ESTA Permit for the United States
The US ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
The ESTA system was created by the United States Government to determine the eligibility status of citizens from countries in the Visa Waiver Program.
Is an automated program that gathers a traveler’s passport details before their departure to the US.
The program was made available on January 12th, 2009.
Who Needs to Apply for ESTA?
Citizens from an ESTA Visa Waiver Country who wish to travel to the United States for business or tourism must apply for an ESTA authorization by completing the online application form.
Transit passengers passing through the United States are also required to have a valid ESTA visa waiver upon arrival and to present it upon request at border control.
The ESTA will be valid for 2 years from its issuing date or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
The Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program is a US Government controlled program, administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The ESTA visa waiver for the US allows passport holders of 42 selected countries to enter the United States multiple times for business or tourism purposes.
The application can be completed entirely online.
Once the ESTA is approved, the traveler is granted a maximum stay of 90 consecutive days per trip.
The ESTA visa waiver’s greatest benefit is that applicants may travel freely to and around the US, on short notice, without having to apply for an American visa.
Thanks to the electronic system, American law enforcement have more reliable data to fight international crimes such as:
- Identity theft
- Drug and human trafficking
- International terrorism
ESTA makes the U.S. territory safer for both American citizens and foreign visitors.
ESTA Visa Waiver Countries
Currently, there are 42 countries (including all 27 EU member states) participating in the ESTA Visa Waiver Program.
These include:
- Andorra (1991)
- Australia (1996)
- Austria (1991)
- Belgium (1991)
- Brunei (1993)
- Chile (2014)
- Croatia (2021)
- Czech Republic (2008)
- Denmark (1991)
- Estonia (2008)
- Finland (1991)
- France (1989)
- Germany (1989)
- Greece (2010)
- Hungary (2008)
- Iceland (1991)
- Ireland (1995)
- Israel (2023)
- Italy (1989)
- Japan (1988)
- Latvia (2008)
- Liechtenstein (1991)
- Lithuania (2008)
- Luxembourg (1991)
- Malta (2008)
- Monaco (1991)
- Netherlands (1989)
- New Zealand (1991)
- Norway (1991)
- Poland (2019)
- Portugal (1999)
- Qatar (2024)
- San Marino (1991)
- Singapore (1999)
- Slovakia (2008)
- Slovenia (1997)
- South Korea (2008)
- Spain (1991)
- Sweden (1989)
- Switzerland (1989)
- Taiwan (2012)
- United Kingdom (1988)
Not all citizens from the above countries are eligible to register with ESTA. British nationals whose passport indicates abode status, for example, cannot apply for an ESTA visa waiver and will have to obtain a B1/B2 non-immigrant visa instead.
Also, citizens of the new countries of Curacao, Bonaire, St Eustatius, Saba, and St Maarten (the former Netherlands Antilles) are not eligible to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program if they are applying for admission with passports from these countries.
Advice: The ESTA is an entry requirement for certain non-US citizens only. American nationals do not require any additional travel document; they need only their American passport to enter the United States.
Therefore, if you are an American citizen, you do not need an ESTA to travel to the US.
Non-Immigrant Visitor Visas for the US
Passport holders from other nations should obtain a B1/B2 nonimmigrant visa to travel to the United States.
To apply, travelers are required to make a visa appointment at their nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
B1 Business Visa for the United States
Business activities covered by the B1 visa include:
- Negotiating
- Buying or selling products
- Attending conferences, seminars, or business meetings
The B1 Visa is valid for a set period of 6 months to a year depending on the requirements of the applicant.
Business visas can be approved within 24 hours, although it can take up to a few weeks.
B2 Tourist Visa for the United States
Purposes of travel covered by the B2 visa include:
- Vacations
- Visiting family and friends
- Short-term medical treatment
Each B2 tourist visa is issued for a specific time depending on the information stated in the visa application form.
This can vary from a single-entry visa which allows a stay of up to 3 months to a multiple-entry visa, which allows numerous entries over ten years.
ESTA Purposes
Travelers are required to obtain an ESTA visa waiver if:
-
Tourist ESTA:
- Tourism/leisure
- Family/friend visits
- Medical treatment, music or sports events (unpaid/voluntary)
- Short study courses (for example, a 2-day cooking course)
-
Business ESTA:
- Meetings with business partners
- Conventions and conferences
- Free, short-term courses
- Negotiation of a contract (Does not include work placements or contracts)
-
Transit ESTA:
- Stopping en route
- Changing flights in the US
- Short-time stops in a US airport (even for one-hour stops)
- Layovers or stopovers of over 24 hours
What advantages does the ESTA for the USA provide?
The processing time for an ESTA visa waiver is up to 72 hours.
Most applications are processed in just a few minutes, and successful candidates receive an ESTA approval almost immediately via email. This is a great advantage for everyone traveling on short notice.
They don’t need to make any additional preparations, simply submit an online application and receive a confirmation via email shortly after.
ESTA holders will not be required to fill in the Green I-94 Card upon their arrival in the U.S. However, all travelers will need to fill in a blue customs declaration.
Furthermore, an ESTA application does not require an interview.
Visitors who require an ESTA do not need to make an appointment with a U.S. embassy or consulate. This saves applicants time and money.
US ESTA Specifications:
- The ESTA authorization is not a regular visa. The ESTA for the USA is an electronic travel authorization to the United States.
- The ESTA USA must be presented on trips made to the USA by plane or boat. If you travel by car it is not necessary.
- The ESTA serves to screen travelers and have more control over foreign visitors that come to the United States.
- To obtain your ESTA visa waiver you must hold a valid passport issued by an ESTA eligible country.
- Bear in mind that you cannot travel to the United States with a criminal record or contagious disease that could put the public health of the citizens at risk.
- The ESTA USA is only valid for tourism, business or during a stopover en route to another country. Find out more info about the transit ESTA visa waiver to the USA.
- It is strongly advised to complete the ESTA visa waiver online application at least 72 hours before your trip. The ESTA is often processed in less than 24 hours. However, in some cases, it may take longer to process, up to 72 hours.
- If your US ESTA is denied, you will be required to apply for a B1 or B2 regular visa.
- An individual ESTA is needed to enter the USA. Check the requirements for an ESTA family application for a family or group.
- Minors must also carry an ESTA for the USA. Check the requirements for the ESTA for children.
- If you have dual citizenship, check the ESTA for dual nationality which can also be easily obtained.
- An approved ESTA travel authorization does not guarantee your entrance to the United States.
USA ESTA Program Restrictions
The short processing times and the ability to move freely within the U.S. for up to 90 days without applying for a visa make ESTA a convenient and flexible travel permit.
However, not everything is allowed on an ESTA visa waiver, which comes with its conditions and limitations:
An approved ESTA does not guarantee entry into the U.S.
As mentioned before, the final decision on allowing a foreigner into the country is always up to the American Customs and Border Protection officers, who can turn back ESTA holders should they consider them a threat to national security.
This decision cannot be appealed or reviewed.
ESTA does not allow for extensions
Unlike many visas, an ESTA cannot be extended.
There are ways in which ESTA holders can request to stay longer in the country once their permit has expired but the ESTA authorization cannot be extended in itself.
An ESTA authorization allows for travel to contiguous countries
ESTA holders can visit Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean.
ESTA travelers can leave the U.S. to enter these countries but while they are abroad, their permit will not ‘pause’ — they will not be granted a further 90 days on return to the U.S., but only the time remaining on their original permit.
ESTA is not a work visa
Some employment-related activities can be carried out in the U.S. For example, ESTA holders can participate in meetings and conferences related to the job they hold back in their home country.
Some professional services performed in the U.S. for non-U.S. employers may also be allowed. However, the vast majority of ‘gainful employment’ activities are not.