Travel To The USA - ESTA

OFFICAL WEB PAGE: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

Cost US$14.00 (You will shouldnt need to pay anymore for a standard ESTA Application)

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection have issued a mandate that effective immediately, all guests are no longer able to apply and be approved for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) within 72 hours of travel departure.

What is an ESTA?

Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is an automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and it determines whether such travel poses any law enforcement or security risks. ESTA approval authorises a traveller to board a carrier for travel to the United States under the VWP. We appreciate your assistance in communicating these changes to guests travelling to the United States.

Australian ordinary passport holders can enter the US for tourist purposes or business meetings without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Travellers entering the US on a plane or cruise ship MUST register with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization website (ESTA) (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov) before they depart for the US, more than 72 hours prior. Registering with this service costs $14 and is payable by credit/debit card.

The total stay in the US, Canada, Mexico and adjacent islands must be less than 90 days. Travellers require a machine readable e-passport that is valid for the period of intended stay, but it is recommended that they be valid for six months beyond this.

Minors must have their own passport and may be subject to further requirements. Travellers should also be able to supply details of their first nights accommodation, produce tickets for their next destination and show documents confirming their ability to financially maintain themselves. Travellers who do not have complete and correct documentation may be refused entry into the US.

 
All travellers are recommended to read the VWP requirements at https://au.usembassy.gov/visas/visa-waiver-program to ensure that their specific circumstances and passport meet the eligibility requirements to enter the US under the VWP. Several factors may impact a travellers VWP eligibility, such as prior arrests or convictions; previous travel to or dual nationality with Chad, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen or Venezuela; serious communicable diseases or some mental illnesses. For further information travellers are encouraged to contact a US mission on the details below.

 

 

 

By Dianne Cox

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