Electronic System for Travel Authorization

Electronic System for Travel Authorization

New requirement for Visa Waiver Program for Travelers to the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), a new requirement for travel to the U.S. as part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Effective Jan. 12, 2009, all passengers who intend to travel to the United States without a U.S. Visa under the terms of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must obtain an electronic preauthorization or ESTA prior to boarding a flight to the U.S. For more details on the Visa Waiver Program, a list of VWP eligible countries, and the new ESTA process, please visit the ESTA website at

Prospective VWP travelers must apply for an ESTA online through the U.S. government web site at . At this time the government does not charge for ESTA application or ESTA issuance. Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel to the U.S., and VWP travelers are encouraged to apply for authorization as soon as they begin to plan a trip to the U.S. and no later than 72 hours before departure.

An approved ESTA travel authorization is:

• Only accessible through application at the U.S. government website
• Valid for up to two years or until the traveler’s passport expires, whichever comes first;
• Valid for multiple entries into the U.S.; and
• Not a guarantee of admissibility to the U.S. at a port of entry. ESTA approval only authorizes a traveler to board a carrier for travel to the U.S. under the VWP.