Israelis can start taking advantage of America’s visa-free travel for short-term visits to the United States, the US Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday.
As of October 19, eligible Israeli citizens and nationals have been eligible to apply for authorization to travel to the United States through the US Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
Israel was designated into the US Visa Waiver Program last month. It allows eligible Israelis to obtain a visa online for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days. The process takes only three days and costs under $25.
Must have biometric passport
Right now, applications are only available in English. However, the Department of Homeland Security said it would be available in other languages by November 1.
Eligible Israeli citizens and nationals must have a biometrically enabled passport to take advantage of the program.
ESTA applications may be found at esta.cbp.dhs.gov or the “ESTA Mobile” app downloaded through iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.