From January 2009, travelers under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will be required by the Department of Homeland Security to obtain an electronic travel authorization prior to their departure .

Instead of filling out the green I-94 visa waiver in the plane, travelers from countries exempt from visa requirements - including UE, Japan and Australia - must register online via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The new measure is one of the 9/11 Commission recommendations to tighten border security, and is aimed to expand the Visa Waiver Program to more countries.

What you need to know about travel authorization via ESTA:
• All VWP travelers must register prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the U.S. under the VWP beginning January 12, 2009
• The electronic travel authorization is valid for up to two years or until the traveler’s passport expires.
• It is valid for multiple entries into the U.S.
• Note that the online registration is not a guarantee of admissibility to the United States at a port of entry. ESTA approval only authorizes a traveler to board a carrier for travel to the U.S. under the VWP.
• The DHS recommends that applications are submitted as soon as an applicant begins making travel plans.

For more information, please visit www.cbp.gov/esta

Pour les voyageurs français, plus d’informations sont disponibles sur le site de l’Ambassade des États-Unis à Paris.