In the public mind, travel to the USA involves the necessity of obtaining a visa. However, in certain cases, the interested persons don’t have to apply for a visa. A travel authorisation received through the ESTA system is sufficient.
1. Travel authorisation
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization, ESTA for short, constitutes a system used to determine entitlements of persons coming to the USA in the framework of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP for short). The system allows to determine whether a particular person’s travel to the United States poses any threat to national security.
Obtaining approval in the ESTA system is referred to as travel authorisation. Indeed, it entitles a specific person to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme.
Obtaining a travel authorisation to the USA isn’t equal to receiving consent for entry into this country. A person who has obtained a travel permit will be inspected by a Customs and Border Protection officer upon arrival in the United States. During the inspection, the functionary may determine that the person being controlled isn’t eligible to enter the USA.
A travel authorisation should be applied for by persons who plan to come to the United States for a period not exceeding 90 days and whose arrival is for business, tourism or transit purposes.
2. Travel authorisation isn’t a visa
A travel authorisation can’t be equated with a wisa. As we pointed out earlier, the approval of travel obtained through the ESTA system only entitles to go to the United States. It doen’t fulfil the legal requirements for a visa and can’t replace it. On the other hand, persons travelling to the USA on the basis of a visa don’t need to obtain a travel authorisation.
3. Obligation
The obligation to have a travel authorisation applies to anyone travelling to the USA in the framework of the Visa Waiver Programme. The programme in question covers citizens of, among others, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Poland.
The requirement to have an authorisation also concerns children travelling to the United States with their parents. Their journey can’t be based on a travel permit obtained by their parents/guardians.
4. Application
In order to obtain travel authorisation, it’s necessary to complete the online application available on the Department of Homeland Security website. The request should be submitted before the departure to the USA. It can be done at any time, but no later than 72 hours before the trip.
All information required in fields marked with a red asterisk, e.g. passport details, applicant’s address, must be entered in the request.
After completing the application and checking the accuracy of the data contained therein, it shall be paid. Payment should be made by credit or debit card either via the PayPal portal. The request will only be processed once the fee has been paid.
The status of the application can be checked on the Department of Homeland Security website by entering, among others, the request number.
5. Validity of the authorisation
A travel authorisation is valid for 2 years from the date of issuance or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. During the period of validity of the permit, its holder may enter the USA multiple times. Theredore, it isn’t necessary to apply for a new authorisation if the previous one is still valid.
It should be emphasised that a person who has received a travel authorisation can’t remain in the United States continuously for a period of 2 years. The permit only allows travel to the USA in the framework of the Visa Waiver Programme, and the stay itself can’t exceed 90 days in such cases.
Any change in personal data or other circumstances indicated in the request for a travel authorisation gives rise to the obligation to apply for a new travel permit.
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