Travellers to the US must apply for ESTA and pay $14

From September 8th, travellers will be charged for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA)

By TTM on 02 September 2010 in Travel Articles

Last year, it became compulsory to complete an online Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). Every UK traveller has to complete this before entering the Us or risk be turned back. This applies even if you are passing through.

ESTA can only be completed online and was introduced to modernise the green I-94W form, also known as the Visa Waiver form, that was handed out on the plane into the US.

Up to now this has been free to complete, but now a bill passed through US congress allowing a charge for the service. The amount is $14 per person and will kick in on September 8th.

An ESTA application lasts two years, but do it before September 8th and you can do it for free and will allow travel to the US for the next 24 months. It takes around 5 minutes to complete.

It is important to go directly to the ESTA site because if you use a search engine you may find yourself directed to a scam site that will try to charge for filling it.

Go via US Department of Homeland Security’s website: www.dhs.gov. Click on ‘Immigration’ and then ‘Visiting the USA’. Or go directly to the ESTA web page

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Comments

Marie, Brussels

The website is pretty easy to use. I could go through the steps in German which made it even easier for me. I think as long as you click "no" everywhere, you are through the procedure within 10 minutes. I just find it a pitty that it is not mentioned on the flight ticket that you need a ESTA. I never heard about it and I just found out through a friend who told me about it.
"It is important to go directly to the ESTA site because if you use a search engine you may find yourself directed to a scam site that will try to charge for filling it."
This is right. I found websites which wanted to charge 10-20$ extra just for the same result / same questions and procedure....So follow the link mentioned above to be sure.

20 October, 2011


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