United States of America
Commencing July 1st 2009, nationals or citizens of VWP
(Visa Waiver Programme) countries will not be permitted to enter
the United States under the VWP using emergency and temporary
passports issued after 26 October 2006, unless those passports have
an integrated computer chip holding the same information printed on
the passport bio-page (“e-passport”).
Irish Emergency Passports do not have an integrated
computer chip and therefore can only be used for entry to the
United States if the traveller has been issued with a
Visa.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
ESTA is an electronic registration system requiring travellers who are part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to register in advance of travelling to the USA. Mandatory registration has come into force since 12 January 2009.
Visa Waiver travellers should register through the Department of Homeland Security website at the following address: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
The Department of Homeland Security has announced that from 8th September 2010, travellers from Visa Waiver Program countries are required to pay a fee when applying for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The fee is $14.
Registration may be done by third parties e.g. travel agencies.
ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel, and
once approved, generally will be valid for up to two years or until
the applicant's passport expires, whichever comes first.
Authorisations will be valid for multiple entries into the U.S. The
Department of Homeland Security recommends that ESTA applications
be submitted at least 72 hours in advance of travel.
An applicant who does not receive authorisation to travel will need
to go to their nearest U.S. Diplomatic or Consular Mission and
apply for a visa.
An ESTA approval does not determine admissibility into the United
States. The final decision for entry to the United States rests
with US immigration authorities at the port of entry.
The ESTA programme does not apply to Irish citizens who are holders
of a visa for the United States.
For more information on ESTA, please visit http://www.cbp.gov/ESTA
Visa free travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program
(VWP).
Since 26 October 2004, all Irish passport holders visiting the
United States require an individual machine readable passport to
avail of the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme. Otherwise they must obtain
a visa, in advance, from their nearest U.S. Diplomatic or Consular
Mission.
AUnder the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme, passport holders from 27
countries, including Ireland, may enter the U.S. without a visa for
tourism or business purposes for a maximum period of 90 days.
A machine readable passport is a passport in which the holder's
details have been printed on the datapage which also contains the
holder's photograph. A passport where the holder's details have
been handwritten is not a machine readable passport.
Children, including infants, who are endorsed on a parent's
passport must have an individual machine readable passport or else
obtain a visa in the parent's passport.
Passport Validity
In most cases, to enter the US, you must have a passport that is
valid for at least six months after the date you enter. However,
Ireland has an agreement with the US that allows you to enter on a
current passport up to the actual date of expiration. An Irish
passport need remain valid only for the duration of the holder's
stay in the United States.
However, if you are traveling visa-free on the Visa Waiver Program
(VWP) and your passport is valid for less than 90 days, you will be
admitted only until the date on which the passport expires. If the
passport is not valid for the duration of your stay, you will be
required to apply for a new passport from your nearest Irish
Embassy or Consulate while in the U.S.
Further details on entry requirements are available on the
U.S. Embassy website.
Those travelling on J1 visas may wish to
check the Travel Advice for J1 Students.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
The Department of Foreign Affairs strongly recommends that
comprehensive travel insurance, including medical insurance, is
obtained before travelling to the United States of America (USA),
as the cost of medical care in the USA can be very high.
Travellers should note that the Irish government does not provide
funds for emergency medical repatriation or for repatriation of
remains.
SAFETY & SECURITY
The US Government remains concerned about continued threats. Since
the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, the US government has
issued a number of warnings of potential further terrorist attacks
in the US. The US domestic threat level stands at "elevated"
(yellow). The US Government is maintaining heightened security,
especially at airports. You should continue to expect stringent
security checks at airports, transport stations and other public
buildings.
CLIMATE
The hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, and
can affect the whole of the southern USA. Please check the National
Hurricane Centre website for more details.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's
(FEMA) website also contains information about how to prepare for
extreme weather conditions and what to do if you are told to
evacuate. It also provides a useful list of disaster supplies that
will help if you live in an area affected by storms and hurricanes.
INFLUENZA A/H1N1 - HUMAN SWINE 'FLU
Full details, current advice and comprehensive information is available from the US Department of Health and Human Services' dedicated Influenza website at www.flu.gov
Irish citizens, visiting and residing in the United States, are
advised to follow the advice of the US Centre for Disease Control
available at http://www.cdc.gov/
DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR MISSIONS IN THE USA
The Irish Embassy in Washington DC and the
Irish Consulates in New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco
offer consular assistance to Irish citizens. Contact details for all
Irish Missions in USA are available here. (Opens in new window)
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