IMMIGRATION FORUM: TRAVELERS FROM VWP COUNTRIES TO THE U.S.

IMMIGRATION FORUM: TRAVELERS FROM VWP COUNTRIES TO THE U.S.: "On August 6, 2010, DHS announced that citizens from the Waiver Program member countries start on September 8, 2010 will be required to pay a..."

TRAVELERS FROM VWP COUNTRIES TO THE U.S.

On August 6, 2010, DHS announced that citizens from the Waiver Program member countries start on September 8, 2010 will be required to pay a registration operational and travel promotion fees of $4.00 when applying for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

On March 4, 2010, President Obama signed the Travel Authorization Program (TPA) into law. The TPA will create a partnership between the U.S. government and the private sector to market the United States as a travel destination for international visitors. Fees $10.00 collected from international travelers from Visa Waiver Program ("VWP") countries, matches by private sector contributions, will fund the Corporation for Travel Promotions.

The total new fee that will be charged to travelers from VWP countries is $14.00

Why do VWP countries have to fund this travel promotion program through ESTA fees?

Some countries fund tourism promotion through airline or hotel taxes. The Travel Promotion Act legislation specified that the U.S. government fund this program through a $10 fee added to ESTA registration. Read more at Department of State (DOS) website a cable (No. 00025644) which was recently released to the public.

IMMIGRATION FORUM: THE LAW OF CITIZENSHIP

IMMIGRATION FORUM: THE LAW OF CITIZENSHIP: "You probably have not thought about citizenship until recently. Citizenship is a crucial part of the immigration law, and is at the heart o..."