TRAVEL NEWS
Friday, January 09, 2009
Confusion over USA's new entry rules for travellers
Australians travelling to the US next week could be blocked from boarding their flights should they fail to comply with little-publicised new entry requirements.
The new rules are part of the US Government's attempts to strengthen border security after the attacks of September 11, 2001, but there appears to be confusion in Australia about who will enforce them.
smh.com.au
The new rules are part of the US Government's attempts to strengthen border security after the attacks of September 11, 2001, but there appears to be confusion in Australia about who will enforce them.
smh.com.au
Sunday, October 19, 2008
US extends visa waiver programme
President George W Bush has announced that the United States is to cancel visa requirements for citizens of six European countries and South Korea.
Mr Bush said Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea would be added to the US visa waiver programme in a month.
news.bbc.co.uk
Mr Bush said Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea would be added to the US visa waiver programme in a month.
news.bbc.co.uk
Saturday, October 18, 2008
US shifts Visa Waiver Program authorization to Internet
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Travellers from Japan, western Europe and a number of other countries must request authorization to enter the United States on the Internet from January 2009, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Thursday.
These countries are currently exempt from visa requirements to enter the United States for short visits under the Visa Waiver Program, and the new program will keep travel to the United States "visa free" for travelers from VWP countries.
Instead of travellers filling out paper I-94 visa waiver cards en route to the United States, the new measure requires online registration.
In a statement, the DHS said mandatory prior visa authorization is required for travelers from January 12, 2009. The service has accepted voluntary visa applications for over two months, since August 1.
"Over 200,000 travelers have sought electronic travel authorization in the weeks since the site went live, and 99.6 percent of them have been approved the vast majority in under one minute," said DHS assistant secretary for policy Stewart Baker.
"Obtaining this advance information makes visa-free travel more secure, an enhancement that allows us to expand the valuable Visa Waiver Program."
The new measure is among the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, which sought to promote laws that tighten border security in the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001.
The DHS recommends that applications are submitted as soon as an applicant begins making travel plans. Upon authorization, travelers can enter the United States for 90 days for business or pleasure. The website is https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
Instructions on how to obtain travel authorization are available on the website in English and 13 other languages -- Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Slovene, Spanish and Swedish.
Citizens of 27 nations -- including several EU member states as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Brunei -- are covered by the Visa Waiver Program.
Source: news.google.com
These countries are currently exempt from visa requirements to enter the United States for short visits under the Visa Waiver Program, and the new program will keep travel to the United States "visa free" for travelers from VWP countries.
Instead of travellers filling out paper I-94 visa waiver cards en route to the United States, the new measure requires online registration.
In a statement, the DHS said mandatory prior visa authorization is required for travelers from January 12, 2009. The service has accepted voluntary visa applications for over two months, since August 1.
"Over 200,000 travelers have sought electronic travel authorization in the weeks since the site went live, and 99.6 percent of them have been approved the vast majority in under one minute," said DHS assistant secretary for policy Stewart Baker.
"Obtaining this advance information makes visa-free travel more secure, an enhancement that allows us to expand the valuable Visa Waiver Program."
The new measure is among the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, which sought to promote laws that tighten border security in the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001.
The DHS recommends that applications are submitted as soon as an applicant begins making travel plans. Upon authorization, travelers can enter the United States for 90 days for business or pleasure. The website is https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
Instructions on how to obtain travel authorization are available on the website in English and 13 other languages -- Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Slovene, Spanish and Swedish.
Citizens of 27 nations -- including several EU member states as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Brunei -- are covered by the Visa Waiver Program.
Source: news.google.com
Thursday, July 24, 2008
EU warns US of visa retaliation
The European Commission has warned it may force US diplomats to apply for visas to travel within the European Union from next year
The commission's move is in retaliation for the US' failure to broaden visa-free travel to all EU member states.
Currently, 12 EU member states require a visa when travelling to the US and the commission said "no tangible progress" had been made to change this.
Most older EU states are already part of a visa-waiver programme.
"The commission will propose retaliatory measures eg temporary restoration of the visa requirement for US nationals holding diplomatic and service/official passports as from 1 January 2009 if no progress is achieved," the commission said in a statement.
Citizens of 11 of the 12 mostly ex-communist countries which joined the 27-member bloc in 2004 and 2007, as well as Greece, have to apply for visas before they are allowed to enter the US.
"It is unacceptable that nationals from some third countries can benefit from visa-free travel to the EU whilst some of our fellow EU citizens cannot travel visa-free to those countries," the EU's Justice and Security Commissioner Jacques Barrot said in a statement.
The US says that its policy has been to treat each country on a case-by-case basis and to lift or impose visa requirements according to security issues.
The lack of progress in talks on the matter between the EU and the US has led some countries - including Latvia and Estonia - to negotiate their own bilateral deals directly with Washington.
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
The commission's move is in retaliation for the US' failure to broaden visa-free travel to all EU member states.
Currently, 12 EU member states require a visa when travelling to the US and the commission said "no tangible progress" had been made to change this.
Most older EU states are already part of a visa-waiver programme.
"The commission will propose retaliatory measures eg temporary restoration of the visa requirement for US nationals holding diplomatic and service/official passports as from 1 January 2009 if no progress is achieved," the commission said in a statement.
Citizens of 11 of the 12 mostly ex-communist countries which joined the 27-member bloc in 2004 and 2007, as well as Greece, have to apply for visas before they are allowed to enter the US.
"It is unacceptable that nationals from some third countries can benefit from visa-free travel to the EU whilst some of our fellow EU citizens cannot travel visa-free to those countries," the EU's Justice and Security Commissioner Jacques Barrot said in a statement.
The US says that its policy has been to treat each country on a case-by-case basis and to lift or impose visa requirements according to security issues.
The lack of progress in talks on the matter between the EU and the US has led some countries - including Latvia and Estonia - to negotiate their own bilateral deals directly with Washington.
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
Labels: European Union, USA, visa
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Aussie tourists to register for US entry
The US Government is imposing tougher restrictions on Australians wanting to visit America.
Australia is currently one of more than two dozen countries that enjoy visa waiver rights for short-term travel to the US.
But from the beginning of next year Australians wanting to travel to America will have to register with the US Government at least three days in advance.
US Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff says the move will help identify potential terrorists.
"It's very important to us to remain a welcoming country to visitors and business travellers and students from around the world, at the same time, recognise the importance of maintaining vigorous security standards," he said.
"Recent intelligence has underscored the fact that Al Qaeda and similar extremists are attempting to recruit operatives who blend in to western society."
Travellers will not be allowed on planes or cruise ships unless they produce this new US Government authorisation.
Source: au.news.yahoo.com
Australia is currently one of more than two dozen countries that enjoy visa waiver rights for short-term travel to the US.
But from the beginning of next year Australians wanting to travel to America will have to register with the US Government at least three days in advance.
US Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff says the move will help identify potential terrorists.
"It's very important to us to remain a welcoming country to visitors and business travellers and students from around the world, at the same time, recognise the importance of maintaining vigorous security standards," he said.
"Recent intelligence has underscored the fact that Al Qaeda and similar extremists are attempting to recruit operatives who blend in to western society."
Travellers will not be allowed on planes or cruise ships unless they produce this new US Government authorisation.
Source: au.news.yahoo.com
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Thinking the unthinkable: visa-free travel between India and Pakistan
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is pushing for visa-free travel with India, and has gone to the extent of saying Islamabad might do it unilaterally if New Delhi is not prepared to go the distance.
As ideas go, visa-free travel in a globalised world isn't anything remarkable. In the context of the tortured India-Pakistan relationship this, however, would be nothing short of a political masterstroke.
Source: blogs.reuters.com
As ideas go, visa-free travel in a globalised world isn't anything remarkable. In the context of the tortured India-Pakistan relationship this, however, would be nothing short of a political masterstroke.
Source: blogs.reuters.com
Friday, March 14, 2008
EU, US for talks over visa-free travel
The EU expects tough talks with the US on visa-free travel, after Washington signed separate deals with some EU members instead of the bloc as a whole.
rte.ie
rte.ie
Labels: European Union, USA, visa
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Push for single visa across South-East Asia
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to allow foreign tourists to enter on a single visa.
"This means a tourist can get a visa either for Thailand or Cambodia and can visit the two nations," Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said after signing the agreement with visiting Thai counterpart Nitya Pibulsonggram.
theage.com.au
"This means a tourist can get a visa either for Thailand or Cambodia and can visit the two nations," Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said after signing the agreement with visiting Thai counterpart Nitya Pibulsonggram.
theage.com.au
Labels: Cambodia, Thailand, visa
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
EU threatens visa restrictions against Canadians travelling to Europe
The European Union's top justice official Tuesday threatened to slap visa restrictions on Canadians travelling to the 27-member bloc if Ottawa did not keep its promise to lift visa requirements on new EU member states.
canadianpress.google.com (page not found)
canadianpress.google.com (page not found)
Labels: canadians, European Union, visa
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
U.S. nominates Greece to join program for visa-free travel
Greece took a step on Monday toward becoming the first country to benefit from a new U.S. law that would expand a program for visa-free travel to the United States.
nytimes.com
nytimes.com
Saturday, August 25, 2007
New visa to help Australia-US ties
A new visa to attract more US backpackers to Australia would strengthen ties between the two countries, a tourism industry leader says.
au.news.yahoo.com (page not found)
au.news.yahoo.com (page not found)
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Give NATO Allies Visa-Free U.S. Travel
The White House should act quickly to rectify the unfair treatment Poles and other NATO allies get when they try to travel to the United States.
businessweek.com
businessweek.com
Labels: United States, visa
Sunday, May 20, 2007
US to tighten entry rules
The US Homeland Security chief has revealed plans to enforce strict new entry laws that could see British travellers being forced to apply for visas to enter the USA.
timesonline.co.uk
timesonline.co.uk
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