Emerald Isle Immigration Center

Release Date: January 12, 2009

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

The U.S. Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) today reminded travelers from all Visa Waiver Program
(VWP) countries that they are now required to obtain approval through
the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to
traveling to the United States. This requirement, effective today,
applies to all eligible citizens or nationals traveling under the VWP.

"We have been collecting information from
visa waiver travelers for decades, and establishing a program to get
that same information in advance is one enhancement that allowed us to
extend the valuable benefit of visa-free travel to eight new countries
in 2008," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "In
addition to building business and cultural ties with our partners
overseas, this is a commonsense step into the 21st century that will
improve our efficiency in screening and welcoming international
travelers at our ports of entry."

ESTA is a web-based system, initially
launched in August 2008, that determines the preliminary eligibility of
visitors to travel under the VWP prior to boarding a carrier to the
United States. To date, more than 1.2 million ESTA applications have
been received, and more than 99.6 percent of applicants have been
approved, most within seconds.

DHS will take a reasonable approach to travelers who have
not obtained an approved travel authorization via ESTA, and will continue
an aggressive advertising and outreach campaign throughout 2009. Travelers
without an approved ESTA are advised, however, that they may be denied boarding,
experience delayed processing, or be denied admission at a U.S. port of entry.
Visitors may apply for travel authorization via the ESTA Web site at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov .

DHS received authorization for VWP reforms through the
Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. The VWP
is administered by the department and enables eligible citizens or nationals
of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business
for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. To be admitted to
the VWP, a country must meet various statutory requirements, such as more
enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the U.S.
and timely reporting of both blank and issued lost and stolen passports.  VWP
members are also required to maintain high counter-terrorism, law enforcement,
border control, and document security standards.

The citizens or nationals of the
following countries are currently eligible to travel to the United
States under the VWP: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, the
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands,
New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Eight of
these countries joined the VWP in 2008, and their citizens and
nationals have been required to comply with an ESTA since their
designation as VWP participants: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Malta.

For additional information on ESTA, visit www.cbp.gov/esta, and for more information on the VWP, please visit http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/business_pleasure/vwp/.

Passports Will Be Required for Land and Sea Entry to the United States Beginning
June 1, 2009

Beginning
June 1, 2009, citizens of the United States, Canada and Bermuda will
soon be required to present a passport or an acceptable alternative
document when entering the United States by land or sea from Canada,
Mexico, the Caribbean region or Bermuda. The new requirements were put
in place by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), a border
security program.

U.S., Canadian and Bermudian citizens will be required
to present one of the following when entering the United States by land or
sea on or after June 1:

• A valid passport
• A valid U.S. passport card
(U.S. citizens only).
• A Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler program card, such as
a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST program card.
• An enhanced driver's licensed (EDL).
EDLs are driver's licenses that require applicants to provide proof of their
citizenship or immigration status. Currently, EDLs are issued by some U.S.
states and Canadian provinces.
• A U.S. military identification card, with proof of military travel orders.
• A U.S. Merchant Marine Document.
• An enhanced tribal identification card,
issued by some Native American tribes.

Children
under the age of 16 will be able to enter with proof of citizenship, such as
a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or citizenship card.

Until
June 1, U.S., Canadian and Bermudian citizens will be able to enter the United
States by land or sea by presenting a document proving citizenship–such as
a birth certificate or citizenship certificate–together with government-issued
photo identification, though travelers age 18 and under may enter with proof
of citizenship alone. Note that citizens of these countries who are traveling
by air must present a passport when entering the United States; this requirement
has been in place under the WHTI since January 23, 2007.

U.S. lawful permanent residents are not affected
by the WHTI passport requirements. These individuals may continue to present
their Form I-551 permanent resident cards when entering the United States by
air, land or sea