The Internet has become a global sensation today with many daily human activities depending on it. Notably, the gadgets that enable people to access the internet such as computers, tablets, and cell phones currently play a pivotal role in a majority of tasks executed daily.
Apart from secure communication, the ability of individuals to carry out their daily activities remotely without having to visit specific specified locations is perhaps the most important advantage of this platform. For instance, various countries have crafted online avenues to enable potential visitors to apply for travel authorization from anywhere in the world conveniently. United States of America has an efficient Electronic System Travel Authorization commonly dabbed as ESTA online US.
The ESTA was introduced during the early 21st century in the wake of various terrorist threats to the United States of America. Contrary to the standard way of using visas to gain entry to the country, this presented a more accessible alternative to visitors who did not have to go through the lengthy and tiresome procedures necessary during the visa acquisition process.
Regrettably, not all individuals are entitled to this incentive as the government selectively picked certain countries which they deemed relatively safer and whose citizens could quickly acquire the American ESTA application. Even for those who receive the certification, it is only limited for a period not exceeding ninety days beyond which they are expected to renew it. Besides, having an ESTA defines one to specific activities in the United States such as tourism and business trips only. As such, it is not entirely a good thing.
As was mentioned above, the main reason for the introduction of the system was the ever-increasing attacks and threats from terrorist groups. To this end, it was placed under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security who are tasked carrying out background checks on the people applying for consideration in the issuing of the ESTA.
The first task of the department is identifying the country from which an applicant hails to find out if they are from the specified regions eligible for this certification. Having done this, it subsequently narrows down its scope to other details concerning the applicant. Often, this devolves to their attributes, the particulars of their visit, and their understanding of the United States of America. Once an individual is certified and eligible to visit and stay in the United States for a specified duration, the department carries out various follow up programs until the end of his visit.
The process of obtaining the ETSA document is an easy one. An individual interested in acquiring one needs to be able to access the immigration portal of the Department of Homeland Security to access the form which he is required to fill in information concerning his background and the reasons behind his visit. Remarkably, the questions in the online form are divided into four major classes each of which seeks different information as is highlighted in the section below.
- Personal Details
In this section, an applicant is expected to provide the particulars concerning his life and background. It forms the first part of the whole document and sets the tone for the remaining sections. With this, the Department of Homeland Security can know the individual with which they are dealing. Furthermore, the department will find it easy to carry out various background checks using the information provided.
- Passport Details
An international traveler is typically expected to possess a valid passport document. It is fundamental while filling out other essential travel certifications. In the case of the ESTA, there is a section in which the applicant is required to fill in the particulars of his passport such as the duration of its validity and its number. After completing this section, the applicant can now proceed to the next segment.
- Trip Details
The ESTA document selectively determines the activities in which a visitor to the USA will participate. As such, this section requires the applicant to state the reasons for his visit to the country, the routes he will use, the places he will travel to, and the duration of the entire process. The applicant should limit his responses to only tourism and business trips.
- History Details
Despite being the last section in the application form, it is indeed very crucial. It gauges the history of the applicant to find out whether he might pose a threat to the American populace due to a previous criminal record. An individual is also expected to give his past medical history and vaccination records to ensure that he will not serve as a conduit for the spread of various infections.
After all these information, the individual is expected to submit the application form online, pay for it and wait for a response. In the case that he wishes to travel with a pet, he is expected to provide additional records for its vaccination. The waiting time is usually less than twenty-four hours.
