Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Many national and some state parks and recreation areas have wheelchair-accessible
paved, graded dirt or boardwalk trails.
A number of organizations specialize in the needs of disabled travelers:
Access-Able Travel Source
(
www.access-able.com
) General travel website with useful
tips and links.
Flying Wheels Travel
( 877-451-5006, 507-451-5005;
www.flyingwheelstravel.com
) A
full-service travel agency, highly recommended for those with mobility issues or chronic ill-
ness.
Mobility International USA
( 541-343 1284;
www.miusa.org
) Advises disabled travel-
ers on mobility issues and runs educational exchange programs.
Wheelchair Getaways
( 800-642-2042;
www.wheelchairgetaways.com
) Rents access-
ible vans throughout the USA.
Visas
Admission requirements are subject to rapid change. The
US State Department
(
ht-
tp://travel.state.gov
) has the latest information, or check with a US consulate in your home
country.
Visa Waiver Program & ESTA
»
Under the US visa-waiver program, visas are not required for citizens of 36 countries -
including most EU members, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the UK - for visits of up
to 90 days (no extensions allowed), as long as you can present a machine-readable pass-
port and are approved under the
Electronic System for Travel Authorization
(ESTA;
www.cbp.gov/esta
). Note: you must register at least 72 hours before arrival and there's a
$14 fee for processing and authorization (payable online).
»
In essence, ESTA requires that you register specific information online (name, address,
passport info, etc) prior to entering the US. You will receive one of three responses:
'Authorization Approved' (this usually comes within minutes; most applicants can expect
to receive this response); 'Authorization Pending,' in which case you can go back online
to check the status within roughly 72 hours; or 'Travel not Authorized,' meaning your ap-
plication is not approved and you will need to apply for a visa.
»
Once approved, registration is valid for two years, but note that if you renew your pass-
port or change your name, you will need to re-register. The entire process is stored elec-
tronically and linked to your passport, but it is recommended that you bring a printout of
the ESTA approval just to be safe.
