Consular Corner - Update for October 2, 2008
U.S. Passport Card: The Department of States began
production of the U.S. Passport Card. This card facilitates entry and
expedites document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry (may
not be used to travel by air) when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the
Caribbean and Bermuda.
Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) for Visa
Waiver Program (VWP) Travelers: The Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) announced implementation of the ESTA, which began
accepting applications on August 1, 2008. ESTA is a new fully automated,
electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to
the United States under the VWP. ESTA applications may be submitted at
any time prior to travel to the United States, and VWP travelers are
encouraged to apply for authorization as soon as they begin to plan a
trip to the United States. ESTA will become mandatory for VWP travelers
on January 12, 2009.
DV-2010 Lottery: The Department of State announced that
the DV-2010 Lottery online entry begins at Noon EDT on October 2, 2008,
and ends at Noon EST on December 1, 2008.
DOS Issues Final Rule on Nonimmigrant Visa Fingerprinting:
Effective August 20, 2009, the Department of State requires “ten print”
fingerprint scans for all nonimmigrant visa applicants.
National Visa Center Initiates Online Payment System:
The National Visa Center will accept online payments in connection with
NVC processing. For details, choose "Online payment" from the NVC web
page at http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1335.html.
International Travel: In planning international travel, all foreign
nationals must ensure that they carefully review their current
immigration documentation to make sure that they have all of the
appropriate travel documentation required to return to the United
States. If in a non-immigrant status, an individual typically must have
a valid visa in their passport for that category. Advance planning can
make the the visa application process smooth and relatively painless .
Most visa applicants will be required to have an in person interview at
the U.S. Embassy/Consulate. Therefore, we suggest that the foreign
national carefully review the current visa wait times for information on
interview appointments availability and timeline for visa issuance at
the embassy or consulate. In advance of travel, all supporting
documentation should be carefully reviewed and the on-line application
forms as well as fee payment instructions should be closely followed to
avoid delays.
Some Embassies and Consulates have significant visa appointment
scheduling and issuance delays, therefore, advance planning is critical.
The top five U.S. Consular Posts with longest visa wait times are:
Havana, Caracas, Dhahran, Port au Prince, and Bogota.
Please consult with your GT attorney for further information and prior
to traveling outside the United States.
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