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Blog on ESTA visa waiver news and updates

H-1B Electronic Registration and Border Wall Construction Updates

Updated: Dec 12, 2019 | Tags: Border Security, USA Visa Application

H-1B Electronic Registration Process for 2021 announced by USCIS The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that a pilot testing phase for the H-1B electronic registration process has successfully been completed. Employers who wish to apply for H-1B cap-subject petitions for the following fiscal year must now register electronically. An associated registration fee of $10…

What is the experience of traveling on an ESTA?

Updated: Jan 21, 2024 | Tags: ESTA Experience, ESTA Application

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) provides travelers with the option to travel visa-free to the United States using a streamlined and automated process. An ESTA can be used by travelers arriving to America by land, air or by sea. It permits stays of up to 90 days and is issued for a period of two years, or the date of passport expiry. An alternative form of travel authorization…

Imminent Senate Vote on passing Brand USA bill to encourage US Travel

Updated: Nov 22, 2019 | Tags: ESTA Fee, ESTA

Introduction Brand USA, which is a marketing organization that is funded by the ESTA, sees a way forward with passing a senate bill to extend its funding over the next few years. Brand USA is a mixed public/private organization that acts as the travel marketing arm of the United States. It has been involved in an ongoing struggle to prove that it plays a vital role in travel to the United States and…

Polish Passport Holders can now apply for ESTA

Updated: Nov 11, 2019 | Tags: Visa Waiver Program, ESTA Eligibility, ESTA Requirements

Introduction On November 6th 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Polish passport holders will be able to apply for ESTA starting today, November 11th 2019. Poland will be the first country admitted to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) since 2014, when Chile was admitted. Poland will be the 39th country admitted to the Visa Waiver Program since its creation in 1986. An…

Updates on DHS Policy for Immigrant Social Media Information and Health Insurance Rules

Updated: Nov 11, 2019 | Tags: USA Immigration, USA Visa

Introduction USA immigration policy is changing with regard to social media. The DHS (Department of Homeland Security) is planning to include a new question requesting social media user names on applications including naturalization and green card forms, similar to social-media related questions that already appear on U.S. ESTA and non-immigrant visa applications. The agency states that the data…

ESTA for Transit Purposes

Updated: Jan 21, 2024 | Tags: ESTA for Transit, ESTA Requirements

Transiting through the U.S. can be beneficial to travelers looking to book more convenient or lower cost airfare on route to their final destination. Travelers from one of the Visa Waiver Program countries can use an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) for such transit purposes. If an ESTA transit application is denied or travelers are ineligible for ESTA, as an alternative they can apply…

Trump administration extends the deadline for TPS immigrants

Updated: Oct 31, 2019 | Tags: USA Immigration, Temporary Protected Status

Introduction The United States government has announced that it has extended the TPS permits for around 200,000 Salvadorean immigrants by a further year, allowing them to live and work in the US up to January 2021. TPS ( Temporary Protected Status) was granted to people from El Salvador after the major earthquakes that devasted the country in 2001. This status was set to expire in January of next…

Applying for an ESTA with a Criminal Record

Updated: Nov 01, 2022 | Tags: ESTA with Criminal Record, Visa with Criminal Record, ESTA Requirements

Can you get an ESTA with previous criminal arrests or convictions? Applying for an ESTA with a Criminal Record Yes, an ESTA can be obtained with a criminal record, however getting an ESTA approved will depend on the nature of the crime, the age of the offender at the time as well as the date the crime took place. No matter where the crime occurred in the world,…

How does the ESTA identify security risks?

Updated: Aug 25, 2023 | Tags: Border Security, ESTA Requirements, ESTA Eligibility

Introduction Since 2008, the security of the VWP (Visa Waiver Program) has been enhanced by the introduction of ESTA, which enables the CBP (U.S Customs and Border Protection) to vet prospective travelers to see if they pose a security risk before they board a carrier bound for the United States. ESTA acts as a counterbalance to the vulnerabilities and risks presented by visa-free travel with an extra…

Immigrants without private health insurance to be denied U.S. visas

Updated: Oct 14, 2019 | Tags: USA Immigration, USA Visa Requirements

Healthcare Requirements for U.S. Immigrants President Trump has signed a declaration that will require immigrants to prove they have sufficient financial resources to pay for any health requirements or provide themselves with private medical insurance within 30 days of entering the U.S. the new rules are set to come into force on November 3rd 2019 and will not apply to those already in the U.S. The…