visa waves
From January 12th 2009, visitors traveling to the US for less than 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will need to enter personal details online into a website 3 days in advance of travel. This follows recommendations from the 9/11 Commission and was developed so that VWP travelers can give advance information on their travels to the United States. In return, they will be given authorization electronically to travel. This program is modeled on the Electronic Travel Authority scheme that has been used in Australia for many years, and is called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). To check the list of countries that can take advantage of the ESTA/ Visa Waiver Program, click here.