Validity of ESTA applications for Greeks extended to two years
The United States has extended the validity of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), an online system that is part of the US waiver program, to two years, meaning that Greek citizens can now travel to the US within two years of the issuance of the permit.
Until now, the US had issued ESTA permits to Greek citizens traveling under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) that were valid for one year.
According to the US Embassy in Athens, Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt on Thursday signed a memorandum of cooperation on implementing Greece’s Passenger Name Record (PNR) law, following law enforcement and counterterrorism discussions during the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue in December 2018.
“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,” the embassy said.
