Direct Travel Insurance urges all travellers to the United States to be aware of the entry requirements, following a warning from The Foreign Office that thousands of tourists could be turned away at US airports and ports.
Since 12th January 2010, British passport holders (as well as other nationalities listed under the visa waiver scheme) will need to fill in an electronic form at least 72 hours before they travel. These electronic applications are known as ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) and have to be approved by the US Department of Homeland Security.
Those who have not registered risk being detained and sent back home.
The new online registration scheme replaces the green I-94 forms that people on short term visits to the US had to fill in on the flight and hand to customs on arrival.
It can take 20 minutes to complete the application and in some cases, it can take up to 72 hours for authorisation to be given. However, once an application is approved, it will be valid for all visits to the US for a two-year period.
Esta is free so beware of websites that may charge for the service. If you are travelling to the US soon, submit your ESTA application here: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov
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