Is ESTA Required for Travelers Under VWP? (Ⅱ)

More About the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization):

On January 12, 2009 a Travel Authorization became mandatory for all travelers under Visa Waiver Program (VWP) that intend to enter the United States by air or sea. Without an approved Travel Authorization, foreign nationals may be denied boarding; experience delayed processing at the port of entry, or even is denied entry at the US border.

An approved Travel Authorization is only required for the purpose of traveling to the US for travelers on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). However, foreign nationals from VWP countries transiting through the United States must also possess an approved ESTA application number.

While the ESTA is an additional step in coming to the US, it has not become a major bar for most applicants. According to DHS records over 96% of all ESTA applications are approved.

Applying for a Travel Authorization is not related to any visa process. It is a separate requirement that applies only to foreign nationals traveling to the US under the Visa Waiver Program. Once issued the Travel Authorization is valid for 2 years unless the foreign national passport expires earlier.

The USA-PATRIOT Act requires that all the travelers under Visa Waiver Program (VWP) have a machine-readable passport. To apply for Travel Authorization through ESTA you must have a machine readable passport with a digital photograph printed on the page that contains your biographic data. Alternatively, if you have a passport from one of the 8 new visa waiver countries, the passport needs an integrated chip containing the information from the data page. If you are from a Visa Waiver Country but hold an old passport (non-machine readable), you must now apply for a visitor visa in advance.

VWP travelers must still complete Form I-94W (the green form). However, while a Travel