Latest news with #Esta
Times
07-07-2025
- Times
Do I need an Esta to travel to the US? Everything you need to know
The Esta, which was introduced in August 2008, is a pre-authorisation for travel to the US. Citizens from 42 countries — including the UK — must apply for one before travel, unless a proper visa is required. It's important to note that the Esta is not a visa, rather a visa waiver; an authorised application does not necessarily permit entry when you arrive in the US. Google 'Esta application' and you'll find there are many copycat sites willing to apply for one on your behalf; make sure you always use the official site ( Here's what you need to know. Broadly, if you're a Brit travelling to the US for holiday, to see friends and family or for short-term work for fewer than 90 days, then yes. The 42 countries that must apply for an Esta include most of Europe, plus nations including Singapore, New Zealand and South Korea. All children must have an Esta, regardless of their age or whether they're accompanied by their parent or guardian. The exceptions are if you've travelled to a country on the US' so-called 'red list', which includes Yemen and Syria after 2011, or Cuba after 2021. In this case, you'll need to apply for a proper visa, which will involve a visit to the US embassy in London, or the consulates in Belfast and Edinburgh. Note that you will need an Esta even if your flight just transits through an American airport — all connecting passengers are required to go through immigration and recheck their bags. • Discover our full guide to the US Yes, even if you don't get off the ship. The cruise company will check all documents are correct before you board, so apply for an Esta in advance of your departure date — do not wait until the date your ship will eventually call at the US. • The best US cruise lines Typically applications are approved in a few hours, but the official guidance is to apply at least three days before you're due to depart. Airline staff in the country you're leaving will check for a valid Esta before you're due to board, so make sure it's in place before you fly (or cross the land border). Two years, or when you get a new passport — whichever is sooner — and you can make as many trips during that time as you like, as long as no one visit lasts for more than 90 days. You can check the expiry date by logging into the official Esta site and clicking 'check individual status'. • Best places to visit in the US An Esta is $21 (£15) through official channels. However, there are also plenty of unofficial websites that will happily charge an inflated price to apply for one on your behalf; an easy way to tell is to check the price you're quoted. One of the recommendations of President Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' is to raise the price of the Esta to $40 (£30), but it's not yet known when this might come into effect. The Esta form will ask you for a 'point of contact' in the US. This could either be a friend or family member you're visiting, or the name and number of the hotel/apartment you've booked. Myriad reasons — but a large number are turned down due to incorrect information being entered, so take extra care when filling in your passport number and personal information. Other reasons could include having a criminal record, previously overstaying a visa or lying on the application about your travel history. If your Esta is rejected, you will likely need to apply for a proper visa. • New York v Toronto: which is better?• Best time to visit the US: when to go and what to do
Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Japan to launch pre-screening of visa-free travellers in FY 2028
A record 36.87 million foreign travellers visited Japan in 2024, up 47.1 per cent from the previous year. PHOTO: AFP TOKYO - Japan will launch pre-arrival screening of visa-free travellers in fiscal 2028, as the government aims to boost its booming inbound tourism further, according to the Justice Ministry. The government is looking to raise the efficiency of the process by introducing screening modelled on the United States' Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, the ministry said in April. A record 36.87 million foreign travellers visited Japan in 2024, up 47.1 per cent from the previous year, and as tourism is a main pillar in Japan's growth strategy, the government aims to lift the number to 60 million in 2030. Under the new system, travellers from countries with visa exemptions for short-term stays in Japan will be required to provide travel and personal information, such as their names, purposes of stay and locations, at least several days before arrival. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan will be able to examine the travellers' data in advance, and if they have any criminal history or record of illegal stays in Japan, the agency may not allow them to board planes to Japan, the ministry said. According to the Foreign Ministry, nationals of 71 countries and regions, including the US and South Korea, are exempted from obtaining visas for short-term stays. The US established the Esta system in 2001 following the terrorist attacks of Sept 11 that year. A number of other countries, including Canada, have since introduced similar systems. KYODO NEWS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Times
21-04-2025
- Times
German teenagers strip-searched by US border guards in Hawaii
Two German teenagers who arrived in Hawaii were strip-searched and detained overnight in the latest example of US border officials treating tourists harshly. Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, arrived in Honolulu on March 18 but appear to have aroused suspicions by not having accommodation booked for their entire five-week trip. They told the Ostsee-Zeitung newspaper they were made to wear prison overalls and were kept in a cell before being expelled by US Customs and Border Protection, despite both having the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (Esta) document required for entry into the country. Reports of heavy-handed treatment by border guards may be a factor in a 12 per cent decline in tourism last month compared with a year earlier, according to data
Iraq Business
15-04-2025
- Business
- Iraq Business
Iraq Signs Contract for Third Offshore Pipeline Project
By John Lee. Iraq has signed a contract for the construction of its third offshore pipeline to enhance the stability and flexibility of crude oil exports from its southern ports. The project, which is being executed by a consortium of Italian company Micoperi and Turkish company Esta, is designed to handle 2.4 million barrels per day. The Minister of Oil, Hayan Abdul Ghani, stated that this project is a strategic initiative and aligns with the government's plan to ensure the stability and flexibility of crude oil export operations from southern Iraq's ports. The operational capacity of the pipeline will be approximately 2 million barrels per day. The pipeline will allow for crude oil exports from three locations: Basra Port, Khor al-Amaya Port, and a floating platform. The project, which has been approved by the Cabinet, involves laying a 48-inch pipeline with a length of 61 km offshore and 9 km onshore. It will also include two offshore platforms, one at Basra Oil Port and the other at Khor al-Amaya Port, as well as a floating buoy for crude oil export. Additionally, the project will include associated electrical, communication, and cathodic protection systems. (Source: Ministry of Oil)
Zawya
14-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Iraq signs deal for 2.4mln bpd subsea oil pipeline
CAIRO: Iraq has signed a deal to establish a subsea oil pipeline for exports via its southern ports, the country's oil ministry said on Sunday. The project is in cooperation with Italian offshore contractor Micoperi and Turkey's Esta for a pipeline with capacity of 2.4 million barrels per day (bpd), the ministry said without providing further detail on the destination of the exports. (Reporting by Muayad Suadi Writing by Jaidaa Taha and Menna Alaa El Din Editing by David Goodman)
