Author Topic: Visa-Free to the United States: Update  (Read 822 times)

pioneer

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Visa-Free to the United States: Update
« on: November 20, 2008, 10:24:11 PM »
Though the Philippines is not among the ally-countries of the United States included in its Visa Waiver Program (VWP), the U.S. Embassy in Manila wants it known that an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to the United States is required even from citizens of new VWP countries beginning Jan. 12 next year.

Under the program, citizens of ESTA-authorized countries can travel visa-free to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less.

Aside from ESTA authorization, the eligible traveler must carry an e-passport —- a documentation system that is not yet in full implementation in the Philippines.

Because the Philippines is not a VWP country, Filipinos must pass stringent measures to obtain a visa and travel to the U.S.

ESTA is “a web-based system that determines the preliminary eligibility of visitors to travel under the VWP prior to boarding a carrier to the United States,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which administers the program, said in an announcement dated Nov. 13 and released through the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

The ESTA means that entrance to the U.S. for even VWP-country nationals is “not as simple and easy as it seems, not an automatic entry,” a diplomatic source said.

Filipinos who feel excluded or discriminated should not despair, the diplomat said on condition of anonymity because the issue is sensitive.

Efforts of the Philippines News Agency (PNA) to find out the latest status of RP-US effort related to the VWP program failed.

But the fact that Philippine passports are not yet fully electronic has been a drawback, according to a source. Next year, the DFA will begin issuing so-called e-passports.

Last week, DHS announced in Washington that such ESTA authorization is required, apparently in preparation for a formal announcement on Monday, Nov. 23, of the additional “seven allies to the list of countries authorized to participate in the VWP.”

The seven countries are the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia.

Japan, Brunei, Singapore are the only Asian countries in the first list of 27 mostly European countries whose citizens or nationals have been traveling to the U.S. under the VWP.

The Philippines must meet various statutory requirements to be admitted to the VWP.

The DHS says the requirements include a “more enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the United States 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.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said that “expanding the number of countries whose citizens can travel to the U.S. without a visa increases business and social ties between our countries and at the same time deepens cooperation on required security measures.” - PNA

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Lorenzo

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Re: Visa-Free to the United States: Update
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2009, 12:35:40 AM »
I hope they can expedite the process. The Philippines is and has always been a strategic partner of the United States.

Not to mention, the 2.5 Million Filipino-Americans have relatives in the Asian Republic.

This will facilitate greater communication between the two countries' peoples.

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