ATTENTION Visa Waiver Program Travelers

Introducing the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)

Beginning August 1, 2008, ESTA will be accessible via Internet for citizens and eligible nationals of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries to apply for advance authorization to travel to the United States under the VWP.

ESTA will initially be available in English only. Other languages will follow. Effective January 12, 2009, all VWP travelers will be required to obtain an electronic travel authorization prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the U.S. under the VWP.

Learn more at http://denmark.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas/electronic-system-for-travel-authorization.html

Safe Travel with Batteries and Devices

Effective January 1, 2008, the Department of Transportation (DOT) through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will no longer allow loose lithium batteries in checked baggage.

Learn more at http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html.

Fingerprint Collection Updated at US Airports

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now collecting additional fingerprints from international visitors arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport (Dulles). The change is part of the department's upgrade from two- to 10-fingerprint collection to enhance security and fingerprint matching accuracy.

Department of State (DOS) consular officers and DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers collect biometrics-digital fingerprints and a photograph-from all non-U.S. citizens between the ages of 14 and 79, with some exceptions, when they apply for visas or arrive at U.S. ports of entry.

Dulles became the first port of entry to collect additional fingerprints from visitors on November 29, 2007. Nine other ports of entry will begin 10-fingerprint collection during the next few months, and the 278 remaining ports will begin this process by the end of 2008.

Digital Photo Deadline for Passports Approaching

Visitors with valid machine-readable passports issued prior to October 26, 2005, may continue to travel without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program. Passports issued on or after October 26, 2005 require the digital photo. Visitors who are issued a passport after the October 26 deadline that does not meet these requirements will be required to obtain a visa to travel to the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reminding visitors that Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries will be required to produce passports is part of a multi-layered approach to increasing the security of our citizens and visitors by helping to ensure the integrity of their travel documents.

New APIS Requirements

As of October 1, 2005 the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency requires all airlines to collect passenger country of residence and destination address in the US. As part of the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), this must be done before travel to and from the U.S. Please find more information on US Customs and Border Protection.

For more information, please contact Peter Strandby