{"id":538,"date":"2010-03-17T07:43:00","date_gmt":"2010-03-17T07:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/?p=538"},"modified":"2010-03-17T07:43:00","modified_gmt":"2010-03-17T07:43:00","slug":"greeks-to-travel-to-u-s-under-the-visa-waiver-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/?p=538","title":{"rendered":"Greeks to Travel to U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program."},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"http:\/\/southdakotapolitics.blogs.com\/south_dakota_politics\/images\/american_flag_1.jpg\"\"http:\/\/www.seranobakery.com\/website\/images\/Greek%20Flag%20cropped.gif\"<\/p>\n

Greeks to <\/span><\/b><\/span>Travel to U.S. <\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span>under the Visa Waiver Program<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span>.<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Electronic Application: No More Waiting in the Visa Line!<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span>: <\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

This will be <\/span><\/b><\/span>effective <\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span>shortly a<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span>fter Easter<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span>:<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

E<\/span><\/b><\/span>xact date to be announced<\/span><\/b><\/span>.<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Good news! <\/span><\/span>Greece has been added to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. <\/span><\/span>But what does this actually mean for Greek travelers?<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/b><\/span>As <\/span><\/b><\/span>for<\/span><\/b><\/span> all Visa Waiver <\/span><\/b><\/span>country <\/span><\/b><\/span>participants, Greeks <\/span><\/b><\/span>will <\/span><\/b><\/span>still have a few steps to take before leaving for the U.S.<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7<\/span><\/span> At least<\/span><\/span> 72 hours before preparing to travel, you <\/span><\/span>must apply online<\/span><\/b><\/span> at <\/span><\/span>https:\/\/esta.cbp.dhs.gov<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/b><\/span> The Electronic System of Authorization <\/span><\/span>(<\/span><\/span>ESTA<\/span><\/span>)<\/span><\/span> must be completed<\/span><\/span> and you will <\/span><\/span>receive an electronic confirmation<\/span><\/span> if the ESTA has been successful. <\/span><\/span>Print the ESTA <\/span><\/b><\/span>confirmation receipt, make a note of the number, <\/span><\/b><\/span>and bring <\/span><\/b><\/span>both<\/span><\/b><\/span> with you <\/span><\/b><\/span>to the airport for check-in.<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7<\/span><\/span> The Visa Waiver <\/span><\/span>P<\/span><\/span>rogram only applies to individuals who hold<\/span><\/span> a <\/span><\/span>valid <\/span><\/span>Greek passport with an e-chip, issued after August 26, 2006.<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7<\/span><\/span> Approved <\/span><\/b><\/span>ESTA <\/span><\/b><\/span>can only be used for tourist and <\/span><\/b><\/span>most <\/span><\/b><\/span>business travel (replacing B1\/B2 visa) for up to 90 days<\/span><\/b><\/span>, and is valid for two years<\/span><\/b><\/span>.<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7<\/span><\/span> If the ESTA is denied or you do not meet the qualifications,<\/span><\/span> you can still apply at the Embassy for a visa<\/span><\/b><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>If you <\/span><\/span>already have a valid visa<\/span><\/b><\/span>, <\/span><\/span>you<\/span><\/span> do not need an ESTA. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7<\/span><\/span> Please remember that, as with regular visas,<\/span><\/span> ESTA does not guarantee entry into the United States. <\/span><\/b><\/span>That determination is always made by the <\/span><\/span>U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at the port of entry.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For further information, please refer to the Embassy website (<\/span><\/b><\/span>http:\/\/athens.usembassy.gov<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span><\/a>) or <\/span><\/b><\/span>www.travel.state.gov<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/span><\/a> for links to DHS and ESTA.<\/span><\/b><\/span> Call<\/span><\/b><\/span> centers<\/span><\/b><\/span> are<\/span><\/b><\/span>: <\/span><\/b><\/span>OTE<\/span><\/b><\/span> landline<\/span><\/b><\/span>:<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/b><\/span> 901-123-0730, <\/span><\/b><\/span>Vodafone<\/span><\/b><\/span>:<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/b><\/span> 901-694-6313, <\/span><\/b><\/span>Cosmote<\/span><\/b><\/span>:<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/b><\/span> 901-200-6313, <\/span><\/b><\/span>WIND<\/span><\/b><\/span>:<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/b><\/span> 901-160-6313<\/span><\/b><\/span>.<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Greeks to Travel to U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program. Electronic Application: No More Waiting in the Visa Line!: This will be effective shortly after […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[441],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/538"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=538"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/538\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaelidespost.com\/old\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}