The validity of travel documents issued to the Greek Citizens through Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) has got extended to two years from the previous one year term. This means that the Greek citizens can now make use of these ESTA documents to travel to the US anytime within the two years of issuance of the permit.
This new development was announced by the US Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt at The Greek Citizen Protection Ministry while signing a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Greek Police and the US Customs and Border Protection Service on implementing Greece’s Passenger Name Record (PNR) law.
Greece’s implementation of PNR Law is in line with international and European Union obligation to prevent criminals from traveling abroad.
The officials at the Embassy in Athens said “In response to Greece’s cooperation and progress on implementing its PNR law, the Department of Homeland Security is extending the validity of ESTAs issued to Greek citizens to the standard two years. This change will take place within 48 hours.”
ESTA is an online automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to travel to the United States. Greece is one such country which falls under this Visa Waiver Program (VWP), and Greeks planning to visit the USA need not apply for a Visa but need ESTA permit to travel to the United States.
ESTA approval / permit allows foreign travelers under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to travel to the US, ESTA became mandatory January 12, 2009.
