Cbp Reminds Travellers From Visa Waiver Program Countries To Complete Online Travel Authorization
A year after the implementation of Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), the Department of Homeland Security's U. S. Customs and Border Protection has reminded U. S. bound travellers from the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries about the ESTA requirement. Without an approved electronic travel authorization, the travellers from the Visa Waiver Program countries will not be permitted to board a U. S. bound plane.
Every traveller from the Visa Waiver Program countries should obtain the electronic travel authorization even before they choose the mode of travel either by air or sea to go to U. S. Starting from January 12, 2009 ESTA had been made obligatory for all the citizens travelling to U. S. under the Visa Waiver Program. This reminder will not affect the U. S. citizens coming back from abroad or to those citizens of VWP countries who have a valid U.S. visa.
These ESTA applications should be submitted before travel. It has validity for two years after the approval or until the applicant's passport expires. The Department of Homeland Security insists that the applicants submit the ESTA applications as soon as travel plans are made.
The Visa Waiver Program travellers can fill their online applications by logging into the ESTA website available in their native language. The ESTA web site is accessible in 21 languages that include Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish. The applicants just need to provide basic biographic and eligibility details as that was requested earlier on the paper form. The paper form I-94W will be completely replaced in a few months. If the applicant is not able to submit the ESTA applications, a third party such as a relative, a friend or a travel agent can submit it on his/her behalf.
