Are you planning a meeting with international attendees in a domestic venue or on a cruise ship sailing from a U.S. port?  If so, you need to know about  the U.S. Electronic Systems Travel Authorization program (ESTA). ESTA requires that all international travelers flying or sailing to the United States from visa-waiver countries register in an online database before boarding their plane or ship.

In the past, these travelers had to manually fill out an I-94W form before entering the United States. ESTA will streamline that process by requiring that international travelers go to the ESTA Website and fill out an application. There is no physical form to print and international travelers will no longer have to go in person to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate Office. This application takes about five minutes to complete, is good for two years and is easily renewed.

ESTA went into effect January 12, 2009 as a “soft rollout”. Customs officials are currently asking for both the I-94W form and the online ESTA application, and travelers arriving at the airport without completing the ESTA online form will receive a warning. However, sometime in early 2010 the I-94W forms will be phased out and the ESTA online forms will be mandatory.

Meeting planners should alert international attendees to these new regulations and provide a link to the ESTA Website. Please note that visitors from non-visa-waiver countries will still have to fill out the I-94W.

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