have specific plans to travel to the United States before they apply for an ESTA. VWP travelers are not required to complete the travel itinerary and destination details before submitting an ESTA application. If a traveler’s destination address in the United States is unknown when he or she completes the ESTA application, the traveler may enter the name of the hotel or approximate location he or she intends to visit. Travelers may update this information when their plans are finalized, but they will not be required to update their destination addresses or itineraries should they change after their ESTA has been approved. DHS recommends that ESTA applications be submitted as early as possible, as soon as, or even before travel is planned. ESTA will accept applications from last minute and emergency travelers – those VWP travelers that arrive at the airport without an approved ESTA.
Do VWP travelers need to bring a paper printout of their ESTA approval to the airport?
No. However, DHS recommends that travelers print out the ESTA application response in order to maintain a record of their ESTA application number and to have confirmation of their ESTA status.
Additional information about ESTA may be found at http://www.cbp.gov/esta.
|
Regional News 
