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Visitors To US Now Required To Register Online

Posted by kdawson on from the e-papers-please dept.

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.

31 of 734 comments (clear)

  1. America, for one, welcomes... by Goffee71 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Johnny Foreigners, as long as they've filled in the right form!

    --
    If he's the Walrus then can I be a penguin please?
    1. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by mdwh2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If you are going to be deterred from coming to the US over the requirement that you register online and cough up some fingerprints I suppose you really didn't care that much about coming in the first place anyway, did you?

      This is a fallacy. If he cares about not handing over his fingerprints to foreign Governments, that doesn't imply he doesn't care about going to the country. On the contrary, if he didn't care about going, why would he care about the requirements?

      but our entry/exit requirements still aren't that onerous compared to other countries I can think of.

      Ah, it's the "But there are worse countries!" argument. Well sure there are worse countries - not exactly a ringing endorsement. Chances are the OP doesn't go there, either.

    2. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The one true problem with this is that it is basically a one-sided reintroduction of a visa-requirement. The visa-waiver countries are in bilateral agreements not to require visas from each other's people for short visits. Since the new requirement isn't just an "at the time of entry" border security procedure, but instead requires the visitor to get a permission to enter the country at least 3 days prior to the visit, it is essentially a form of visa-requirement.

    3. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It's nice and friendly - look what you get as a pop-up as soon as you visit the registration page:

      "You are about to access a Department of Homeland Security computer system. This computer system and data therein are property of the U.S. Government and provided for official U.S. Government information and use. There is no expectation of privacy when you use this computer system. The use of a password or any other security measure does not establish an expectation of privacy. By using this system, you consent to the terms set forth in this notice. You may not process classified national security information on this computer system. Access to this system is restricted to authorized users only. Unauthorized access, use, or modification of this system or of data contained herein, or in transit to/from this system, may constitute a violation of section 1030 of title 18 of the U.S. Code and other criminal laws. Anyone who accesses a Federal computer system without authorization or exceeds access authority, or obtains, alters, damages, destroys, or discloses information, or prevents authorized use of information on the computer system, may be subject to penalties, fines or imprisonment. This computer system and any related equipment is subject to monitoring for administrative oversight, law enforcement, criminal investigative purposes, inquiries into alleged wrongdoing or misuse, and to ensure proper performance of applicable security features and procedures. DHS may conduct monitoring activities without further notice."

    4. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      When I first traveled from Germany to the US in 1988 no Visa Waiver Program was in place. You had to apply for a visa, pay an application fee (~$80), mail your passport, completed form, and passport pictures to the embassy/consulate and wait for two weeks to receive your stamped passport by return mail. If your application was rejected you had to appear in person.

      Today, the process does not incur any cost, is almost instantaneous, and you do not have to surrender your passport, answer intrusive questions during a life interview that that could go anywhere, depending on your answers and whims of the interviewer.

      The incremental change is that you have to be fingerprinted on your arrival in the US.

      I think that the new system is an improvement over the old one. You all seem to forget that international travel used to be much more restrictive and intrusive.

      Travel within the EU - while without any apparent border controls - is tightly controlled, over a much wider area, with tight cooperation from police, customs and other agencies. It only appears on the ground to be open and free.

      Talk to people that traveled in Europe and beyond in the 70's and 80's about travel restrictions. Not to mention Eastern bloc countries...

    5. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Our DNA database contains thousands of people who have never been criminally convicted

      Then vote the fucking assholes in the Surveillance^WLabour Party out of office. In my home state the police have to destroy your fingerprints/DNA if you are arrested for a crime and later cleared (via dismissal or acquittal) of having committed that crime. 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. Contrast this to the outage in the US over the Real-ID scheme. We've actually had quite a few states come out and say they won't take part in it. Where's that spirit in the mother country?

      I find it ironic that your unelected upper house is the voice of sanity in the UK. Perhaps you made a mistake when you stripped them of all their power?

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    6. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by camperdave · · Score: 5, Insightful

      So getting past Saint Peter is easier than getting into the US...

      Exactly. All you have to do is have your sins forgiven, and you can get into Heaven. As for getting into the States, even if you've done your jail time for your crime, you can still be barred.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    7. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by aedil · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It is utter irony of course that the US is so much for boasting freedom etc, but they are implementing measures that are supposedly done in the interest of security without really adding much of anything (beyond annoyance and essentially making the entire visa waiver program useless). It does however seem to indicate just what the US government thinks about the rest of the world: no one can be trusted.

      Of course, since apparently green card holders now will be subjected to the ridiculous US VISIT requirements as well, that distruct shouldn't surprise anyone.

      Sad thing is... I'd be willing to bet money that Obama won't change any of this during his presidency, which (to me) would be a clear indication that this isn't just the action of an adminstration under a crazy shrub, but rather a consistent move towards protectionism and isolation.

      Sad sad sad...

    8. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Interesting

      We are about to find out whether that is also true in the USA.

      I don't think it is. Yet anyway. How many states stood up and flipped Washington off over real-id? Our system is more decentralized than the UK's. That's one of the reasons I'm leery of the geniuses that think we should continue to expand the power of the Federal Government. Personally I'd chop the Federal Government down to size and shift the responsibility for the social safety net to the states.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    9. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by 0123456 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "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."

      78% of Britons did not vote for Labour in the last election. More than three quarters of Britons did not want them, but they got them anyway.

      If you understood that minor little fact, and that the Tory party got more votes than Labour in England but lost to Labour nation-wide because of Scottish Labour voters, and that the current Prime Minister was not elected to that role but merely placed there by his party, then you might understand why so many Britons -- particularly the English majority, who are now the only ones who don't have their own Parliament -- are a bit upset with their government.

    10. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by KayakFun · · Score: 5, Insightful
      If I wanted to be treated like a criminal, I'll become one.

      The assumption that all foreigners are (potential) terrorists is a slap in the face of hospitality.

      And it totally disregards the fact that there are quite some criminals among USA residents.

      And then consider that the USA owns a prison where you can be held without any trial or human rights, and that the USA is vetoing all UN resolutions against Israel that would lead to peace in the middle east...

      I said it before, americans are mostly nice people, but their government are still living in the cold war times. Luckily there are still a lot of other really nice countries that welcome my tourist euros.

    11. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by twostix · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "but our entry/exit requirements still aren't that onerous compared to other countries I can think of"

      My (ex) mother in law, an Aussie girl through and through, traveled across Europe with a couple of girlfriends as a twenty year old in 1973. Part of the trip was traveling through Soviet Russia and various parts of the Eastern Bloc. They searched her bag at each border, required to a see a passport, asked some questions, granted temporary visas and that was that. Having her bags opened and searched by a stranger openly wielding an automatic rifle was seen as quite disgustingly 'totalitarian' at the time.

      The US is far more locked down to foreigners than the menacing and "evil" totalitarian state of Soviet Russia was in 1973.

      Accepting it and making excuses ensures that it will continue on its path to the inevitable end.

      Fifteen years ago massive government fingerprint databases were purely the domain of ranting conspiracy nuts...oops.

      Ten years ago the idea that everyone entering the country would be fingerprinted was absolutely laughable...oops.

      And yet here we are. So whats next on the list to be excused away?

      This rubbish 'security theatre' (when did totalitarianism get such a cute name?) is something that's sweeping across the western world and it needs to stop. It really does, because we (average, reasonably people) are losing ground rapidly and very soon if it continues at this rate a lot more of this bullshit is going to start having an negative effect on the average man on the street. Once that happens there's no going back.

    12. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I have no problem with making inmates work or charging them for their living expenses. I have a problem with the idea that anyone should make a profit on it, EVER. I don't mind people being paid wages, that's not what I'm talking about. Prisons should be an investment in our future, not an investment for a financial return.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    13. Re:America, for one, welcomes... by drsquare · · Score: 5, Informative

      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.

  2. Re:*sigh* by SkankinMonkey · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.

  3. Scaring tourists away much? by RenHoek · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Do people still visit that country?

    I mean I don't even get a shopping card from our local supermarket because I don't think it's necessary for them to have my personal information...

    I'm not a criminal, and I don't want to be treated as such. It would be would be debatable if they kept personal information for say a year or so and you could trust them to delete your information afterward.

    1. Re:Scaring tourists away much? by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Informative

      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.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    2. Re:Scaring tourists away much? by qazsedcft · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I'm a Canadian citizen. Naturalized, to be honest, but having lived in Canada for almost my entire life. I've had my car searched, my cell phone searched, my photo and fingerprints taken. I have been delayed for hours, having had to give lengthy explanations to arrogant border agents. I have even experienced attempts at intimidation. One border agent has stopped me when I was about to go back north and tried to force me to admit to having worked illegally in the US (which I have not), and tried to force the same kind of admission from my 12-year-old step-daughter. He wasn't just warning me. It was direct intimidation - his exact words were "I will fuck you. I will ban you from visiting my country".

      I have long ago given up on ever going back to the USA for any reason whatsoever (not because I can't but because I don't want to). And now this. They have the insolence to pretend that they have a right to preserve my personal information for the duration of my lifetime. That is too much. Now I am absolutely certain to never want to have anything to do with that country ever again.

    3. Re:Scaring tourists away much? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Canada will deny you entry if you've been convicted of drug possession or DWI -- even if said conviction was a misdemeanor/civil affair if your home country. Why don't I see anybody complaining about that?

      Because nobody cares about Canada.

      Really.

  4. It is a deep shame.. by Gandalf_the_Beardy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ..especially as I find the American people on the whole some of the most freindly welcoming and interesting people to visit. Sadly however I simply cannot stomach the attitudes and actions of their Govt. I made up my mind never to visit again after a 5 hour wait in Dulles to get through immigration, and was greeted by the most pig ignorant downright hostile group of people I've ever met at the DHS/TSA desk or whatever. You want my fingerprints, you want my details, sorry. Convict me of a crime first. Wanting to visit and spend my dollars in your country is not a crime I'm afraid - I'll go visit Canada instead.

  5. Herd instict by LuckyStarr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you are going to be deterred from coming to the US over the requirement that you register online and cough up some fingerprints I suppose you really didn't care that much about coming in the first place anyway, did you?

    Afaik, no state on this planet has my fingerprints yet, and I do not plan on handing them over any time soon. If that means not to travel to foreign countries where I would love to go to, so be it. I'll watch documentaries instead.

    I have my principles, and a change of law will not change them!

    --
    Meme of the day: I browse "Disable Sigs: Checked". So should you.
    1. Re:Herd instict by lloydchristmas759 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      though getting a new pasport requires fingerprinting...

      In fact, EU coutries wouldn't have introduced biometric passports if the US hadn't requested them!

      --
      I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
    2. Re:Herd instict by Grimbleton · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Actually, people often complain about all of those as well, especially "pistol permits" as you've put it, given than the Second Amendment guarantees the RIGHT to bear arms, not the right to get permission from the government, provided you can provide them with a good enough reason, then pay them and subject yourself to intense scrutiny, and then MAYBE get the right to bear arms in the end.

    3. Re:Herd instict by russotto · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And for many types of licenses -- liquor licenses, insurance agent/broker licenses, teacher licenses, CPA license, medical license, pistol permits, etc, etc, etc. People rarely complain about any of those

      Actually, people complain about those all the time. Nobody listens, however; the complainers are filed under the categories of "whiner", "wacko libertarian nutcase", "pedophile", etc. Once these entry requirements are around for a while, any remaining complainers will be filed under the same category.

  6. So this is that then by meist3r · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When I started college 3 years ago I was actually planning on spending a year in the US just to see what the standards and discussions are like and to see whose history I'm studying here. Since then, each year, the American governments makes one shit move after another and my interest in actually visiting this country dwindles with every one. I'm not having my fingerprints be stored for almost two decades in your "potential foreign sleeper terrorist" list and I'm not going through the silliest questions ever invented -again- (the actually DO have that "Did you come here to kill the president" question, I had to answer that when I was 14).

    One more time the bigotry triumphs. Leader of the world, biggest and strongest army ... locked away in his castle on the hilltop shooting at the mailman scared for his life. Congrats America, if that's what your freedom looks like ... no wonder "they" hate it. I do too. The USA used to be a symbol for immgration, diversity and -hell- freedom. Now it's become a symbol of lies, deception, bigotry, intolerance and paranoia. It makes me sad actually.

  7. Re:Cue the "I'm not going now" comments... by mdwh2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When I came to this country in the early 1970s it was required that we get visa's and passports, present them at the U.S. border, fill out extensive forms documenting our stay etc.

    Sure - but saying that the political clock's been turned back 30-40 years isn't exactly something to be thrilled about. That's an immense step backwards. I'd like to think we'd move towards a society with easier movement in time, especially given that there is far more intercontinental communication between people (both business, and personal) than decades ago.

  8. For non-USA citizens by Zontar_Thing_From_Ve · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have to agree with another poster that I'm not surprised at the amount of anti-America bashing this generated. However, those of you who live outside the USA and are not American citizens should probably consider the following.

    1. Most Americans never travel outside of North America and have no desire to do so.
    2. The US government regards everybody except Canadians as potential illegal immigrants. Yes, even you EU guys and gals. Trust me when I tell you that while there are certainly American businesses that do want your money, my government really doesn't care if nobody comes over to visit.
    3. Probably less than 1% of Americans know the visa requirements for foreigners to come here. Almost everybody I've talked to in the USA had no idea how difficult to impossible it is for citizens of non-Visa Waiver countries to get visas to come here. Almost all Americans think that Mexicans and others need only apply for visas to come here legally and they are simply too lazy to do so. I've seen shocked expressions on the faces of many people when they found out how difficult it truly can be to even visit here as a tourist. I've known of cases of legal immigrants who were unable to get tourist visas for family members to come here to visit.

    So if you non-USA people expect us to "fix" our broken system, well, good luck with that because the truth is that almost nobody knows how it really works and almost nobody cares if it discourages you from coming here. That is reality. If you don't want to fill out an online form to come neither my government nor the vast majority of my fellow citizens care if you don't come because you don't like the rules. If you think this is some sort of meaningful protest, you are mistaken.

  9. No, you are ok. Code is simple by mrops · · Score: 5, Funny

    Code is simple on the backkend

    boolean reject=false;
    if (name.matches("m(o|u)h(a|u)m{1,2}(a|e)d") {
          reject = true;
    }

    Only thing I can't figure out, why the hell it takes 4 seconds to execute such simple code. Must be perl or java, maybe network latency.

  10. Countries Affected by prograde · · Score: 5, Informative

    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

  11. You are missing the point. by jotaeleemeese · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Nobody hates the US, you guys over there just love to feel victims. YOu send your army all around the place, kill thousands of people everywhere (you don't ever bother to account for them) and don't expect that some resentment will be felt elsewhere.

    Honestly, get real.

    What many people are saying is that the system does not show a friendly attitude, combine that with the horrendous reception you have when arriving to US airports (I have seen things that really make me puke) and you have a recipe for disenfranchisement.

    I used to visit the US around once or twice a year, but every time it became more trying, nowadays you are treated like a potential criminal, with a record of your entries, your laptop can be confiscated without any reason and without you having any possibility of redress and if you are in the unfortunate position of being mistaken as a terrorist (it has happened) then all the bets are off.

    Unless all this changes people like me, with a genuine interest to learn more about the US, will not visit your country.

    If you class the above as hate is more your problem than anybody else's.

    --
    IANAL but write like a drunk one.
  12. You just don't get it. by jotaeleemeese · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have travelled all around the world.

    Form Canada to South Africa, Vietnam, Namibia, all of Western Europe. You name it.

    Your immigration procedures are only comparable to those in Vietnam, a communist dictatorship.

    If that makes you feel great, all the power to you, if it was my country it would give me pause for thought: it would seem that to be safe you have to emulate totalitarian attitudes.

    If you think that poster is lying think again. I go back home frequently and flights with stop overs in the US are cheaper, but just to think about all the draconian, unnecessary procedures (I would be just in transit, no other country I know off needs you to apply for a visa in advance to go on transit) makes me feel sick. Thus I chose to fly using European or Canadian airlines, where I can change planes quickly, efficiently and with minimal fuss.

    Every time I flight back home your country loses an average of $1500 that it would gain if the intrusive bureaucracy wasn't so unreasonable.

    --
    IANAL but write like a drunk one.