As of June 2023, US passport holders can travel visa free to 143 countries and territories:

  • Albania
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Caribbean Netherlands
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Central African Republic
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Curaçao
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Estonia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • French West Indies
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Gibraltar
  • Greece
  • Greenland
  • Grenada
  • Guam
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Indonesia
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kiribati
  • Kosovo
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Latvia
  • Lesotho
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macau
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritius
  • Mayotte
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia
  • Moldova

What Countries Issue eVisa to US Citizens?

The following 12 countries issue eVisas for US passport holders:

  • Angola
  • Azerbaijan
  • Benin
  • Djibouti
  • Ethiopia
  • India
  • Kenya
  • Myanmar
  • Suriname
  • Türkiye
  • Uganda
  • Vietnam

What Countries Issue Visa on Arrival to US Passport Holders?

If you are an US citizen, you can get a visa on arrival for the 41 countries listed below:

  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Bolivia
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Cabo Verde
  • Comoros
  • Egypt
  • Gabon
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Jordan
  • Kuwait
  • Laos
  • Lebanon
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Maldives
  • Mauritania
  • Mozambique
  • Nepal
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Rwanda
  • Samoa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Solomon Islands
  • Somalia
  • Saint Helena
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Gambia
  • Timor-Leste
  • Togo

Countries With Visa Requirements for US Citizens

You need a valid visa to enter the following 27 countries with an US passport:

  • Afghanistan
  • Algeria
  • Belarus
  • Bhutan
  • Cameroon
  • Chad
  • China
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Ivory Coast
  • Eritrea
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Iran
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Mali
  • Nauru
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Pakistan
  • Russia
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Venezuela
  • Yemen

 

Passports are currently taking eight to 11 weeks for routine service and five to seven weeks for expedited service.

Published on February 27, 2023

The State Department is encouraging travelers who plan to go aboard this summer to apply now to renew their passport due to increased wait times.the current wait time is longer than it was earlier this month when expedited passport renewals were taking three to five weeks and routine renewals were taking six to nine weeks.
According to the WSJ, processing times can vary throughout the year and increase depending on demand, like with busy spring and summer travel.

 

No. As of April 26, 2022, lawful permanent residents of the U.S. must show the following documents for all methods of travel to Canada: a valid passport from their country of nationality (or an equivalent acceptable travel document) and. a valid green card (or equivalent valid proof of status in the United States)

As part of recent changes to Canada eTA program, U.S. green card holders or lawful permanent resident of the United States (U.S.), no longer  need Canada eTA.

Documents you’ll need when you travel

Air travel

At check-in, you’ll need to show airline staff proof of your valid status as a permanent resident of the U.S.

All methods of travel

When you arrive in Canada, a border services officer will ask to see your passport and proof of your valid status as a permanent resident of the U.S. or other documents.

When you travel, make sure to bring
– a valid passport from your country of nationality
– proof of your status as a permanent resident of the U.S., such as a valid green card (officially known as a permanent resident card)

The Canada eTA performs the same function as the Canada Visa which can be applied for and obtained online without having to go to Canadian Embassy or Consulate. Canada eTA is valid for business, touristicor transit purposes only.

Citizens of United States do not require Canada Electronic Travel Authorization. US citizens do not need a Canada Visa or Canada eTA to travel to Canada.

If you are a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), you may leave the United States multiple times and reenter, if you do not intend to stay outside the United States for 1 year or more.

If you intend to stay outside the United States for 1 year or more, you must apply for a re-entry permit with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) prior to leaving the United States. A re-entry permit allows a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident to apply for admission to the United States upon returning from abroad during the permit’s validity without the need to obtain a returning resident visa from a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate. Re-entry permits are generally valid for 2 years from the date of issuance.Therefore, if you are outside of the United States longer than the date the permit was issued, you may be denied entry into the United States.

Date Published

3/16/2022 12:48 PM

 

 

Renunciation/Surrender Certificate: Indian Citizenship Act does not provide for dual citizenship. As per the Passport Act, it is mandatory for all Indian passport holders to surrender their last Indian passport to the Consulate immediately after acquisition of foreign nationality. It is an offense under the Citizenship Act and the Passports Act for foreign nationals to hold Indian passports. Once Indian passport is surrendered, Consulate will cancel it and return it to the Passport holder along with Renunciation/Surrender certificate. Consulate will not be in a position to render services like OCI, Visa etc. until Renunciation/Declaration Certificate acquired on acquisition of foreign nationality is sbumited.

Renunciation Declaration Certificate: This certificate will be granted to those who have misplaced or lost their last Indian passport and hence they do not have their Indian passport which they can surrender for cancellation. Those applicants are given a ‘Renunciation Declaration Certificate’ based on submission of sworn affidavit on loss of Indian Passport and other required documents.

Either a ‘Renunciation/Surrender Certificate’ or a ‘Renunciation Declaration Certificate’ needs to be submitted for an OCI or Visa application.

Note : Applicable Penalty would be imposed for non-surrender of Indian passport after acquiring a foreign passport and travel on the Indian passport thereafter.

What is Aadhaar
Aadhaar number is a 12-digit random number issued by the UIDAI (“Authority”) to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process laid down by the Authority. Any individual, irrespective of age and gender, who is a resident of India, may voluntarily enroll to obtain an Aadhaar number. A person willing to enroll has to provide minimal demographic and biometric information during the enrolment process which is totally free of cost. An individual needs to enroll for Aadhaar only once and after de-duplication, only one Aadhaar shall be generated, as the uniqueness is achieved through the process of demographic and biometric de-duplication.

Demographic information

Name, Date of Birth (verified) or Age (declared), Gender, Address, Mobile Number (optional), and Email ID (optional), in case of Introducer-based enrolment- Introducer name and Introducer’s Aadhaar number, in case of Head of Family-based enrolment- Name of Head of Family, Relationship and Head of Family’s Aadhaar number; in case of enrolment of a child- Enrolment ID or Aadhaar number of any one parent, Proof of Relationship (PoR) document
Biometric information

Ten Fingerprints, Two Iris Scans, and Facial Photograph
Aadhaar number is verifiable in an online, cost-effective way. It is unique and robust enough to eliminate duplicates and fake identities and may be used as a basis/primary identifier to roll out several Government welfare schemes and programmes for effective service delivery thereby promoting transparency and good governance. This is the only program of its kind globally, wherein a state-of-the-art digital and online Id is being provided free of cost at such a large scale to people, and has the potential to change the way service delivery functions in the country.

Aadhaar number is devoid of any intelligence and does not profile people based on caste, religion, income, health, and geography. The Aadhaar number is a proof of identity, however, it does not confer any right of citizenship or domicile in respect of an Aadhaar number holder.

Aadhaar is a strategic policy tool for social and financial inclusion, public sector delivery reforms, managing fiscal budgets, increasing convenience, and promote hassle-free people-centric governance. Aadhaar can be used as a permanent Financial Address and facilitates financial inclusion of the underprivileged and weaker sections of the society and is, therefore, a tool of distributive justice and equality. The Aadhaar identity platform is one of the key pillars of ‘Digital India’, wherein every resident of the country is provided with a unique identity. The Aadhaar program has already achieved several milestones and is by far the largest biometrics-based identification system in the world.

Aadhaar identity platform with its inherent features of Uniqueness, Authentication, Financial Address, and e-KYC, enables the Government of India to directly reach residents of the country in delivery of various subsidies, benefits and services by using the resident’s Aadhaar number only.

Non-Resident Indians (NRI’s) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI’s) on the question of linking Aadhaar details with Bank Accounts/PAN Cards and or for getting Mobile/Gas connections etc. The government of India once again clarifies:

Aadhaar Card enrollment is presently available to residents in India. OCI Cardholders who stay in India for a long time (over 182 days in twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment) and have an Indian address can also enroll for Aadhaar Card in India. NRIs, although they are citizens of India, are not eligible for Aadhaar Card if they have not stayed for more than 182 days or more in the last 12 months. Upon completion of 182 days of their stay in India in the last 12 months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment, NRIs can apply for Aadhaar Card.

“As per Section 139AA of the Income-tax Act, 1961, every person who is eligible to obtain Aadhaar number shall, on or after the 1st day of July 2017, quote Aadhaar number— (i) in the application form for allotment of permanent account number; (ii) in the return of income. The above provisions apply to persons who are eligible to get Aadhaar. Under section 3 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, only a resident is entitled to get Aadhaar. Therefore, the provisions of Section 139AA quoted above regarding linking of Aadhaar to PAN or the requirement of quoting the Aadhaar number in the return shall not apply to a non-resident, who is not eligible to get Aadhaar.”
Can an NRI apply for Aadhaar?keyboard_arrow_up

1. Can an NRI apply for Aadhaar?

YES. An NRI (whether minor or adult) with a valid Indian Passport can apply for Aadhaar from any Aadhaar Kendra.

2. Can my passport be used for the Aadhaar update of my spouse?

If your passport has the name of your spouse, then it can be used as Proof of Address for them.

3. I am an NRI and I have an Aadhaar. Can my spouse be enrolled based on my Aadhaar & passport?

1. If a spouse is NRI – a valid Indian passport of the applicant is mandatory as Proof of Identity (PoI).
2. If your spouse is an Indian resident (not NRI) – any valid Proof of Relationship document (refer: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf) including your Passport (having the name of your spouse) can be used for enrolment under Head of Family (HoF).

4. What is the process for Aadhaar enrolment for children of NRIs?
Pls refer to the below:

The child is below 5 years of age:

One of the parents/guardians have to authenticate on behalf of the child and also give consent for the enrolment of the minor by signing the enrolment form.
If the child is an NRI – a valid Indian passport of the child is mandatory as Proof of Identity (PoI)
If the child is an Indian resident (not NRI) – any valid Proof of Relationship document (refer: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf) such as Birth Certificate, along with the Aadhaar of the parent/ guardian, can be used for enrolment.
The child is between 5 to 18 years of age:

One of the parents/guardians has to give consent for the enrolment of the minor by signing the enrolment form.
If the minor is an NRI – a valid Indian passport of the child is mandatory as Proof of Identity (PoI)
If the minor is an Indian resident (not NRI) –
No document in the name of the minor: any valid Proof of Relationship document (refer: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf) such as Birth certificate can be used for enrolment under Head of Family.
Minor has a document: use a valid Proof of Identity (PoI) and Proof of Address (PoA) document (like a School ID card) in the child’s name for enrolment (refer: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf).

5. Can I give an International mobile number in my Aadhaar details?keyboard_arrow_up

Currently, we do not support international/ non-Indian mobile numbers.

6. The address on my passport is not updated. I want to give my present address for my Aadhaar application. Is that possible?keyboard_arrow_up
YES. A valid Indian Passport is mandatory as a Proof of Identity (PoI) for NRI applicants. You may choose to give any other Indian Address with a valid supporting Proof of Address (PoA) as per the list of documents acceptable by UIDAI: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf

7. What is the process for NRI enrolment?keyboard_arrow_up
The process is:

Visit any Aadhaar Kendra of your convenience.
Carry a valid Indian Passport with you
Fill in details in the enrolment form
Giving Email ID is mandatory for NRI
The declaration for NRI enrolment is slightly different. Read and sign the same in your enrolment form
Ask the operator to enroll you as NRI
Give your Passport as Proof of Identity
You may choose to use your Passport itself as Proof of Address and Date of Birth proof or give some other valid document/s for this (As per https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf)
Complete the biometric capture process
Check all details on screen (in English and local language) before you allow the operator to submit
Collect the acknowledgment slip/ enrolment slip that has your 14-digit Enrolment ID and Date & Time Stamp. You can check the status of your Aadhaar from: https://resident.uidai.gov.in/check-aadhaar

NOTE: NEW RULE-Update 05/15/2022

  • YOU MAY BE ASKED TO UPDATE YOUR SOUPSE’S NAME ON YOUR PASSPORT BEFORE YOU ARE ISSUED PCC.
  • FOR THIS YOU WILL NEED TO RENEW YOUR PASSPORT. APPLY FOR NEW PASSPORT WITH APPLICATION TO CHANGE DETAILS WITH YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE.

  • PCC should be issued by PSK (Passport Seva Kendra) for it to be valid for your immigration puspose. (PCC issued by local police stations are no longer valid)
  • Validity of PCC for the purpose of immigration to USA: 1 Year
  • PCC Needs to be valid at the time of your interview
  • Locate Your Local Passport Seva Kendra
  • PSK rules may vary depending on your state, Please call PSK helpline Call Centre at 1800-258-1800 to get most accurate and up to date information

Dcoument Finder

NOTE: RECENTLY PSK REQUIRES YOU TO ADD YOUR SPOUSE’S NAME TO YOUR PASSPORT BEFORE YOU CAN GET YOUR PCC.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL PSK TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
ON HOW TO ADD SPOUSE’S NAME ON PASSPORT, YOU CAN FIND THE FAQ’S AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

What You Need to Know
  • Make sure you are up to datewith your COVID-19 vaccines before you travel internationally.
  • You must be fully vaccinated with the primary series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine to travel to the United States by plane if you are a non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrant (not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or traveling to the United States on an immigrant visa). Only limited exceptions apply.
  • You are required to show a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before you travel to the United States by air.
  • Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is recommended in indoor areas of public transportation (including airplanes) and indoors in U.S. transportation hubs (including airports).
  • Make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before you travel internationally. Getting vaccinated is still the best way to protect yourself from severe disease and slow the spread of COVID-19. People who are not up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines should follow additional recommendations and after travel.If you are a non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrant and not fully vaccinated, you will not be allowed to board a flight to the United States. Only limited exceptions apply to the requirement to show proof of vaccination. A booster dose is not needed to meet this requirement.
    Are You Fully Vaccinated for Travel to the United States?

    You are considered fully vaccinated:

    • 2 weeks (14 days) after your dose of an accepted single-dose vaccine
    • 2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series
    • 2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine (not placebo) in a clinical trial
    • 2 weeks (14 days) after you received 2 doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart*

    If you don’t meet these requirements, you are NOT considered fully vaccinated to travel to the United States. A booster dose is not needed to meet this requirement.

    A person who has received only one dose of an accepted 2-dose series and has recovered from COVID-19 does not meet this definition, and therefore is NOT considered fully vaccinated for travel to the United States.

    *CDC has not recommended the use of mix-and-match COVID-19 vaccine primary series. However, such strategies are increasingly common in many countries outside of the United States. Therefore, for the purpose of interpreting vaccination records for travel to the United States, CDC will accept combinations of accepted COVID-19 vaccines.

 

 

Are you a resident in the U.S.? Do you have immovable property in India? Do you want to transfer power of attorney to someone in India? Do you want a power of attorney for non-property-related matters in India?

What is the Power of Attorney?

If you are abroad and need a reliable person in lieu of yourself to execute decisions and act on your behalf, you will need someone to delegate these functions to – a third party who could be a family member, business partner, or an employee. A power of attorney is a legal document that explains this arrangement between these two parties.

A power of attorney can be created to empower the agent for:

  • Financial matters.
  • Property-related matters.
  • Commercial or Company matters.

Who are the principal and agent?

As a person who is empowering another person to act on your behalf, you will be the principal and the person you assign as the power of attorney is the agent. Your agent will act for you and his actions will have legally binding implications for you. You cannot walk away from the consequences so choose your agent wisely.

When do you need a power of attorney? Types of Power of Attorney

There are two types of power of attorney:

  • General power of attorney
  • Special power of attorney

A general power of attorney is usually a document that allows an agent to act on behalf of his principal on more than one matter. There is no expiration date on a general power of attorney unless otherwise specified. On the other hand, the special power of attorney is created to give an agent power to complete a specific job. The power of attorney ceases to apply once the transaction is completed.

Is it possible to revoke a power of attorney?

Yes, the power of attorney can be revoked in the following cases:

  • As a principal, you can revoke the power of attorney.
  • You and the agent may mutually agree to revoke the power of attorney as well.
  • You and the agent may mutually agree to revoke the power of attorney once the goal of giving the power of attorney is complete.
  • The power of attorney is automatically revoked in the event of death, bankruptcy, and insanity (principal).

 

How to get a power of attorney? Steps for creating a Power of Attorney

    • STEP 1: Write the power of attorney on plain paper or Indian stamp paper
      Sign the power of attorney. Two witnesses should also sign this document. The addresses of the applicant and witnesses should be typed clearly. All this must be done in the presence of a notary public. You can also get this done at the Indian Consulate as well. All post offices and banks have a public notary too.

      • STEP 2: NECESSARY ONLY FOR COMMERCIAL AND COMPANY MATTERS. 

Send a request for an apostille to the Secretary of State. The Department of State, Authentications Office is responsible for signing and issuing certificates under the Seal of the U.S. Department of State (22 CFR, Part 131. The goal is to provide authentication services to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals (for example, Indians) on documents such as a power of attorney that will be used overseas. For more information on where to apply please visit
http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=authorities.details&aid=353

 

  • STEP 3: FOR PROPERTY AND FINANCES
    Documents submitted by applicants of other nationalities will be attested only if there is an ‘India’ connection. This means that the applicant wants to give this document for a transaction in India or it originates from India.
  • A power of attorney must be wisely created and given to a trustworthy person. The agent must also be very cautious before accepting a power of attorney. A poorly drafted power of attorney may become a bone of contention between the affected parties. If you live in the U.S. and are having a tough time dealing with financial and property-related matters in India, it is a good idea to draft a power of attorney today!

 

For information please contact our office -at 281-612-3564/713-534-1245

US VISA WAIVER PROGRAM COUNTRIES

  1. Ireland
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Japan
  4. Singapore
  5. Germany
  6. Italy
  7. Norway
  8. Portugal
  9. Malta
  10. Australia
  11. France
  12. Chile
  13. Spain
  14. Slovakia
  15. Hungary
  16. Switzerland
  17. Belgium
  18. New Zealand
  19. Denmark
  20. Czech Republic
  21. Lithuania
  22. Sweden
  23. Latvia
  24. Andorra
  25. Monaco
  26. South Korea
  27. Austria
  28. Liechtenstein
  29. Finland
  30. Taiwan
  31. Brunei
  32. Luxembourg
  33. Estonia
  34. Greece
  35. Slovenia
  36. San Marino
  37. Netherlands
  38. Iceland
  39. Poland

 

Suppose you in the company of your family or friends want to visit the United States of America for a vacation and are under a visa waiver program (VWP) country. In that case, you need to submit an esta group application and process it for approval before making further plans. What is ESTA application? ESTA application and approval allows residents of countries under the visa waiver program to visit the United States of America without a visa for as long as they need to.

To apply for esta as a group, you need to visit their online platform and fill the appropriate form for family esta. The esta application form for a group or family doesn’t require all the group members. You can represent your family if you have all their details, including name, date of birth, home address, and passport information. After completing the application form for your group, the next step is to wait for approval. This type of group application is very suitable for traveling to the U.S.A with your kids as one family.

Why your Family Should Apply for Group ESTA

When going for a vacation as a group or family, there is a lot to plan for and not enough time. Besides, you need to take extra care to ensure that you do not forget anything. And this is why applying for esta as a group is a very nice idea. In addition to saving time, it also has many benefits for your family or group. Because only one person is tasked with the group application for family esta, it will be hard to forget. Suppose you or any member of your family tasked with applying forgets to submit a group application for esta. In that case, your group or family will not be allowed to visit the United States of America.

Another reason why group application for esta is encouraged is so that you and your family or group can be granted permission at the same time. If you and your group or family are granted permission simultaneously, you all have the same number of days to spend in the U.S A. there, which is 90. This means you can all spend your holiday together as a group. Time is an important factor when traveling or makes travel arrangements. To save time traveling with your family as a group, you shouldn’t apply for esta individually. This may not only cause permission to be granted at different times, but you or any member of the family may likely forget. Applying for esta by filling the group application form will save you time since you can choose one person to do it for the entire group or family.

Another benefit of applying for esta as a group for you and your family is that it makes travel arrangements easier. Since only one person is needed to complete the group application esta form for the entire family, the other members of your group or family can settle one or two important things for the journey. If you want to travel with your family to the United States of America, you need to complete a group application esta form. This is to enable you and your family to travel together at the same time.

s Permission Granted or Rejected for All Group Members?

After completing the esta family application form, the next step is to wait for permission to be granted or denied. To know if you and your family have been granted permission or not, you need to check esta status 72 hours after you have submitted your application. You must know that only the person who completed the esta family application firm will receive all the family members or group results. However, permission or rejection is not given as a group. This means some people may be granted permission in your group while others might reject others.

If you or any of your family members have been denied permission, you need to wait until after ten days have elapsed before applying for esta again. When do I need VISA? If you are asking this question, then the answer is right here. You need a visa if your esta application has been rejected for strong reasons. This means you can’t join the rest of your family members who have been granted permission to visit the United States of America. Fortunately, you can apply for a visa, and if you are given one, you can join them.

Can Children Apply for ESTA?

Who needs ESTA? Anyone who wants to travel to the United States of America, whether for vacation or tourism, must obtain permission. If you’re a country citizen under the visa waiver program (VWP), you need to apply for esta. If permission is granted, you can visit the U.S.A without a visa. Alternatively, you can apply for a visa to visit the United States of America if you are not from a country under the visa waiver program.  This also applies to children; a child must have a visa before visiting the U.S.A. if the child is not from a visa waiver program country. However, suppose the child is a citizen of a country that belongs to the visa waiver program. In that case, he or she must apply for esta, and the permission must be granted before that child can visit the United States of America. However, you must note that infants are also included and required to apply for esta.

Even though a child or infant must have permission before visiting the U.S.A, an adult can help the child complete the application process. If the child is going with one of his or her parents, then the other absent parent must grant permission also. Where a relative or grandparent is the person traveling with the child, then both parents must grant permission. This is done to reduce the kidnapping cases or a situation where a parent or relative absconds with a child. In other words, children or infants are required to have permission. An adult is to apply for an esta on their behalf in this case. If the child is not traveling with his or her parents, then signed permission is needed from both parents in addition to the permission granted by the esta.