Requirements for US Tourist Visa for Citizens of Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands are an independent British Overseas Territory. The islands have entire internal self-government under the Constitution of 2009 however, the United Kingdom is liable for international affairs, maintaining the authority to protect the interests of UK and to guarantee the entire good governance of the region According to the British Nationality Act 1983, the citizens of Falkland Islands are UK residents.

Being British residents, they don’t require a visa to go to the USA. Since the UK is qualified for the US VWP, travelers from the Falkland Islands can go to the US via an ESTA or e-visa. An ESTA permits tourists to live in the state for around 90 days. However, Falkland Islanders who desire to stay in the USA for a period of over ninety days need to apply for a traditional tourist visa. Based on your purposes, tourist visas or visitor visas might be suitable. To get more details about the requirements and process for US ESTA, please keep reading below:

What is an ESTA?

ESTA is a computerized system that confirms beforehand whether you are qualified to visit the USA under the VWP. An ESTA substituted the old system of completing a green I-94W paper (generally regarded as the Visa Waiver form) on an airplane into the United States.

With the old system, travelers would only find once they arrived there if the security of the United States decided they did not fit under the Visa Waiver Program, depending on what you entered on the form and any extra questions they asked.

Now, tourists have to fill out an ESTA and know beforehand whether they are allowed to travel with one, decreasing the possible loss of hotels, plane fares, and more.

Eligibility for an ESTA

The citizens of Falkland Islands are eligible to apply for an ESTA only if:

Their travel is for ninety days (or less) and is for business or tour.
They are a British resident visiting the United States.
They do not already have a visitor visa for traveling to the US.
They are going by cruise ship or plane

How to Apply for an ESTA?

Right before booking your tickets or reservations, the primary thing to do on priority is to apply for your authorization to travel, just if you are denied (so you do not lose the ticket or hotel cost) or forget the closest time of the tour.
Go to the specific ESTA web page of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The directions are available in a variety of languages, but your replies should be in English. Pay proper attention as you fill every ESTA detail. It will only take approximately five minutes.
Applicants will be asked for their Falkland contact info, such as their passport number and expiry date and the home address where they will be staying in the US.
The US DHS (Department of Homeland Security) official site provides a complete list of what they will need to submit and assistance on how to respond to the questions they will be asked.
Applicants might be informed within seconds if their ESTA application has been accepted or denied. Or else, they will be asked to see their application status after a while, as a decision might take around 72 hours.
An e-visa or ESTA lasts for around two years or until your passport expires. When it expires, visitors will have to apply for another ESTA.

Does an ESTA Approval Confirm your Entry to the US?

It is highly significant to understand that applying for an ESTA does not confirm that you are automatically permitted to visit the United States. It only confirms whether you are qualified to travel to the US or not.

Keep in mind that just a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) major at the point of entrance can tell whether you are actually permitted to enter or not. The officers might decide that they are not eligible according to the VWP requirement. It totally depends on their final decision.

Even though this might seem frightening, there have been very few cases of being rejected entrance (unless you are unsuccessful in providing a criminal history), particularly since ESTA was announced.

How Long Does an ESTA Last?

An ESTA or e-visa is valid for around two years or until your passport expires—whichever occurs first. If you got an ESTA for travel to the United States less than two years ago but then renewed your passport, you will have to submit the latest application.

Furthermore, the official ESTA guidance suggests that you apply at least 72 hours before your visit to the US, though your ESTA application might be processed immediately.

Summarizing

The citizens of the Falkland Islands do not need to get a traditional US tourist visa to travel to the US. They have to get an ESTA for travel authorization. Once you get a valid ESTA, you can go to the US for less than ninety days without any visa, only if it is for an outing or holiday trip. Moreover, you do not have to print off or carry ESTA details with you when you go to the US, as they will automatically be delivered to your carrier. Above, we have discussed all the essential info you should know about ESTA, which will be helpful for you.