2021: Visit USA in January for the Upcoming MMA Events
After a year that has rocked the world and led to many great sporting events getting cancelled or postponed, we are hoping that 2021 sees things get a bit closer to normal, so we can enjoy watching the sports we love and particularly MMA.
There is a very exciting schedule of fights planned for 2021 and with the COVID-19 vaccine now starting to get rolled out across the world, this should hopefully lead to the majority of sporting events going ahead.
In December, UFC 256 took place in Las Vegas on 12 December, with Deiveson Figueiredo defeating Brandon Moreno for the title fight. UFC Vegas 17 then took place on 19 December, with some very exciting contests, including the first round TKO from Rob Font to defeat Marlon Moraes.
Upcoming MMA Events
In January, the fight that everybody is talking about is the much-anticipated return of Conor McGregor when he takes on Dustin Poirier on January 23rd 2021 at UFC 257. Before that, there are two UFC Fight Nights to look forward to on January 16th and January 20th.
The location of all of these exciting events in January should be announced shortly, so if you want to take in the action, you will need to get your travel plans sorted quickly, so you can look forward to seeing the action live in the USA.
Travel authorization
As well as making sure you are able to travel to the US in terms of COVID-19 travel restrictions, you will also need to make sure that you have the relevant travel authorisation to enter the US. Citizens from countries that are part of the visa waiver program can apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) which is much simpler and faster than applying for a US visa.
To apply for the ESTA, you just have to complete a short online form at this site www.estaform.org, which takes around 20 minutes to complete. You provide details such as personal information and passport details, and answer a set of eligibility questions. When you submit your application, you will need to pay an application fee before it gets submitted.
The US Department of Homeland Security has a system that checks applications against a set of security databases to determine whether or not to approve the application. The application could be declined on the basis that the person has a criminal conviction, or a medical condition that poses a threat to US citizens.
If the application is approved, the ESTA is electronically linked to the applicant’s biometric passport and it will be valid for two years or until the passport expires, if that is sooner. During those two years, you are able to use the ESTA for as many visits to the US as you want, so you could visit numerous MMA events in Las Vegas or anywhere else in the US with your ESTA. Once the location has been named for the upcoming MMA events, make sure your ESTA is set up in time for your travel date.
