Securing ESTA authorization is preferable to the alternative of having to apply for a US visa – but not everyone is eligible to travel to the US visa-free. If you attempt to enter the US without the required permission, you can be refused entry. And if you answer the ESTA application questions inaccurately, such as failing to declare a past conviction, you can be stopped at the border and denied entry, which can impact your future US immigration applications.
To avoid these issues, you should check that you qualify for ESTA before making your application. If you are not eligible, you would need to look at which visa would instead be needed for your to travel to the US.
ESTA is not a visa, nor does it give permission to enter the US. With ESTA authorization, you are permitted to travel to US but Customs and Border Protection officers exercise discretion as to an individual’s admissibility on arrival into the country.
You are a national of a participating VWP country (such as the UK). If you are not a VWP national, you are not eligible for visa-free travel under the VWP and you will not be required to apply for ESTA approval.
Under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, the VWP cannot be used by Visa Waiver country nationals who have been present in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen on or after 1 March 2011, although some exceptions can be made for diplomatic or military-related travel in the service of a Visa Waiver Country. Visa Waiver country nationals who are also nationals of Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria similarly cannot enter the USA under the VWP.
You cannot use ESTA to study, work or live in the US. To stay in the US for longer than 90 days, or to travel to the US for a reason that is not permissible under the visa-waiver rules, you would need to apply for an appropriate visa. Your visit to the USA must last no longer than 90 days, and it must be for the purposes of tourism, medical treatment or business only. If your intention is to travel to the USA for a non-permissible activity, such as to take up employment or commence studies, you are not eligible for VWP entry, and must obtain a relevant visa. Similarly, travel to the USA to work as a member of the foreign press is not covered by the VWP.
Travel Information: the city where you will be boarding to travel to the USA, information on your carrier (air or shipping company), flight number or the name of the vessel you will be travelling on, your address while in the USA (if there will be multiple locations you should use the first location, if you don’t know the complete address you should enter the name of the hotel or location and update later, and if you will be travelling straight through the USA and not staying then use the words ‘In Transit’ with details of your final destination). It isn’t mandatory to include your entire itinerary and all of your destination addresses, but it is recommended to do so.
Do you have a communicable disease? In the USA, commonly acknowledged communicable diseases include chancroid, gonorrhoea, granuloma inguinale, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, leprosy, lymphogranuloma venereum, syphilis, and tuberculosis. If you have been cured or are no longer in the infectious stage, you may answer the question ‘no’ but you are required to provide medical proof that you are not contagious. With lesser common illnesses such as a cold, you can answer ‘no’ to this question.
Do you have a physical or mental disorder? Answer ‘yes’ if you currently have a physical or mental disorder and a related history of behaviour that could cause harm to your property, your safety, or the safety and welfare of others. You should also answer ‘yes’ if you had such a disorder and history and the likelihood is that the behaviour will recur and cause harm.
You will be asked if you are seeking to work in the USA or have previously worked in the USA without permission from the US government. The Visa Waiver Programme is designed for non-immigrant foreign nationals who cannot seek permanent employment in the USA. Those who wish to work and live permanently in the USA must apply for the relevant immigrant visa.
You will be asked whether you have travelled to, or been present in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen, on or after 1 March 201These countries are seen to carry a security risk by the US authorities. You will also be asked if you have traveled to or stayed in Cuba since January 12, 2021.
It perhaps goes without saying that full disclosure is required when answering the questions, including in relation to criminal convictions. It is always advised to be completely open and honest when completing your application to avoid any future allegations of misrepresentation or fraud. You are committing a criminal offense under US law if you fail to answer truthfully and comprehensively, which will impact your future US immigration applications.
Application Not Found – This status indicates that either incorrect information has been input which does not match with ESTA records, or no such current or previous ESTA exists. It could also be due to payment of the application fee not being made, or technical issues, such as internet connection problems, preventing the application from having gone through to be processed.
It’s important to note that ESTA approval does not guarantee entry into the USA. It is a pre-screening process granting the individual permission to travel to the US, but entry remains subject to the discretion of US border control.
Although the ESTA system is entirely online and communication is electronic, it is advisable to print out a copy of your confirmation email for when you are traveling, especially if you are unable to access your emails at that time. At the very least, keep a note of your ESTA individual application number with you when you travel to the USA, in the event US immigration control speak with you at the border.
ESTA allows for multiple visits to the USA within the validity period, provided you remain eligible. Your ESTA has to be valid when you enter the US although it should not be a problem if it expires while you are in the US. You would however need to reapply for authorization before your next trip to the US under the VWP.
You can update certain information on your ESTA application after it has been approved. This includes your email address and US destination address. However, you cannot update personal information such as your name, passport number, or country of citizenship. If there are changes to these details, you will need to submit a new ESTA application.
The United States implemented its Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) in 2008 to support its Visa Waiver Program. The system makes it easier for travelers to visit the US and abide by the country's travel laws, removing the time-consuming requirements of applying for a full visa. In this article, we will explore everything you need to know about the ESTA program.
The ESTA program was rolled out in August 2008 and became mandatory on January 12th, 200Essentially, the program is an automated vetting system that determines whether a traveler is eligible to enter the United Stats without a visa.
ESTA ApplicationThere are now 41 countries participating in the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The VWP was introduced in 1986 to facilitate visa-free travel to the US for select nationals, catering to tourists, business travelers, medical visitors, and other temporary stays.
In light of elevated security concerns after 9/11, the US government imposed stricter entry requirements and eventually decided it wanted travelers to provide certain information in advance of traveling. Since 2010, travelers applying for an ESTA must pay a fee - as of April 2024, it will cost a total of $21 for each approved ESTA, which includes a $4 processing fee and a $17 authorization charge. When the scheme first came out, it was completely free before the US implemented a $14 charge in 2010, going up to $21 in 2022.
To apply for an ESTA, travelers need to visit the official ESTA application website here. The multistep process includes entering personal information and flight details and answering eligibility questions. The program can sometimes require additional information, such as employment details, depending on the circumstances.
After completing Step 6 of your application, you will need to submit payment. Once this is done, the automated system will determine your eligibility and approve or deny your application. Often this happens almost instantaneously, but can take up to 72 hours or longer in some cases. According to the official ESTA application website, the process can best be described as follows:
Once you enter the required biographic, travel, and payment information on the secure website, your application is processed by the system to determine if you are eligible to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program without a visa. The system will provide you with an automated response, and prior to boarding, a carrier will electronically verify with the United States Customs and Border Protection that you have an approved travel authorization on file.
The ESTA website claims that the average time it takes to complete your application is 23 minutes, but this does not mean you have been approved yet. An update on your application will usually take no more than 72 hours.
Be advised that travel to certain "countries of concern" will also rule out ESTA approval in the majority of cases. Under the TerroristTravel Prevention Act of 2015, applicants who have visited Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen since March 1, 2011, will likely be rejected - however, those who have visited these countries for military or diplomatic reasons will be exempt.
If approved, an ESTA will usually be valid for up to two years (or whenever your passport expires, if earlier), meaning you can apply for one well in advance of your trip without worrying about it expiring too soon. An ESTA is available for stays of up to 90 days for business or pleasure. Be sure not to overstay your 90-day limit—not only is this a criminal offense, but it will likely result in all future ESTA applications being rejected.
The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) advises applying for an ESTA when you make your flight reservation. If you can't make your application right away, be sure to do it at least 72 hours before your flight—leave it any later than this, and there's a good chance you won't get your approval in time. Even with an ESTA, travelers are not guaranteed entry to the US upon arrival in the country - entry for each individual is determined at the discretion of a CBP officer.
An ESTA is usually the best choice for temporary visitors to the US, be it for business or leisure. Compared to visas - which require embassy interviews, weeks or months of processing and higher costs - an ESTA can be acquired within three days (usually a lot quicker than that) at a fraction of the cost.
An important clarification: obtaining ESTA in itself does not guarantee entry into New York upon arrival at customs. It only authorizes the traveler to board the means of transportation en route to the United States. The access to the United States of America is perfected with the immigration and customs controls that are carried out as soon as you land in one of the airports of New York. Here the customs controls will verify your identity, the validity of the documents in your possession (Passport + ESTA) and what you are carrying in your luggage.
If in doubt, do it even a week before leaving for the USA, when you are sure that the trip will take place without unforeseen events, and that the information on the hotel where you are staying is confirmed (although it is possible to change it).
In the first place, if you don’t speak English, you should change the language to something else. For example, you could change it to French, German, or Spanish. There are little flags at the top on the right. Please do so in order to get a better idea of how to answer the questions.
In the next step, pay with a credit card (the only form of payment). There is a fee of 14 dollars for this service. Scams happen if you end up on a website that asks you to pay more than 14$. Leave that site and come back to the right one: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta
Authorization pending: Check the ESTA website again, you will receive a response within 72 hours. You will get an email with the number of your ESTA process. If you want to go back to the ESTA website and see how your process is going, you can use this.
If in the meantime other information has changed, such as your passport number because you have renewed it in the meantime (because it has expired/been lost, etc.), then it is NOT possible to update it, but you will have to apply for a new ESTA, following the normal procedure described on this page (with new payment).