Tagged with visa waiver program
WASHINGTON D.C. (BNO NEWS) – Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced on Thursday the elimination of the paper arrival/departure form (Form I-94W) for authorized travelers from nations participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), the DHS Press Office informed.
“The Visa Waiver Program facilitates secure and hassle-free travel for citizens of participating countries—making international travel safer and easier. This step to eliminate the paper I-94W leverages the latest technology to further bolster security, increase convenience for visitors and better protect privacy,” said Napolitano.
The VWP streamlines secure travel for millions of visitors to the United States every year by consolidating the collection of traveler information and enhancing security by automatically providing DHS with important passenger information prior to departure.
The elimination of I-94W forms follows a successful seven-month pilot program conducted with the support of New Zealand on Air New Zealand flights from Auckland to Los Angeles International Airport. An approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will arrive to the U.S. airports by the end of the summer.
ESTA allows travelers to provide basic biographical, travel and eligibility information prior to departure for the U.S., reducing redundancy and enhancing the security of sensitive personal information as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stores and protects all VWP data on secure servers.
STA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel, and once approved, will be valid for two years or until the applicant’s passport expires. So far, CBP has received more than 19 million applications from people of VWP countries.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Wednesday that the United States and Finland signed a Preventing and Combating Crime (PCC) Agreement.
The agreement allows a boosted exchange of biometric and biographic data to strengthen counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts in both the United States and Finland while protecting individual privacy. Investigators from both countries will be able to better identify known terrorists and criminals during investigations and other law enforcement activities.
“Close collaboration with our international partners is critical to ensuring the safety and security of the American people,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Lute. “This agreement between the United States and Finland strengthens our mutual efforts to combat terrorism, share vital law enforcement information, and facilitate lawful travel and trade between our nations.”
The United States has strengthened ties with 13 international partners by signing similar agreements to prevent and combat crime with Portugal, Spain, Germany, Italy and nine recent entrants to the Visa Waiver Program.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Tuesday that Greece is now a member of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
The VWP will strengthen passenger information sharing and ensuring strict security standards while simplifying travel for Greek citizens visiting the United States.
For more than two years, Greece and the U.S. have been coordinating the country’s entry into VWP. Tuesday’s announcement represents an important step in the countries’ partnership as the U.S. determined that Greece complies with key security and information-sharing requirements—such as enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the United States, timely reporting of lost and stolen passports, and the maintenance of high counterterrorism, law enforcement, border control, aviation and document security standards.
“Our efforts to guard against terrorism while enhancing legal travel and trade depend upon close collaboration with our international partners,” said Secretary Napolitano. “I commend our partners in Greece for committing to strong screening and security standards and enhanced information sharing for travel by Greek citizens to the United States as we work together to protect our citizens and strengthen our economies.”
Greek citizens will be permitted to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa, but they will be required to apply for an Electronic System Travel Authorization through the Web-based system. The VWP will become active for Greek citizen in about 30 days.
There are 35 nations already participating in VWP, which began in 1986.
