Visitors to U.S. will soon need online approval

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Visitors to U.S. will soon need online approval
By Jennifer H. Svan, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Sunday, January 4, 2009

Beginning Jan. 12, international visitors to the U.S. from visa-waiver countries will need online approval before traveling to America.

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization is a new U.S. government requirement intended to bolster security of the Visa Waiver Program, allowing foreign travelers to be screened before they depart their home country.

The new rule applies to 34 countries, including Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Japan and the Republic of Korea. The requirement also extends to foreign national dependents of U.S. active-duty members riding space-available on military aircraft to the States, according to Air Mobility Command spokesman Mark Diamond.

Travelers can apply for the Web-based authorization at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/, where they’ll be asked to provide information such as name and address; passport details; address while in the United States; criminal history; and whether one currently has any physical or mental disorders.

People may submit electronic applications any time prior to traveling to the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Custom Border Protection Web site. Homeland Security officials say they expect most eligibility determinations to be made almost immediately, with each approved application generally valid for two years or until the applicant’s passport expires.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59784