eFlyer Asia - Intelligence

U.S. Visitors Need Approval Online

Visitors traveling to the United States from countries with visa waiver agreements are now required to obtain pre-travel authorization before flying.

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization can take up to 72 hours to be approved, but travellers can complete ESTA any time before travelling to the United States. This replaces the previous system where air passengers from countries with a Visa Waiver Programme completed a form on board before arrival.

Citizens or nationals of the following countries are currently eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Travellers eligible for the VWP must complete the ESTA procedure online via http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/.

This new rule came into full effect on Jan. 20, and a number of major airlines have warned that they will not allow passengers from countries under the VWP to board without ESTA authorization.

Once approved, ESTA applications will be valid for up to two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. All U.S.-bound travellers from countries under the VWP will still be required to complete the I-94 and I-94W forms for presentation at a U.S. port of entry.

For further details visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website’s  FAQs.

 

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