Anyone planning to travel to the US for less than 90 days for business or tourism without a visa will be required to obtain an on-line travel authorisation before they go.
Travellers from 35 countries are being asked to obtain authorisation from the US Department of Homeland Security at least 72 hours before their flight departs to the US.
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is a web-based automatic question and answer system that can determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Programme.
The program has been voluntary since August and becomes mandatory Monday.
All nationals or citizens from Visa Waiver Programme countries, including New Zealand, will need an ESTA travel authorisation from January 12 before they board a plane or cruise ship destined for the United States.
Further information is available on the website https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov where an on-line applications are available.
If the application fails, travellers will need to contact their nearest US consulate to obtain a visa.
US Embassy spokesman Dick Custin in Britain said Friday that approval had been granted in nearly all of the cases involving voluntary participants.
The online application form asks tourists to say if they are drug users and divulge certain criminals convictions or past terror activities.
