USA Visa Waiver for Europeans
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- chrisRG
I'm going to USA next week, I'm an European citizen (Italian).
It's just a week, for tourism. Do I really need to apply to a VWP visa, or can I just go and get the visa there, like it used to be?Has anyone from Europe recently visited USA and know more about this?
- 5tim0
Actually, scratch that, my information may be out of date:
http://www.businesstraveller.com…
New US government legislation means that on January 12, 2009, the current Visa Waiver Program (where travellers fill in a paper form on arrival) becomes defunct.
From this date it will be mandatory for all travellers from all Visa Waiver countries to have applied online for an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, prior to travel to the US. The concept is not new, as Australia has been running a similar system for some time.
- xcreonx0
Here's the info:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/tem…It seems that Italy is on the list of countries where you don't need a proper visa to enter the US. But read over this just in case. You don't want to get stuck at customs/immigration!
- 5tim0
Here's the application link:
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
- chrisRG0
thanks guys.
hey 5tim, yes, i was talking about the old 'fill out the card on the plane', but it definitely seems that I need to apply online before I go.
Anyway, I'm a Brazilian citizenship too, and I do have a valid visa yet. I thought going as Italian would be easier, i'm not sure now.