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In 2020, it could be that the Schengen Zone will introduce a new travel authorisation system, which will be very similar to the ESTA system currently being used in the United States.
The system is currently in the planning phase, as of 2016. It will be known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, or ‘ETIAS’, and will serve as an alternative to a visa for visa-free nationals to travel to the Schengen Zone. The main…
As a British citizen, you can apply to visit the USA as a tourist, or on business, under the Visa Waiver Programme. You may have heard of ‘ESTA’, which is the travel authorisation given to successful applicants, but you may not be so familiar with the ‘Travel Promotion Act’, which was passed in 2009 and signed into law in 2010.
The ESTA and the Visa Waiver Programme have been around quite a while longer than the Travel Promotion…
The United States is well-known for being a melting pot of people and cultures from around the planet. Indeed, as a ‘new-world’ country, its very range of societies today is a result of this historic crossover of people. And today, the country remains one of the most popular choices of destinations for citizens around the world, as a tourist spot, or to live, study or work.
As UK citizens, it is very easy to visit the United States…
As part of ongoing changes within the Trump administration, the USA is looking to tighten its border and enhance travel security on the whole. As a result, this has led to new requirements for Visa Waiver countries.
These requirements primarily involve greater sharing of information and more stringent monitoring of threats, in line with consistent strengthening of security measures in the United States.
Visa Waiver countries are states that are members of the ‘Visa Waiver Program’.…
As you may know already, citizens of some 38 countries can apply for ESTA, which avoids the need for a visa when visiting the USA. The United Kingdom is one of these countries, vastly facilitating travel to the USA for many of its citizens.
The ESTA, Electronic System for Travel Authorisation – falls under the rubric of the Visa Waiver Program, which is what allows certain travellers to visit the United States without a visa, provided they are…
Thanks to portability and an increasingly digitized world, more and more passengers take their laptops with them when travelling abroad. There has been a lot of discussion about laptops on flights recently, so here we will clarify what’s going on and what you need to know. Remember, if you are travelling to the USA as a British citizen, the first thing you will need to do is make sure you have a valid ESTA. We’ll come back to this, but…
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As of 18 October, new US travel restrictions will be added to those currently in force, as part of the ‘travel ban’ that has been implemented throughout the year.
Citizens of countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program will not be affected by these new measures, but it is important to take them into account if you are a national of any of the countries included in these restrictions.
The new measures enforce travel…
As the end of summer is around the corner, many of us are only just getting round to our long-awaited holidays. With the USA being a hugely popular destination for British tourists, the only thing you need for your American adventure is an ESTA, making it an easy getaway during the build-up to Autumn.
The end of August and start of September are a fantastic time of year to travel for those who are able to do so.…
If you’re crossing the Atlantic and going all the way to the USA from Britain, it’s often quite tempting to make the most of the journey and explore the neighboring countries. So how do you go about taking a trip to Canada or Mexico from the USA?
As a UK passport holder, you can apply to visit the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme, using the ‘Electronic System for Travel Authorisation’, or ‘ESTA’ as it’s more commonly known.…
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application process is carried out entirely online and only takes around 10 to 15 minutes. The only thing you need to have to hand is your passport and a method of payment. You can check out our other blog articles and our ESTA guide for more information on how to fill out the form, but here we’re going to look at what happens next.
Once you have submitted your ESTA application,…
Biometrics are already used effectively with people visiting the USA with visas, but of course when people travel with ESTA, under the Visa Waiver Program, the whole point of this system is that they do not need to apply for a visa.
So what are we talking about here? The term "biometrics" simply refers to metrics, or measurements, that are based on human characteristics. This concept already has a wide range of applications in modern society; just think…
Last week, the US Department of Homeland Security released its annual report on people who overstay the amount of time they were authorised to be in the USA.
This report provides specific figures on how many people were expected to depart the country during 2016 on the basis of their travel authorisation. This is divided broadly into people travelling under the Visa Waiver Programme, and people who are not travelling under the Visa Waiver Programme (i.e. people travelling…
As a British citizen you are eligible to apply for ESTA online, which is the quickest and easiest method for getting into the United States as a tourist or on business. ESTA is an automatic, electronic form of travel authorisation, which waives the need for a visa.
This system has been in place for many years now, and is at a point where there are 38 participating countries. Having slowly changed and developed over time, the ESTA visa…