What does it mean for the Czechs to have a visa-free status?/ Co to znamena mit bezvizovy status?

November 17th marked the first day of the visa-free status for Czechs. It sounds great, but what does this Visa Waiver Program (VWP) really mean for us? What do those relatives need to do in order for them to visit us in the US ?

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) permits Czechs (and Slovaks) to visit the USA (and other 26  designated countries listed bellow) for 90 days using their passports without getting a visa. They can also use their former valid visas to do so. The VWP works only for for business trips and short term tourist-like visits, it DOES NOT substitute for the study or work visas. For Czechs who would like to do so (study or work in the US), they still have to apply for the proper visa through the US Embassy in the Czech Republic.

If you are eligible for VWP (i.e. you are traveling for business or for pleasure and your trip is shorter than 90 days) this is what you do:

1. Fill out the on-line registration form called  ESTA (click here):
   1. This is the information you will need to fill out the ESTA:
      1. Basic personal information (DOB, home address, phone number…)
      2. Passport information
      3. Your actual traveling information (flight number…)
      4. Answer some further basic questions about  vaccinations and security (very easy)
2. Mark down the confirmation number (!!)
   
3. You will receive a notice about your actual status in your e-mail within 72 hours. Her are the 3 possible notices you will get:
   1. Registration has been approved
   2. Registration is pending (decision will be made within 72 hours)
   3. Registration has not been approved (and a further info)
      1. In this case contact the US Department of State

Some further important information:

• Your VWP is valid for 2 years!
• The application process is free
• Traveling to the USA is supposedly going to be 2,300 CZK cheaper, as there will be no fee for the “visa sticker”.
• What other countries are part of this VWP program?
  • Andorra, France, Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, Monaco, Slovenia, Estonia, Australia, Iceland, Netherlands, Spain, Hungary, Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, Lithuania, Brunea, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Japan, Portugal, Great Britain, Slovakia, Finland, Lichtenstein, San Marino and South Korea.

CZ: Od 17. listopadu 2008 je Ceska Republika soucasti bezvizoveho programu USA nazvaneho Visa Waiver Program nebo-li “VWP”. Co to ale pro nas presne znamena?

Tento bezvizovy program je urcen pouze pro turisticke nebo obchodni cesty do 90 dnu pobytu. Studijni, pracovni nebo vymenne pobyty stale vyzaduji vizovy rezim a tito zajemci musi nadale zazadat o visum na Americkem velvyslanectvi. Jestlize se tedy chystate do Ameriky navstivit vase pribuzne nebo na obchodni cestu a hodlate se vratit behem 3 mesicu zazadejte si o povoleni k cestovani timto zpusobem:

1. Vyplnte registracni formular ESTA. Budete potrebovat nasledovne informace:
   1. Osobni informace zadatele (datum narozeni, telefonni cislo, trvale bydliste…)
   2. Pasove informace
   3. Cestovni informace (cislo letu apod.)
   4. Odpovedet jednoduche otazky o ockovani, nemocech, trestne cinnosti…
2. Obdzite cislo zadosti a zapiste si ho (!!)
3. Behem 72 hodin obdzite vyrozumeni o zadosti. Existuji 3 mozne vysledky:
   1. Registrace odsouhlasena
   2. Registrace nepovolena. V tomto pripade navstivte Ministerstvo zahranicnich veci
   3. Registrace se projednava (rozhodnuti bude ucineno do 72 hodin)

Dalsi dulezite info:

• Vase VWP je po dobu 2 let nebo do doby zmeny udaju zadatele
• Za cestovni autorizaci se neplati zadny poplatek
• Cestovani do USA ma pry byt o celych 2 300 CZK levnejsi a to proto, ze se jiz nemusi platit za vizove razitko.
• Vyse je uvedeno 26 dalsich statu, ktere jsou v soucasne dobe soucasti tohoto bezvizoveho programu.

Source: http://www.mzv.cz/wwwo/default.asp?id=62057&ido=15658&idj=1&amb=87&ParentIDO=