What is the ESTA program?

The ESTA program (or Electronic System for Travel Authorization) is a program run by the U.S. government, Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is a screening system that travelers must go through before entering the United States. If you are a student in Virginia who wishes to enter the United States, then you must apply for the ESTA. The ESTA program helps identify travelers that may pose a risk to national security from entering the United States. All travelers, including Virginian students, who are planning to travel to the United States must apply for an ESTA before traveling. All applications must be submitted online and approved before a person can board a plane for the U.S. The ESTA is valid for two years from the date of approval, or until the traveler’s passport expires, whichever comes first. If your plans for travel to the U.S. are still the same after two years, then you must apply for a new ESTA. The ESTA application is a simple process, taking only a few minutes to complete. You will need to provide some personal and passport information and answer some security questions. Once you submit your application and fee, you will receive a response within 72 hours. If your application is approved, then you can travel to the United States.

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El Programa de Exención de Requisitos de Visa de Estados Unidos (Visa Waiver Program o ESTA, por sus siglas en inglés) es un programa que permite a determinados ciudadanos extranjeros viajar a Estados Unidos sin una visa. Esta es una opción de viaje conveniente para los pasajeros que califican y que visitan Estados Unidos temporalmente para turismo, negocios o tránsito a otro país. El ESTA es válido por un período de dos años o hasta la fecha de expiración del pasaporte, lo que ocurra primero. Los estudiantes extranjeros que deseen ingresar a Virginia generalmente necesitan solicitar una visa de estudiante antes de entrar en el país. Sin embargo, los pasajeros elegibles para el programa ESTA pueden solicitar la exención de visado para ingresar temporalmente a los Estados Unidos para estudiar durante un corto período de tiempo. Esto significa que no necesitan obtener una visa de estudiante (F o M) para entrar en Virginia. El estudiante debe cumplir con los criterios del programa ESTA y la duración de la estadía está limitada a 90 días.

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