On Mon, Jul 2, 2012 at 7:18 PM, Nicholas Michael Bashour nicholasbashour@gmail.com wrote:

Dear International Wikimania 2012 Attendees,

This is a reminder for those who will be traveling to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Attendees eligible for VWP must register on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) website. Those who are traveling with a visa are not required to register for ESTA.

Please visit this website for instructions and to register, if you have not yet done so: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

Also note that a $14 fee is charged for each ESTA application, which must be paid by credit card. If you don't have a credit card handy, or you don't have one but know someone who does, the ESTA web site allows you to stop at the payment step and come back later using the application number and your passport details; if you give this information to someone else, they can pay for you. You should apply for your ESTA at least 72 hours before your flight if at all possible. Once your ESTA is approved, it is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires; if you travel to the US again in that time period, you don't need to reapply.

You should print the ESTA confirmation page for your records and keep it with you when you travel, but you generally don't need to show it because airlines check the ESTA system directly. Note that if you do not have an approved ESTA or a valid visa, you will *not be able to board* a plane to the US. In some airports I've seen computers that travelers who were turned away at the check-in desk can use to apply for an ESTA at the last minute; this usually works because most ESTAs are approved immediately, but in some cases this can take up to 72 hours. Just a few months ago, I saw someone get stuck because he didn't realize he needed an ESTA (he was flying from Europe to Canada with a layover in the US); he applied for an ESTA at the airport but it wasn't granted right away, and the airline couldn't do anything for him other than speculatively rebooking him for the next day and hoping his ESTA would have come through by then.

You will also need to prove that you have a confirmed reservation for a flight leaving the US within 90 days of your arrival, so print your itinerary including your return flight and carry it with you when you travel. The airline will check that you have a return flight when you check in (they can usually just see this in their system), and when you arrive in the US the immigration official may ask to see a return flight confirmation as well.

Roan