Visitors To US Now Required To Register Online

mytrip sends a reminder that starting today, visitors to the US from 35 visa-waiver countries will be required to register online with the Department of Homeland Security in advance. The DHS is asking people to go online for the ESTA program 72 hours before traveling, but they can register any amount of time ahead. Approval, once granted, is good for 2 years. DHS says that most applications are approved in 4 seconds. If an application is rejected, the traveler will have to go to a US embassy and get a visa. CNet reports that information from applications will be retained for 12 years, and eventually up to 75 years.

Comments

Re:*sigh*

[SkankinMonkey]

I was horrified when I went to Japan recently and had to let them take my fingerprints and a picture. I was even more horrified when I complained to my Japanese friends and they let me know that America has the same practice.

Re:Scaring tourists away much?

[Shakrai]

Did anybody bother to RTFA?

Derwood Staeben, U.S. consul general in London, said nearly all applications would be approved in less than 10 seconds. He said travelers would not be required to give any more information than is already requested on the paper immigration forms, which are being replaced.

This information was already collected. Are we really supposed to believe that collecting it in advance instead of in-flight is really that burdensome? If this is all it takes to deter you from coming to the US then I'm guessing you weren't that serious about coming in the first place.

Countries Affected

[prograde]

If anyone is wondering, here's a list of the 35 visa-waiver countries:

Andorra
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Republic of Malta
San Marino
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom

Re:America, for one, welcomes...

[drsquare]

Then vote the fucking assholes in the Surveillance^WLabour Party out of office

We only get to vote once every five years, and then they only need 35% of the vote to win power.

I'm growing weary of hearing Britons whine about your surveillance soceity while you keep electing the same assholes who are busy setting it up.

Two thirds of us voted Labour out in 2005 yet they're still here. You must have confused Britain with a democracy or something.

Perhaps you made a mistake when you stripped them of all their power?

It was the Labour government who reformed the House of Lords and filled it with their own friends and donors. Like I said, you're thinking of democracies. Even the Germans got to vote for Hitler.