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Ryan N
3rd June 2008, 12:52 PM
http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/new-rule-for-travel-to-us/2008/06/03/1212258794108.html

Now online visa registration required for US
June 3, 2008 - 12:34PM

Australians and other travellers who do not need visas to enter the United States will be required to register online with the US government at least three days before they visit, a security regulation set to begin next year.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff will announce the rule tomorrow, according to a government official who asked not to be identified because the announcement had not yet been made.

The rule was first reported by the Financial Times today.

Required online registration will begin in January and will be valid for a two-year period.

Those needing to register will be travellers from the 27 countries whose citizens are not required to obtain visas for US entry. The counties include those in most of western Europe as well as Andorra, Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore. Eight other countries - the Czech Republic, Hungary and South Korea among them - are expected to be admitted to the visa waiver program.

When the Homeland Security Department began discussing the online registration rule last year, European businesses worried that business travel could be impeded.

AP

Montague S
3rd June 2008, 12:55 PM
register online so they can have permanent access to your info and track where you do & don't fly to....cheeky bastards the US govt.

Andrew M
3rd June 2008, 01:32 PM
Just posted this in another Forum that I visit.

While not official yet it was in the Financial times so no doubt it will be official very soon!

It is just one step away from requiring a full Visa application to visit the USA in my opinion. If/When the USA go down the route of requiring all tourists to apply for a full Visa is when I will stop going to the USA!

:mad:

Tom Lohdan
3rd June 2008, 02:12 PM
At least three days before they visit?

I've done a number of trips, buying a ticket under 24 hours to departure.

10 Fingerprints, 3 days notice & an address where you are staying in the USA, it's starting to get too much :mad:

Ash W
3rd June 2008, 04:23 PM
Doesn't sound too different to the ETA that is required for all visitors to Australia if they don't have a printed visa in their passport. Ie visitors from the US, UK etc etc

Tom Lohdan
3rd June 2008, 05:50 PM
Doesn't sound too different to the ETA that is required for all visitors to Australia if they don't have a printed visa in their passport. Ie visitors from the US, UK etc etc

Apart from it's valid for 12 months, Multiple Entry.

You can stay for up to three months on each visit within a 12 month period from the date of grant, or for the life of the passport if it is less than 12 months (multiple entry).

Plus we don't fingerprint or photograph you every time, not to mention damage the passport with staples holes. At one stage the US were even doing fingerprints and photograph on exit via the US-Visit Program.