New US Visa Rules

Are you planning a trip to the US? Do you know about the new online US visa waiver requirement? If not, then read on.

On Monday (12 January), a new system came into force that requires travellers to the US fill out a form online and receive authorisation to travel from US border officials before stepping onto a plane.

The Visa Waiver Program consists of 34 countries including the UK, and enables qualifying citizens with a machine readable passport to visit the US for up to 90 days without applying for a visa.

The US is replacing the paper forms (that you fill on the plane) with ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). Please note that ESTA is a compulsory online travel permit and travellers must pre-register online at least 72 hours prior to travel to obtain an authorisation. Once obtained, visa waivers are valid for two years, or until your passport expires. Fail to do this, and you will not be allowed into the country. Period.

The official ESTA website is https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov, and all visa waiver applicants should submit their information through this site alone.