The United States is a favorite destination for students, backpackers, and people on a gap year experience or taking a career break – in reality, almost everybody. It’s an awesome country, providing a varied collection of things to see and do. It’s also comparatively easy to travel around from the U.S., by street, bus, train, or even by air. Cheap hotels, motels and backpacker hostels are all two-a-penny. It is a little more than 3,000 kilometers from east coast to west coast, and all those miles are filled using a zillion chances for adventure and excitement.

Regardless of the numerous media reports it appears that word hasn’t got out to everybody and a number of travellers continue to be oblivious of the newest Visa Waiver process of seeing the U.S. – that was executed in January 2009. Failure to adhere to the new process could lead to difficulties at the port of entry and even refusal of entrance. The rules affect nations contained in the Visa Waiver Program – that was essentially designed to pay traveling to the U.S. for business or pleasure for up to 90 days. Travellers who want to remain in the U.S. for more than 90 times or possess some problems which may negatively impact admission would likely not qualify and should apply for a visa through the standard channels Apply ESTA.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new ‘Electronic Method for Traveling Authorisation’ (ESTA) applies to most nations eligible under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (details are recorded on the ESTA website). Visitors are currently required to enroll their program on line at a minimum 72 hours before passing into the U.S. For additional important information and information about traveling to the U.S. or into some nation it’s almost always a fantastic idea to pay a visit to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website, particularly their outstanding ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign.

1 good reason to be certain that your visa is in order – and yet one which many travelers might not be aware of is that in case anything should go wrong travel insurance policies generally exclude claims because of losses related to failure to obtain required visas. Ignorance is no excuse – and being denied entrance could make a great deal of unnecessary expenditure – and of course devastating disappointment.

Whether you intend to see New York, the Florida Keys, celebrate Mardi Gras at New Orleans, go west into a dude ranch in Wyoming, increase the Grand Canyon, shed your salary in vegas, ski the Rockies, or watch yourself where the film stars reside at Hollywood – a trip to the U.S. is certain to become an eye-opening adventure. Do not overlook all this enjoyable by simply neglecting to follow the appropriate process – or place yourself at unnecessary risk by failing to take out travel insurance!