United States

COMPULSORY E.S.T.A. REGISTRATION

All Italian citizens, and citizens of the countries included in the Visa Waiver Program, must obtain electronic travel authorisation through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (E.S.T.A.) before travelling to the USA.

When the booking is confirmed, and in any case no later than 5 days before departure, the online form must be completed on the website https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

The journey may be

1. Authorised
2. Not Authorised: in which case the traveller must obtain a visa from an Embassy or Consulate before leaving for the U.S.A.
3. Authorisation Pending: the traveller must check the E.S.T.A. website for updates over the following 72 hours.

If the application is successful, an authorisation number will be displayed, which will be requested at airport check-in.

It is therefore advisable to print the authorisation number.

The authorisation costs USD 40.00 and is payable by credit card.

Useful information:

1. an E.S.T.A. travel authorisation for the U.S.A. is valid for up to 2 years, or until the passport expires, for multiple entries.
2. Even if approved, the application does not guarantee admission to the United States. E.S.T.A. approval authorises the person to travel to the United States under the V.W.P. programme.
3. Minors may benefit from the V.W.P. only if they hold an individual passport. Inclusion on a parent's passport or a laissez-passer is not sufficient.

E.S.T.A. registration is the traveller's responsibility.

Without E.S.T.A. authorisation, customers travelling under the V.W.P. programme will not be allowed to depart from Italy and will not be entitled to any refund for the trip.

Since 21 January 2016, restrictions have been in force for certain categories of travellers from VWP countries, who must obtain a regular visa in order to enter the United States.

These restrictions concern:

- as a consequence of the designation of Cuba by the United States, on 12 January 2021, as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, Italian citizens who have visited Cuba on or after 12 January 2021 must apply for a visa and cannot enter the United States with an ESTA. Travellers holding an already approved ESTA, or who hold dual citizenship, will be notified that their ESTA has been revoked and can check their status on the ESTA App or on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection ESTA website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

- citizens of VWP countries who are also citizens of Iraq, Syria, Sudan and the other countries designated by the DHS;

- individuals who have travelled to one of these countries in the last five years (from 1 March 2011). Full-time government officials and military personnel of VWP countries who have travelled to those states on official duty are exempt from this restriction.

The US authorities may also grant ''exceptions'' to these restrictions, assessed ''on a case by case basis''.

Exceptions may be made for ESTA applicants who fall into one of the following categories of traveller:

1) Persons who have travelled to one of the restricted countries

- on behalf of an ''international, regional, or sub-national organization on official duty'';

- on behalf of a ''humanitarian NGO on official duty'';

- as a journalist ''for reporting purposes''.

2) Persons who have travelled to one of the restricted countries ''for legitimate business-related purposes'', in the cases provided for by the DHS (details and updates at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov).

In such cases, it is essential to present the US authorities with all documents capable of proving membership of one of the categories indicated.

In all cases of doubt, it is recommended always to contact the US authorities in Italy (Embassy and/or Consulates) and/or to apply for a visa.

Further restrictions were introduced on 18 February 2016 for travellers who have visited Libya, Somalia and Yemen on or after 1 March 2011. They cannot enter the USA under the VWP and must obtain a regular visa.

Since 1 April 2016, in order to enter the United States under the visa waiver scheme (via ESTA), it has been compulsory to hold an electronic passport containing the holder's biographical and biometric data, issued after 26 October 2006. An “electronic passport” means a passport booklet fitted with a microchip.