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More Slovaks Travelling to USA Sine ESTA Introduction
Thursday 19 November 2009 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, November 19 (TASR) - A year after the United States of America introduced visa-free regime for Slovak citizens, the number Slovaks travelling to U.S.A has increased by 25 percent.
During the past year, approximately 30,000 Slovaks visited U.S.A. also thanks to the simplified conditions. The United States currently prepare legislative introducing a 10-dollar fee for visa-free regime visitors coming to the United States. In September, U.S. Senate approved the fee for the online travelling ESTA registration that is necessary to fill out before travelling to the United States.
According to U.S. Embassy spokesman Chase Beamer, the number of rejected online applications is very small, lower than one percent, which is the world-wide average. "Typically, the only people who have problems with their ESTA online application are people who had falsified some form of their previous correspondence - whether that'd be on a visa application, or something that they communicated to our customs and the immigration service of the United States," said Beamer.
United States claims the introduction of the fees should cover the costs related to the ESTA system, as well as support tourism in the U.S.A.
According to U.S. Embassy Consular Officer Simon Hankinson, the introduction of the fee is not yet definite, nor is its amount. "I don't believe we have a specific number yet. They've been tossing around the 10-dollar figure and it may very well be that. But since it hasn't been approved by both Houses and the President, I would bet there's a little compromise left, while they figure out how much ESTA costs, and how much they want to spend on tourism promotion," Hankinson told TASR, adding that it will take from three to six months for the proposal to be submitted for President Obama's signature.
Hankinson does not see the introduction of the fee as a negative step and according to his words it is also not meant that way. In reaction to possible similar steps from the European Union, Hankinson said he would not like to see such steps as "EU's revenge". "Because that would be a negative feedback that would never end," he warned. According to him, in case the EU would decide to use a system similar to ESTA, it would be a legitimate request for visitor from outside Schengen zone to pay a fee.
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