Travel Tip: Electronic System of Travel Authorization (ESTA)

The Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection enforcement of the so-called Electronic System of Travel Authorization for visitors to the US. Visitors from the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, and other countries that qualify for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program must register online before travelling to the United States. Beginning Monday, January 19, all these visitors must be registered and approved before travelling to the United States.

ESTA is an electronic version of the already in-place I-94W form but the department wants to have this information further in advance in order to compare to databases and prevent those who might pose a security threat from entering the United States. Previously, a traveller complete the I-94W while in transit and for trips lasting less than 90 days.

More details...CNET.com: U.S. visitors required to register online.

Several travel industry associations are greatly concerned with the new procedure. The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and the U.S. Travel Association (USTA--formerly the Travel Industry Association (TIA)) cite, among other things, the following concerns:

1. Lack of a procedure for those who do not have Internet access or are unable to use the Internet;
2. A provision to resolve a threat misidentification; and,
3. with more than 15 million travellers to the US from the identified nations alone, the lack of a procedure to handle those who have inadvertently failed to comply with the new regulation

The Homeland Security Administration cites the successful use of a similar program in Australia and the move to a paperless procedure.

Tom
Sign up for our Newsletter

Travel Tip: Travel Documents and Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

In a previous post (Oct. 9, 2006: Travel Tips: Passports and PASS Card), I wrote about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).

At the time of the post, I noted that the WHTI would require all US citizens traveling into or out of the US to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda by air to have a valid passport by January 8, 2007. Provisions applicable to sea and land travel were suspended until certain Congressional criteria were addressed.

Now the requirement of travel documents for sea and land entries will be effective June 1, 2009.

For a list of documents that are acceptable, visit the US Customs and Border Protection WHTI page. There are exceptions, including: for active duty military; for cruise passengers whose cruise begins and ends in a US port (a so-called 'closed-loop' cruise--but there is no change in passport rules for visiting foreign ports of call); for those with an 'Enhanced Driver's License'; and, for those who participate in an approved Trusted Traveler program (NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST and others--see the Customs and Border Protection site).

But we have to ask: Do we need anything other than a passport? Not really. A passport will do just what it designed to do: identify you as a citizen of your country and allow your passage through your country's borders. The WHTI simply extends the requirement of having a passport to travel between the US and Mexico or Canada, and to all means of travel.

This suggests some precaution in falling prey to those pandering new required documents. If you do not need a document, then there is no need to spend the money nor enduring the burdens of obtaining one.

Some advantages of the Trusted Traveler program include: dedicated lanes and expedited border processing for pre-approved, 'low-risk' travelers. Disadvantages: requires a background check, in-person interview and fingerprinting, plus an additional five-year membership fee.

Civil rights advocates have questioned the effectiveness, supposed enhanced security, necessity and more of the Trusted Traveler program (see the American Civil Liberties Union website.) The ACLU has also questioned the validity and security of Enhanced Drivers Licenses that are already available in Washington State and New York.


Tom
Sign up for our Newsletter

Travel Tips: TSA, Family Lanes and Larger Bottles

TSA regulations have changed. Available to families are so-called Family Lanes. The lanes allow families, especially those with children and older members, to move at their own speed.

The Family Lane also features a scanning device that can scan large bottles of liquids. Anyone who has a larger bottle of 'medically necessary' liquid (greater than 3 oz.) can ask to use the Family Lane.

See the full story at USA Today.

Tom

Travel Tips: RFID--Some Privacy Protection

In California, Governor Schwarzenegger has signed a crucial privacy bill (SB31), making it a crime to surreptiously read information that is transmitted by technology known as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). Such technology has been highly critized as it is being incorporated into US Passports.

In previous posts--RFID Passports (Update), RFID Passports and Protection--I have mentioned some of the concerns with RFID technology used in passports. Not least of all is the concern that a criminal minded individual could--and can--surreptitiously scan for RFID transmission and then use that information for identity theft, tracking, counterfeiting and more.

Governor Schwarzenegger and the California legislature has recognized the danger in this technology when unprotected RFID chips are used.

Unfortunately, the same protection on the same issue was not extended to children in schools. The governor vetoed SB29 that would have required parental consent before schools could require students to carry RFID enabled cards.

Read more: ACLU News, RFID Journal.

Tom