NEW VISA RULES BY THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

NOW IN EFFECT AS OF

JANUARY 12, 2009

The State Department announced that, beginning in August 2008, visitors traveling to the U.S. from visa waiver countries (i.e. Europe, Japan, Australia, etc.) will have to register online 3 days in advance of travel.

This rule is now mandatory as of January 12, 2009.

For the official announcement about the new system, called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), as well as link to a list of visa waiver countries, please visit:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html.