ESTA USA travel advice

Traveling to the USA on holiday or business you must register online with ESTA OR Electronic System for Travel Authorization. Giving at least 3 days notice.

This is the official US government web site, do not use any other, the service is free.. ESTA. This is the correct link.

America’s latest tightening of its immigration rules.

Have allowed con men to take advantage of the US authorities’ woeful lack of foresight to make some fast bucks.

Thousands have been conned into to registering through one of these commercial websites, paying up to $50 for something that is free.

Warning, its a legal requirement that you register : Electronic System for Travel Authorization is obligatory for Brits hoping to fly the Atlantic under the Visa Waiver Program.

The Americans insist that everyone apply online. So the diligent traveller will duly tap ‘ESTA’ into a search engine.

Bad move. Many of the sites that appear are nothing to do with the US authorities, but a lot of expertise has gone into making them look official.

The term ‘buyer beware’ certainly applies to sites such as estauk.com, which IS A BLATANT CON, and describes itself as: ‘A private website opened for the convenience of ESTA applicants’.

You may be baffled about why the Americans have allowed this ludicrous state of affairs to prevail; failure to think through the project has sowed confusion.

But before you take this as another example of how we do things so much better here, try tapping ‘EHIC’ into a search engine.

The first result certainly claims that it will help applicants to obtain a European Health Insurance Card – but only after paying £9.95 for something that the Department of Health offers free.