3 ms·

What is the real difference between the 2? One is manual while the other one is highly automated? Given the number of question on an ESTA application, visa to o

What is the real difference between the 2? One is manual while the other one is highly automated? Given the number of question on an ESTA application, visa to other countries are a piece of cake (and I don’t even talk about visa on arrival). This is just a semantic trick to make people that there is still a visa free travel but this is no more the case.

Scoundreller 3y ago
Not just a semantic trick, but a legal one. A lot of euro countries have treaties with US, Canada, etc. for mutual visa-free travel that pre-date EU. Soooo, they just create something that walks and talks like a visa without calling it one because the treaties never bothered to define what a visa is or isn’t.
- EduardoBautista 3y ago
  > walks and talks like a visa The requirements for the travel authorizations to Canada, the EU, and the USA are not comparable to an actual visa application. Visas are more expensive, more privacy invasive, and you have to go to an embassy/consulate to get it. All these travel authorizations are really doing is telling the governments "Hey, I am coming over".
  - Scoundreller 3y ago
    So what dollar threshold makes it a visa? If it’s free, is it not a visa? Over what number of questions makes it a visa? If it’s electronically attached to your passport number, is it no longer a visa?
    - EduardoBautista 3y ago
      If they ask you the questions on the travel authorization form at the port of entry instead, would it be better? If you get denied the travel authorization, there is a chance you would have been denied in person after a long flight instead without this initial step. They are just asking questions ahead of time.
      - Scoundreller 3y ago
        EU border police has never seemed very interested in asking Canadians or Americans any questions at all in my experience. France and other countries even let us use their e-gates nowadays.
  - mahkeiro 3y ago
    visiting an embassy is not mandatory to get a lot of visa (even a Chinese one) most of the time you just ship your passport with a form that has less invasive question than an ESTA. Nobody but the US require you to give the handle of all your social network account…

Scoundreller 3y ago

Not just a semantic trick, but a legal one. A lot of euro countries have treaties with US, Canada, etc. for mutual visa-free travel that pre-date EU. Soooo, they just create something that walks and talks like a visa without calling it one because the treaties never bothered to define what a visa is or isn’t.

EduardoBautista 3y ago
> walks and talks like a visa The requirements for the travel authorizations to Canada, the EU, and the USA are not comparable to an actual visa application. Visas are more expensive, more privacy invasive, and you have to go to an embassy/consulate to get it. All these travel authorizations are really doing is telling the governments "Hey, I am coming over".
- Scoundreller 3y ago
  So what dollar threshold makes it a visa? If it’s free, is it not a visa? Over what number of questions makes it a visa? If it’s electronically attached to your passport number, is it no longer a visa?
  - EduardoBautista 3y ago
    If they ask you the questions on the travel authorization form at the port of entry instead, would it be better? If you get denied the travel authorization, there is a chance you would have been denied in person after a long flight instead without this initial step. They are just asking questions ahead of time.
    - Scoundreller 3y ago
      EU border police has never seemed very interested in asking Canadians or Americans any questions at all in my experience. France and other countries even let us use their e-gates nowadays.
- mahkeiro 3y ago
  visiting an embassy is not mandatory to get a lot of visa (even a Chinese one) most of the time you just ship your passport with a form that has less invasive question than an ESTA. Nobody but the US require you to give the handle of all your social network account…