ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

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Richard Kaufman
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ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 10th, 2009, 5:17 pm

In the Times of London today: ALL Brits who are coming to the US must, from now on, register ONLINE 72 hours in advance.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel ... 487551.ece

If you are British, and coming to the US for any reason, do NOT forget to do this or you will be turned away at the airport.

I believe the British expression for this would be "stupid sods."
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Kevin Connolly » January 10th, 2009, 5:30 pm

Where did that brain-trust come from with the exploading shoes?
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Dustin Stinett » January 10th, 2009, 6:03 pm

Not to mention the foiled (by British authorities) plan to blow up multiple airplanes over the United States.

I have to get a passport just to visit my companys Canadian offices. Is that stupid?

Those setting up these rules are not the stupid ones. Its those who have made these rules an unfortunate necessity.

We did not choose the world in which we now live, but we must learn to live with it without complaint.

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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 10th, 2009, 6:15 pm

Dustin, if you ever had to wait in line at the Chinese Visa Office you'd complain.
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby AJM » January 10th, 2009, 6:54 pm

Interesting - first I've heard of it.

I'm guessing that's because when entire countries go bankrupt in the coming months there will be little demand for foreign travel as we'll all have reverted to horses and carts.

And for what it's worth I don't believe in pandering to 'those who have made these rules an unfortunate necessity' because for every time we have to stand in a long line, have our bottles of water confiscated (??), take off our shoes / belts etc for the privilege of boarding a plane THEY'VE WON.

<--

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Kevin Connolly
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Kevin Connolly » January 10th, 2009, 7:24 pm

When innocent people are killed They Won.

When one of theirs is sent to their judgement WE WIN.
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby AJM » January 10th, 2009, 7:41 pm

Mass panic and paranoia is the principal aim - and boy do we give to them in spades every time.

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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Dustin Stinett » January 10th, 2009, 7:48 pm

AJM wrote:Mass panic and paranoia is the principal aim...


That is not their principle aim. It is a tactic they use. Their principle aim is something a little more involved and we probably shouldn't continue this line of conversation here.

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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Kevin Connolly » January 10th, 2009, 8:30 pm

OK, I'm done. You never solve a problem by cursing the dark or banging your head against the wall.

Back to stalking the wild Houdini.
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Eoin O'hare » January 10th, 2009, 9:01 pm

This online form is the same as the form you would previously have been given on the plane. I filled this in last week, and was accepted to travel- where is the hassle? If I hadn't been accepted I'd rather be told online, rather than travel to the States and be told there. :)
And it's not just the Brits- it's anyone (non-US) traveling from the UK.
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 10th, 2009, 9:44 pm

I think you'll see a lot of people forget to do this, or not realize they have to do it, days before leaving home. Also, not everyone can get online to do this--how are they supposed to fill out the form?
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby David Scollnik » January 10th, 2009, 10:35 pm

This isn't just a British news story, it also applies to people from 34 other countries wanting to visit the U.S.:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... 2T5wsW4lUA

But, at the same time, it only applies to people from those countries who elect to use the Visa Waiver Program.

If you do elect to use the Visa Waiver Program, you only need to register online using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) once every 2 years.

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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Eoin O'hare » January 10th, 2009, 10:43 pm

Non computer owning travellers will be able to register through travel agents, presumably at the time they purchase their tickets.
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 10th, 2009, 11:31 pm

I don't know what it's like outside the US, but in the US there's little reason to use a travel agent. They no longer receive commision from airlines and you can do just as well booking yourself by calling the airline directly. Sometimes better.
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Re: ALL Brits Traveling to the US Must Now Register ONLINE Before Coming

Postby CraigMitchell » January 11th, 2009, 4:06 am

"And it's not just the Brits- it's anyone (non-US) traveling from the UK. "

The online registration ONLY applies to those passengers travelling on a passport from a country which is part of the US Visa waiver program ( i.e. you do not need a visa to enter the US - you just pre-register prior to arrival )

Citizens of countries which are not part of this program need to get US visas from their US consulate prior to travel as per normal ...


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