Post by Lesley Sim

UREGENT! If travelling to the US, please check your ESTA Status. Over the past week there has been lots of press coverage regarding sudden, unexplained change in the status of ESTAS for those travelling to the USA. Yesterday it happened to one of our long standing clients who regularly visits the United States. He’s booked to travel to the World Cup. Homeland Security cannot provide any explanation or information. His only option is to apply for a full visa via the American Embassy. And time is not on his side. For clarity, an ESTA is not a visa, and it does not guarantee entry into the United States. It only allows travelers to board a carrier bound for the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Final admission is still determined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers upon arrival. If your ESTA status changes to “pending” or “not authorised” then your airline will refuse carriage.