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Online registration to be required for visa-free travel to U.S.
Summary from the United Kingdom, from articles in English
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Travellers flying to the United States from next January will need to supply personal details to the country's authorities using an online form at least three days before they fly. (article 1)
The requirement will apply to the 15 million people who go to the US every year under the current Visa Waiver Program, which is open to people living in Britain and most Western European countries. (article 1)
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it plans to introduce the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) on 12 January 2009 following recommendations from the 9/11 Commission. (article 1)
It will mean that people travelling for leisure or business trips of less than 90 days in length who currently complete a green form on board the plane, will be required to supply this information online in advance. (article 1)
Travellers who do not meet the necessary security requirements will be forced to obtain a US visa, a process which takes an average of five days for simple cases and up to eight weeks for more complicated cases. (article 1)
US Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff, said: " Rather than relying on paper-based procedures, this system will leverage 21st century electronic means to obtain basic information about who is travelling to the US without a visa. (article 1)
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Other summaries about this story:
Event tracking:
Story keywords
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Visa, travel, Chertoff, Travelers, Security |
Source articles
- US raises entry bar with online database for visitors (travel.timesonline.co.uk, 06/04/2008, 434 words)
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blaster@cs.columbia.edu
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