ESTA | Electronic System for Travel Authorization

 Traveling to the United States can be an exciting adventure, but it requires proper planning and understanding of entry requirements, particularly regarding the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). In this comprehensive guide, we unravel the essential facts about ESTA, ensuring your trip to the U.S. starts smoothly.

 ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization, a mandatory pre-travel authorization for travelers to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Unlike a visa, ESTA allows citizens from eligible countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism, business, or transit purposes for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.

 To apply for ESTA, you must be a citizen of one of the countries part of the VWP. ESTA is designed for short-term visits, so you must have a return or onward ticket. Previous violations of U.S. immigration policy may affect eligibility.

 Once submitted, ESTA applications are usually processed quickly, often within 72 hours. If approved, ESTA is valid for two years or until the applicant's passport expires, whichever comes first. ESTA allows multiple entries into the U.S. during its validity.

 Travelers with an approved ESTA can visit the U.S. for up to 90 days per entry. It's important to carry a printout of your ESTA approval during travel, although it's electronically linked to your passport. Upon arrival, you'll still go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection screening.

 ESTA Guarantees Entry: A common myth is that an approved ESTA guarantees entry into the U.S. In reality, it only allows you to board a plane or ship to the U.S. Final entry is granted by Customs and Border Protection officers at the port of entry.

 If your ESTA application is denied, you may need to apply for a visa for U.S. travel. Common reasons for denial include discrepancies in application information or failure to meet eligibility criteria. Applying for a visa involves a more detailed process and an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

 ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) allows you to enter the United States for tourism without a visa for a visit of 90 days or less under the VWP (Visa Waiver Program). So there's no need to visit your local consulate or embassy.

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 Many applicants assume ESTA approval is automatic, but it’s not. Your ESTA application answers are screened against security databases, and even minor infractions in your travel history can raise red flags. Plus, misinformation online leads to avoidable errors that could leave you stranded at the airport.

 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.

ESTA Application

 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.

 There 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: