»»Traveling on US-bound Flights Requires Online Registration – Even If From UK, Germany, Japan
Beginning March 21, 2010, citizens from 35 countries traveling on US-bound flights will be required to register online before flying.
The registration requirement affects 35 countries — including United Kingdom, Japan and Germany— whose citizens can enter the United States without a visa, USA Today reports.
Congress mandated the registration program in 2007, and Customs launched it one year ago. The online form asks biographical information and background questions, and it can be completed a few hours before boarding. [...] In recent months, about 91% of the people flying to the USA without visas had enrolled online, Customs figures show. Even with that compliance rate, travel-industry groups note that more than 4,000 people a day had not.
Those people have been allowed to board flights to the U.S. But starting March 21, Customs said it may start fining airlines up to $3,300 for each passenger who has failed to register and is allowed on a U.S.-bound flight. (source)
