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Forgive me if this is common knowledge outside of the USA, but I stumbled across a new program, designed by the Department of Homeland Security, for travellers.
This is irrelavent to anyone with a visa, but from January 12th, 2009, anyone wishing to board an aircraft to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program must first be pre-approved by the DHS.
Approval is available right now, is valid for up to two years and is currently free of charge. Airlines, apparently, will not allow anyone to board their aircraft after this date unless they have the pre-approval document in their possession.
The document *DOES NOT* guarantee right of entry into the USA - but does guarantee that you will not board the aircraft at your departure point without one.
It's been a while since I flew to the US, but are these questions not *exactly* the same questions as the ones being asked if you fill in that green card that lets you apply for the visa waiver program?
It seems to me like they're just automating what was previously a manual process.
Plus, having the information readily available in electronic format, instead of boxes and boxes full of handwritten green cards, makes data mining and such much easier.
On the other hand, I've seen so many people making mistakes in filling in the green and white forms (despite the help of cabin crew), with the obvious result of being sent back to redo all the forms, and then join the queue for immigration again, that this will only make things worse. Apparently there are still people on this planet who cannot interpret a sentence "fill in a green form for each member of your party, including infants traveling without a ticket" properly. Should they be allowed anywhere near an internet-connected computer?
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Approval is available right now, is valid for up to two years and is currently free of charge.
I find this two year validity a bit confusing. When you apply for the visa waiver program you've got to identify how you got to the US (carrier, flight, city of boarding) and where you'll be staying in the US. I have not met anyone who knew this information two years in advance. And for multiple trips to the US, originally you had to fill in a green form every time you flew - AFAIK even if your trips were less than 90 days apart. In other words: you had to apply for the VWP each and every time. I don't think that procedure has changed now.
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Airlines, apparently, will not allow anyone to board their aircraft after this date unless they have the pre-approval document in their possession.
The way I read the FAQ is that there is no "approval document" which you can have "in your possession" as such. Everything is electronic and the airlines will have an automated way of checking that everybody on the flight either has a visa or is approved for the VWP program, presumably based on their passport number and maybe some other information.
I suspect that a significant incentive for this was the ability to 'charge a fee in future' (as mentioned in the FAQs). That's a great, great deal of money if it has to be paid by every single visa waiver traveller...
All of us who've been to the US on some sort of visa, especially for flight training, just 'love' filling out forms.
It's not just about making things easier for US govt agencies.
It's also about 'keeping an eye' on all the people wishing to go to the US on VWP.
Not going far (for me), Czech govt was criticised by EU officials of being too 'a-crawling' to USA in terms of what information would be deemed acceptable (some of it doesn't even relate to the person travelling, but also his/her family) AND ALLOWING ARMED UNDERCOVER COPS ON FLIGHTS. I'm not expert on which countries/routes do allow US agents on their flights, but this is something country and airline do not have to allow and US wants.
I'd say Czech govt is good example of bending backwards, to put it mildly, allowing the radar base etc (prime target in case of hassle).
So EU says Czechs and other central/Eastern European countries that are not in VWP to USA, should all negotiate reasonable terms, not such subservient. Czech ministers say it's their own success, not sticking up somewhere to have some results. Well, politics and marketing..
As for why also UK or Irish passport holders etc (old VWP countries) have to do the ESTA soon, I'd say it's mainly about screening people, making even bigger database at CIA/NSA/FBI/whatever, probably charging in the future.
Not to mention that some analysts of international affairs remind us of the fact that some of the bad guys of '9/11' had German or other VWP passport. Plus, there's bunch of radicals in the UK. Yes, they can turn anyone on VWP or with visa back at the airport, but this silent wave of anti-US persons in 'Old Europe' is rising.
I especially 'like' the fact that after submitting the ESTA form, an individual will be advised/suggested not to travel as he/she would likely not be allowed.
Might save few quid someone who doesn't fit the image or has name similar or same as one of the 'wanted' guys.
I'd rather get proper tourist visa as it's possible to change status should I need it (ie M or F visa) and I won't have to fill out forms online so often.
in fact it's an electronic visa....
as many people are against the VWP, they have turned this system to a "visa waiver program filed electronically with all pertinent informations "with same requirement as tourist visa except their is no picture.
in the futur, they will ask you to send a picture, copy of passport....and MONEY
How can you possibly expect a group of foreign student pilots to be able to answer that question - based on a US Government system that is not yet active?
The last two times i went to the states they took my fingerprints jfk in 2005 and iad (washington) in 2008. I thought they should have it on database already or they just checked it to see if it matched what they had.
I am planning to go again next year and hope the esta form is not too complex.
Australia has had something similar for years, the ETA or "Electronic Travel Authorisation". It costs AUS$20 and is valid for one year, so the new US visa substitute seems to be something of a bargin - for now.
The US is not the only place to take your fingerprints - I had prints taken on entering Japan recently.
I travelled out on 12 Jan, the date this went fully live. All passengers on the aeroplane were aware of it and had done the necessary. The cabin crew were aware of it. When we arrived at Philly, the line organisers or whatever they are called were telling everyone to ensure they'd filled in a white or green form.
'But we've all got them done already', we chorused, as if it would make any difference.
Upshot was that by filing on-line initially, the process took three times as long as eveyone had to pause to write out a form at Immigration, then proceed for the initial inspection and get fingerprinted etc. as before.
I hope the systems have improved since.
This has to be a stupid question, but I'm curious why fingerprints must be taken every time one immigrates; surely once logged that's sufficient for future arrivals or have I missed something really obvious?
I seek to learn....
Edited to add this is ChampChump borrowing WKW's ID. Maybe I should try this at Immigration....
CC
Errr... now I am lost... What if you have a visa? What, if your are on the VWP, but do have a tourist visa, for example...Do you still need to do that 'esta'?
Flew out to JFK from LHR on Wed. Did this ESTA thing the night before and wasnt really a big deal at all. Name, passport number, dob etc, click next and it says approved. It doesnt replace the visa waiver forms but is an intial approval.
It was very hard to find out how to go through the application without having to pay for the "full guide" at $49.99.
Please, do not pay for this, unless you have a mental illness preventing you from typing your name in the 'NAME' box
Well, if it's asked towards my question: I do have a B2 (tourist Visa) until 2018, and it started aug. '08, and have been there already using it, and since six month I am back in Europe. So, I am in the WVP, but do have that (B2) Visa. Do I still need to do that ESTA stuff?
I travel the the US from the UK on the VWP regularly. You have to register with ESTA and are supposed to update your registration before each trip with a new address. The immigration officials are completely ignoring ESTA for the time being - you still have to fill in the green form, which is what they will base your entry on. At some point it may cut over, but for the time being you have to do both.
Make sure therefore that you keep a note of your ESTA number.
-crawling' to USA in terms of what information would be deemed acceptable (some of it doesn't even relate to the person travelling, but also his/her family) AND ALLOWING ARMED UNDERCOVER COPS ON FLIGHTS. I'm not expert on which countries/routes do allow US agents on their flights, but this is something country and airline do not have to allow and US wants.
however you never know 
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