USA

All Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers are now required to obtain a travel authorization via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to traveling to the U.S. under the VWP. ESTA is now accessible online at esta.cbp.dhs.gov for citizens and eligible nationals of VWP countries.

The VWP allows visitors from participating countries to travel to the U.S. for business or pleasure for 90 days or less without first obtaining a visa. ESTA enhances the security of the VWP and has allowed the U.S. Government to expand membership in the program.

Q: Who is required to apply for an electronic travel authorization via ESTA™?
A: On Nov. 17, 2008, the United States expanded the VWP to include the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia. Eligible citizens or nationals from these new VWP countries may now travel to the United States under the VWP provided they have an e-passport and an approved authorization via ESTA™. Effective Jan. 12, 2009, citizens or nationals from all VWP countries will be required to obtain an approved travel authorization via ESTA™ in order to be eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP. Accompanied and unaccompanied children, regardless of age, will be required to obtain an independent ESTA™ approval. Third parties, such as relatives, friends, or travel agents, are permitted to submit an ESTA™ application on behalf of a VWP traveler.

Q: Do nationals or citizens of countries that participate in the VWP require an ESTA™ if they are only transiting the United States en route to another country?
A: Yes. The United States no longer has a Transit Without Visa program, so eligible nationals or citizens of countries that participate in the VWP will require either an ESTA™ or a visa to transit the United States. If a traveler is only planning to transit through the United States en route to another country, when he or she completes the ESTA™ application, the traveler should enter the words "In Transit" and his or her final destination location in the address lines under the heading “Address While In The United States”.

 Downloadable files:

> ESTA FAQ
> VMP Fact Sheet
> VMP Traveler Guide
> VWP InfoList

 UNITED KINGDOM

The TI4 Sponsorship Management System for enrolling visa-dependent students will not come into use until later this year. This is partly due to technical problems with the database which need to be resolved. Until then, we have been advised that visa students MUST provide schools with the following information/documentation at the same time as they send their course application form:

• Full Name


• Nationality


• The student's address in their home country


• The student's passport or travel document number


• Certificates to prove the student's level of English. This includes school certificates and language school certificates.

Students must present this to the visa officer at interview already, but schools must now have copies for our student records. Every visa letter that are issued by langauge Schools to students MUST include the following information:

• Full Name


• Nationality


• The student's address in their home country


• The student's passport or travel document number


• The school Sponsorship Management Number


• The course title


• Course start date


• Course end date


• Course hours per week


• Address of the organisation offering the student a work placement, if known and relevant


• Course fees for the first year


• Course fees paid so far


• Accommodation fees for the first year (if relevant)


• Accommodation fees paid so far (if relevant)

Students can have a number of visa letters from different institutions they have applied to, but they can only use one to apply for the visa with. It is very important that the student is sure which institution they want to attend before they apply.

From Autumn 2009, the visa letter will be replaced by a "confirmation of acceptance for studies" when the Sponsorship Management System starts to be used. This letter will contain all the same information as above.