U.S. visitors required to register online
Starting Monday, travelers from the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, and a host of other countries will have to register online with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security before they can travel into the United States.
As part of its efforts to use technology to improve border security, the DHS is mandating that travelers from any of the 35 countries in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program apply online for an Electronic System of Travel Authorization before boarding a plane to the U.S. Previously, visitors from those countries were only required to fill out the I-94W form on flights to the U.S. for trips shorter than 90 days.
The ESTA applications collect the same information as the I-94W form and check it against DHS databases to determine whether a traveler poses a law enforcement or security risk. That information includes biographical data like birth date and passport information, as well as information regarding communicable diseases, arrests, convictions for certain crimes, and mental disorders that spur behavior that may pose a threat to others.
ESTA is a "key security element" of the Visa Waiver Program, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff wrote on the DHS Leadership Journal blog.
"By requiring travelers to register online before their journey, ESTA gives authorities more time to screen for threats and ensure that a traveler isn't a known security risk," he said.
The Web-based program lets an applicant know within minutes if their application has been approved. If it is not, the traveler can still attempt to enter the U.S. by acquiring a visa. Travelers can submit ESTA applications up to two years in advance, even without a specific destination in mind.
If a traveler does not have Internet access, the DHS says in its ESTA FAQ (PDF) that "a third party, such as a relative, friend, or travel agent, may submit an ESTA application on behalf of the traveler."
DHS began accepting voluntary applications through the ESTA site in August 2008. Since then, more than one million people have used the system without any problem, Chertoff said, though some organizations say the program could have been better implemented.
Advanced screening of travelers from countries in the Visa Waiver Program is required through the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, but the DHS introduced rules for the ESTA program in June 2008 without seeking public comment on it.
"By missing an opportunity for public or stakeholder input, DHS has circumvented a process that could have resulted in a much improved program," the Air Transport Association of America said in a statement at the time.
Elizabeth Merida, a spokesperson for the ATA, said it was too early to tell how well the program is running now that it is mandatory for all Visa Waiver Program countries. The ATA, however, has been working with DHS to make sure it is implemented smoothly.
In October, when the ESTA program became mandatory for citizens of certain countries, the International Air Transport Association warned against the lack of mechanisms in place to deal with travelers who will inevitably reach an airline ticket counter without an approved ESTA application. More than 15 million people last year traveled through the United States from Visa Waiver Program countries, according to the DHS.
To deal with unprepared travelers, airlines may have to collect sensitive information for ESTA applications--"something that the industry does not wish to do, even if a technical solution is possible," the IATA said.
Once that information is collected, the DHS will retain it for two years in order for travelers to enter the U.S. After that, the DHS archives the information for 12 years--limiting the officials who can access it--so it can be retrieved for law enforcement, national security, or investigatory purposes. When ESTA applications are used in lieu of the I-94W form--which is the ultimate goal of the program--the data will be retained for 75 years, in accordance with the I-94W retention schedule.
Stephanie Condon is a staff writer for CNET News focused on the intersection of technology and politics. She is based in Washington, D.C. E-mail Stephanie. 
an guy from Europe
Actually, the tourism industry in the US needs visitors from Europe. It is very shortsighted to make these visitors jump to lots of hoops. It will only hurt the US economy, and that's the last thing we need right now.
You may have traveled to other countries, but obviously not to Europe. Americans can just hop on a plane to Europe, at a moment's notice. And up until now, Western Europeans could do the same. Just buy a ticket, and be on the plane in another hour or so. With this change, that's not possible anymore.
So, Europeans will still do the same thing, hop on a plane for the weekend, but the destination will be in Europe instead of NYC. Goodbye, US tourism industry...
Most countries in the world require advance Visas for almost everyone. From Brazil to Russia to India to China, all require advance Visas for tourist entry. EU countries similarly require advance Visas from citizens of most countries. Often one must come to the embassy or consulate in person, and many times they need to hold on to your passport for days during processing, which is a big hassle if you're planning to travel to multiple countries. Plus it's not free, with some multiple-entry visas costing hundreds of dollars.
Instead, with the ESTA scheme, the majority of visitors to the US only have to register online, for free. That's much convenient for visitors.
I'd like to see what Americans would do if they were required to line up for an hour to get questioned, fingerprinted and have any device capable of carrying data (laptops, iPods) searched and the contents sometimes copied by a foreign security officer.
Sorry but there are far more affordable places to visit that don't treat every tourist like a criminal and rip off the contents of their hard disks.
Of course most Americans have no idea how much money is put into their local economies by foreign tourism. I'm sure that's just what you need right now, more unemployment and businesses going to the wall.
Oh and these policies have only come into play over the last year, there hasn't been time yet for the impact of treating your visitors this way to strike home. Pretty much every one I know in the UK that went to the US last year has said that was their last visit.
I chair a committee that works on international communication standards. Since the US started implementing that finger printing system and taking forever to process visas for people from certain countries, we have all but stopped holding meetings in the United States. We can meet anywhere in the world and find that almost any country makes for a better place to go.
Further, I really doubt whether these security measures will help at all. Who from Western Europe, after all, would the US consider a problem? And, would they not already know that based on the name and country of the passport? What information not provided via the passport would help? I'm curious to know exactly what questions would possibly help improve security.
Having said that, I'd love to have something to replace the stupid customs forms I have to fill out every time I come home. I am sure they will never do away with those, since the government wants to charge you a tax and ask you whether you're bringing in raw meat and such.
Papers please.
I don't want my own government to collect and store personal data do I'm certainly not allowing a foreign government to do it!
- by BusinessTravel101 January 19, 2009 8:55 AM PST
- This system will no doubt have an impact in inward tourism into the United Stated.
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(23 Comments)This may be hard for proud Americans to understand.
How many companies will take on the extra logistics of making sure all their delegates complete an ESTA, or risk them being sent home?
How many Business Travel Agents will drum up Business for the States knowing they will get the blame if a passenger is declined entry?
British Airways is already expecting traffic to the States to drop a massive 60%!!
And I bet you all a Thousand Dollars - It won't be long before the US starts to Charge $$'s for this!
And when this happens then you can sound the death toll for much of the US travel trade - But hey, Americans love to stay at home anyways - just means they can share their country with Canadians, Mexicans and numerous South Americans, not the French, British, Germans, Japanese ect.