Clients travelling to or through the USA, will need to be aware of the country's entry requirements for non-USA nationals.
Entry requirements for the USA
Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA)
Advance Passenger Information (API)
US Secure Flight Programme
US Visitor Checks
The United States Customs and Border Protection authorities require all passengers travelling to the USA who are citizens of countries which participate in the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) to present a valid Machine Readable Passport (MRP). Under the VWP most travellers from the 36 participating countries do not need a visa to enter the United States if they are travelling for tourism or business for 90 days or less.
All passengers intending to travel to the USA on the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) are required to present a valid Machine Readable Passport (MRP). In addition, all passengers are required to give additional Advance Passenger Information (API). This information cannot be obtained from your passport and must be provided to us prior to travel.
What do I need to know about VWP machine-readable passport (MRP) and e-Passport requirements?
All VWP travellers, regardless of age or type of passport used, must present a machine-readable passport. In addition, depending on when VWP travellers' passports were issued, other passport requirements apply:
Find out more about e-Passports at the Department of Homeland Security
Which nationalities are currently entitled to use the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP)?
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lituania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
What are the other Visa Waiver Programme requirements?
Are there any useful sources of Visa Waiver information?
Visit the US State Department website.
Visit the US Embassy in London website.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has introduced a new system, known as the Electronic System Travel Authorisation (ESTA) which changes the entry procedures for travellers to the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP).
Clients travelling under the VWP must obtain electronic travel authorisation prior to boarding their flight to the United States. If they do not receive travel authorisation prior to departure they may be denied boarding, experience delays or be denied admission into the United States. It is recommended that online applications should be made at least 72 hours prior to departure.
ESTA requires submission of data that is currently provided by travellers arriving at US ports of entry on the green I-94W landing card. ESTA is mandatory for all Visa Waiver travellers and over time the old, green I-94W forms will be phased out, however both forms are currently required to be completed until further notice. No more information is being requested under ESTA than is currently required on the I-94W.
Clients travelling to the United States, must register with ESTA before departure, preferably at the time of booking. Once approved it is valid for a period of two years, or until the expiry of the passport from which the ESTA was applied, whichever comes first.
It is valid for multiple trips and destination address or itinerary changes after authorisation, can easily be updated through the ESTA website. For further information visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The United States, as well as many other countries such as Canada and Spain requires bmi (and all other airlines) to collect and supply Advance Passenger Information commonly referred to as API. Accordingly, we are legally obliged to collect passenger information from all customers (including infants) who are travelling to, from and through the United States in order to satisfy enhanced security arrangements as required by the US Department for Homeland Security (DHS), Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
What information is required?
The following information which is obtained from your customer's passport or travel document, is required to be entered into the booking, prior to travel.
In addition, the following information is required for passengers travelling to or transiting the USA:
*Transiting passengers are defined as those who transfer
through the US for the purpose of continuing their journey to a third country, where the time period between arrival in and departure from the US does not exceed eight hours.
Secure Flight is a programme developed by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enhance the security of domestic and international commercial air travel by streamlining the watch list matching process. It will improve the travel experience for all passengers, including those who have been misidentified in the past. You may also obtain more detailed information about the Secure Flight Program.
How will it effect you?
The most significant change is the additional passenger information required from passengers when making an airline reservation.
What information is required?
Consistent with the requirement to collect Advance Passenger Information, the following information should be entered into the PNR at the time of booking or at least 72 hours prior to departure.
How will this data be used?
Secure Flight conducts uniform pre-screening of passenger information against federal government watch lists for domestic and international flights. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is taking over this responsibility from aircraft operators who, up until now, have been responsible for checking passengers against government watch lists.
US-Visit forms part of a programme of measures introduced to improve safety and security for both visitors to the US and US citizens. US-Visit procedures include all visitors travelling under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) arriving at both air and sea ports of entry into the USA.
What does the US-VISIT programme involve?
US-VISIT requires the collection of unique data - in this case a scan of an individual's unique fingerprint by an inkless scanner, in addition to a digital photograph. These details are taken during the normal immigration inspection process and it will be necessary on each and every entry into the United States. The fingerprint is verified and stored on a US government computer together with the digital photograph.
All places of entry will have this scanning facility, but not all points of departure. If your client is leaving the US through somewhere with this facility, they will be scanned and need to present their passport at the self-service kiosks. However, they will not be penalised in any way if they are leaving via an airport that does not have this facility.
Effective 06 May 2007, international visitors are no longer required to use the US-VISIT exit kiosks when departing from the United States. However, non-US citizens who complete the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) form I-94, Arrival and Departure Record must surrender their departure form to an airline representative when departing the United States. This form is normally collected at check-in at the airport when boarding the flight.
If your client would like more information about this, they should visit the US Department of Homeland Security.