ESTA Luxembourg: Travel Authorization for Travel to the USA

1. WHAT IS THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM?

The Visa Waiver Program has been implemented by the USA government as a faster, more convenient online application process to travel to the USA. Currently, there are 39 countries in this program Luxembourg being one of them.

However, since the Trump administration is now in office, changes can and should be expected. Therefore, not only all citizens of Luxembourg but also all VWP countries’ citizens should always check any news or changes in the Visa Waiver Program regarding rules about traveling to the USA.

As it is widely known, the Trump administration is also known to be controversial. For example, it’s been trying to restrict more Muslims entering the USA, which has resulted in a controversial travel ban for seven countries - Iran, Iraq, Lybia, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

The newest plan in 2019 is to add the 39th country to the Visa Waiver Program – Malaysia.

Since the program is made by the U.S. government, they’re the one making the rules and regulations, there’s nothing really the VWP countries can do individually to make a better agreement for its citizens. As the USA is the one calling the shots, and with Trump administration in office, it is worth remembering that most likely the ESTA regulations under the VWP may become only stricter. Also, the program won’t open doors for all countries to be able to travel in the USA in a more convenient way.

Expect changes, expect new criteria that will need to be met in order to qualify for an ESTA. As well as expect that any given moment a country may be removed from the program, therefore, its citizens will need to obtain a Visa once again in order to travel to the USA.

For example, all citizens of VWP can now follow along with the UK’s Brexit, which will show whether UK’s citizens will still be allowed to use ESTA to travel to America or instead they will have to obtain a Visa.

Currently, there are a few criteria that need to be fulfilled from the citizens of the Visa Waiver Program countries, such as:

• Your visit in the USA cannot extend 90 days.
• Your purpose of travel is short-term tourism, business (but not to be employed) or transit.

2. WHAT ARE THE FACTORS FOR A DENIED ESTA?

First things first, once applying for your first ESTA, make sure to have all necessary documents and fill out the application correctly, because if you get a denied ESTA it is a lot harder the next time to apply for an ESTA. Some denials may be due to something as simple as the validity of the passport. Some may involve problems with your background check (e.g., criminal background), if this is the case, your right to apply for an ESTA again may be irreversibly banned.

Therefore, check if your passport is the correct passport and it will be valid until you return from your trip to the USA. The correct passport implies that you have an e-passport. And the validity of it is important due to the fact that ESTA on its own is valid for two years, however, if your passport expires sooner than these two years, your ESTA will no longer be valid alongside your expired passport.

Also, people can expect to be denied an ESTA if they are not a citizen of one of the member countries of the Visa Waiver Program or if you have already been approved for a type of Visa.

However, the reason for denial can be due to some small mistakes, or due to not understanding what communicable diseases are. Using a service to help you correctly fill out the application may help to avoid an avoidable denial of ESTA.

Even though you are a citizen of VWP, but have been on or after March 1, 2011, in Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria (with small exceptions for diplomatic or military travel reasons), your background will be thoroughly checked. The same applies if you have dual citizenship – one from a VWP country, one from Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria. There is a bigger likelihood to get a denial, perhaps an irrevocable one.

Other reasons for denial are:

• You have an active communicable disease (AIDS, HIV, HEPATITIS C), then you may not only be denied an ESTA, but also be denied access to enter the USA.
• If, during your criminal background check, serious crimes come up, e.g., imprisonment for murder, rape, assault with a deadly weapon or belong to a party that tried to remove the government from office.

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If you need to apply or re-apply for an ESTA, then click on this simple online form.

Looking to check if your current ESTA approval is still valid? Click HERE.