US tightens entry requirements
It’s about to get even harder to travel to the US. From January next year short term visitors on the visa waiver plan will have to register their trip online three days prior to travel.
US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has said that he wants more control over those coming into the US without a visa.
The tightening of restrictions means the citizens of 27 countries who currently enjoy the waiver scheme will now have to enter the same details required on a I-94 card, currently handed into customs on arrival in the US, onto a government website before setting off.
The online registration will, however, be valid over a two year period and there will be some provisions for those travelling last minute.
The new initiative will be rolled out this summer but will be enforced to all countries from January 12 2009.
By Dinah Hatch
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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