PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION

Press Release

07 January 2009
Less Than One Week Away: New Travel Procedures Become Mandatory For British Citizens Traveling to the United States

Quick and Easy Registration with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) Required as of January 12

In less than one week, British citizens eligible to travel to the United States on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will need to register on line with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before departure. Beginning January 12, all nationals and citizens of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries - including the UK - will be required by law to get travel authorization prior to boarding the airplane.

ESTA is a free Internet application administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov, a U.S. Government Website. The information that travelers provide is the same as what they usually complete on the I-94W forms aboard the plane, the same data that most countries already collect at their borders. ESTA will eventually replace those forms.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Robert Tuttle said, "As I have traveled around the UK during the past three and a half years, I have seen time and again how important person-to-person contact is. ESTA is one way that we are trying to make travel to the United States even easier. I urge everyone thinking about a trip to the United States to complete an ESTA application to ensure a smooth trip."

Currently, almost 14,000 travelers are registering with ESTA each day. All UK citizens planning to travel to the United States in the future are encouraged to apply now. Travelers don't need to have specific travel plans in order to register. Registration is valid for two years or the life of the traveler's passport, whichever is shorter. So far, 99.6% of those registering have been approved - most within four seconds.

VWP travelers should be aware that unauthorized third-parties have established websites that charge travelers for information about ESTA and for submitting ESTA applications on behalf of the traveler. These websites are not endorsed by, or affiliated in any way, with the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government does not charge a fee for ESTA. Use of a private service to apply for travel authorization via ESTA will not expedite the granting of approval.

Additional information about ESTA may be found at http://www.cbp.gov/esta .

For more information and to arrange interviews, media may contact presslon@state.gov .

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