CBP Announces Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) Implementation Date

Effective January 12, 2009, all Visa Waiver travelers must obtained permission to travel to the U.S. in advance using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization.

This only effects those people who are eligible to travel to the United States as visitors for business or pleasure without first obtaining a B1/B2 visa.  

The implementation notice can be found at 73 FR 67354.

The proposed rule can be found at 73 FR 32440.

The rule requires that travelers apply for authorization using the web url: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

Government (CBP) information can be found using the web url: http://www.cbp.gov/esta.

The Department of Homeland Security has published the following warning:

ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION (ESTA) ADVISORY STATEMENT

Beginning January 12, 2009, all nationals and citizens of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries will be required by law to obtain a travel authorization prior to initiating travel to the United States under the VWP. This authorization may be obtained online through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA™), a free Internet application administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through a U.S. government Web site.1

DHS does not charge VWP travelers a fee for completion of an ESTA™ application. Eligible visitors seeking to travel to the United States under the VWP may apply for travel authorization via the ESTA™ Web site at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
VWP travelers should be aware that unauthorized third-parties have established Web sites, which charge visitors seeking to travel to the United States under the VWP, for information about ESTA™ and for submitting ESTA™ applications to DHS on behalf of the traveler. These businesses and Web sites are not endorsed by, associated with, or affiliated in any way with DHS or the United States Government. Again, the United States Government does not charge a fee to obtain information about, apply for, or obtain a travel authorization through the ESTA™ Web site. Use of a private service to apply for travel authorization via ESTA™ will not expedite the granting of approval.

The ESTA™ application Web site is available in 16 languages and includes a help section that provides additional information for VWP travelers to guide them through the application process. Additional information about ESTA™ may be found at http://www.cbp.gov/esta.