PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION

Press Release

12 December 2008
One Month Away: New Requirements for British Citizens Traveling to the U.S.

A rough estimate of the number of UK travelers heading to the U.S. next month indicates only about 50 percent of those who qualify to travel visa-free are registering with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The goal is to have 100 percent of all eligible UK travelers signed on by January 12 - just one month from now - when ESTA registration in advance of travel becomes mandatory.

"Britain is among the top countries that have understood the need to sign up for ESTA. The response is good, but many more travelers will have to sign up before traveling to the U.S. They need to know that ESTA will not be optional - it will be required before they get on that plane," said Rick Galbraith, head of the Customs and Border Protection office at the U.S. Embassy.

Last January, about 8,000 Britons traveled to the U.S. each day. So far only about 3,700 travelers per day are registering with ESTA. So all else being equal, the registration rate for travel next month could be somewhere around 50 percent. Final figures won't be known until the end of next month.

Beginning January 12, all nationals and citizens of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries - including the UK - will be required by law to obtain a travel authorization prior to traveling to the United States under the VWP. Travelers can register for authorization online through ESTA, a free Internet application administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through a U.S. government Web site. All UK citizens planning to travel to the U.S. in the future are encouraged to apply now.

Eligible visitors seeking to travel to the United States under the VWP may apply for travel authorization via the ESTA Web site at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov .

VWP travelers should be aware that unauthorized third-parties have established Web sites, which charge visitors seeking to travel to the United States under the VWP, for information about ESTA and for submitting ESTA applications on behalf of the traveler. These Web sites 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.

We recognize that there will be a number of travelers who, for one reason or another, might not be able to access the Internet to complete an ESTA application. In those cases, we recommend that travelers call a friend, family member, colleague or their travel agent - all of whom can fill out an ESTA application on behalf of the traveler. Public libraries and their helpful staff are also excellent resources. Additional information about ESTA may be found at http://www.cbp.gov/esta .

Press & media only may contact presslon@state.gov for more information.

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