Will registering for ESTA determine my eligibility to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program?
No. ESTA should not be used to determine if a person is qualified to travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Only qualfied
VWP travelers should register under ESTA.
ESTA provides authorization
to qualified VWP travelers to board a carrier, either air or sea, to travel to the United States. Before registering you must
determine your eligibility to travel under the VWP; only those qualified to do so should register.
How far in advance am I required to submit an application?
It may be done at anytime, but no later than 72 hours before you are due to travel. You are not
required to have any firm travel plans before registering and we recommend that you register as soon as
you have made reservations or have purchased tickets.
If authorization to travel is granted it will be valid for travel for two years or until the date on
which your passport expires, which ever comes first. It will be valid for multiple visits. Should your
itinerary change (address, flight number) you may update the information through the ESTA
Web site.
What should I do if I have obtained a new passport or have changed my name, date of birth, citizenship or gender, or my eligibility to travel visa free has changed
If you have obtained a new passport, changed your name, date of birth, citizenship, or gender you are required to apply for new travel authorization. You cannot amend your
existing registration. If you are no longer eligible to tavel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, you will be required to apply
for a visa.
How long will it take to process the travel authorization?
In most cases the traveler will be provided with an almost immediate determination as to
whether or not travel authorization is granted.
There are three types of responses:
Authorization Approved
Authorization Pending; and
Travel Not Authorized.
Those applicants who receive an approval are then authorized to board an air or sea carrier under the Visa
Waiver Program.
Applicants who receive an "Authorization Pending" response will need to check the Web site for updates within 72 hours to receive a final
response.
If travel is not authorized, the traveler will be required to apply for a visa.
How much does it cost?
Initially there will be no fee for this service. Companies who are charging a fee for this service are NOT operating
on behalf of the U.S. Government
I am entering the U.S. by land from Canada or Mexico; do I require travel authorization under ESTA?
No. You will NOT be required to obtain travel authorization if entering the U.S. by land
I am transiting the U.S.; do I require authorization under ESTA before traveling?
Yes, you will be required to obtain authorization to travel before boarding the aircraft.
I have been arrested and or convicted; can I register under ESTA?
Only those qualified to travel under the Visa Waiver Program are eligible to register. As you have been
arrested and or convicted, you require a visa in order to travel. The Rehabilitation of Offenders
Act does not apply to U.S law.
Please note that minor traffic offenses such as speeding, which did not result in an
arrest or conviction, will not prevent a traveler from traveling under the VWP and therefore,
will not prevent you from applying to register under ESTA
What information do I need in order to complete the application?
You are required to provide the same information as requested on the form I-94W;
that is your biographical data including name, birth date, and passport information,
as well as travel information such as the flight number and destination address in
the United States. You are also required to answer Visa Waiver Program eligibility questions regarding
communicable diseases, arrests and convictions for certain crimes, and past history of visa revocation or deportation, amongst others.
The information must be provided in english. A third party may complete the form on your behalf.
Details required:
Name
Date of Birth
Country of citizenship
Country of current residence
Gender
E-mail address
Phone number
Passport number, issuing country, date of issuance, date of expiration
Travel information - departure city, flight number, carrier, address while in the U.S.
VWP eligibility questions.
Can I apply for travel authorization if I was previously denied entry into or deported from the U.S.?
Only those qualified to travel under the Visa Waiver Program are eligible to register. As you have been denied entry into or deported
from the U.S., you require a visa in order to travel.
Am I required to print the authorization to travel and carry it with me?
No, the airlines and shipping companies will have received confirmation that you
are authorized to travel. However, you should retain the application number so that you may update your
information in the future; if necessary.
For how long is travel authorization granted?
Travel authorization is granted for two years or until the date on which your
passport expires, which ever comes first. Once you have completed your registration
on-line, you will be provided with the dates during which you may travel to the
United States.
If your original itinerary changes, for example, address in the U.S., flight number, you
may update the original record through the ESTA website by following the instructions. Should any biographical or passport information change,
you will be required to make a new application for travel authorization. If the answers
to any of the VWP eligibility questions change (ie arrests/convictions/communicable disease/deported/denied entry etc), you will be required
to apply for a visa.
You will equire the application number in order to make changes to your original record.
I have a valid visa; do I require travel authorization approval under ESTA before traveling?
No, this new system applies only to those traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.
I applied for travel authorization under ESTA but it was denied; What do I do?
You are required to apply for a visa before traveling. Please call the Embassy's Operator
Assisted Information Service on 09042 450 100 (Calls cost 1.20/min) to schedule an appointment
to apply for a visa.
I have been denied authorization to travel. Is there any point in trying again at a later date?
You may reapply after 10 days, but unless your circumstances have changed, you will not receive authorization to travel.
It is important to note that applying with false information could make you permanently ineligible for travel to the U.S.
I believe that I was incorrectly denied authorization to travel under ESTA as I have
travelled in the past
If you believe that you have been incorrectly denied authorization to travel, you should contact
the Department of Homeland Security through their Travel Redress Inquiry Program.
Further information is available from the Department of Homeland Security's website
at www.dhs.gov
Please note that there are no guarantees that a request for redress through DHS TRIP
will resolve the issue and the Embassy is unable to provide information about ESTA
denials or resolve the issue that caused the ESTA denial.
I have received a message "authorized pending"; what happens next?
You should receive a response within 72 hours of you submitting the information.
You should check the website for updates. If you attempt to travel without authorization to do so, you
may be denied boarding by the airline or shipping company or entry into the United States.
I made a mistake and submitted incorrect information; what can I do?
If the application was approved, you may submit amended information such as
changes to your travel itinerary - change of address; flight number. If you provided
incorrect passport or biographic information or information relating to your eligibility to travel under the Visa Waiver Program - arrests/convictions/deportation/medical ineligibility,
you will be required to submit a new application.
If the application was denied, it is recommended that you wait 10 days before
reapplying.
I need to travel to the US urgently and do not have time to request travel authorization;
what do I do?
Those nationals for whom ESTA is not mandatory until January 12, 2009, need not be concerned with obtaining travel authorization if traveling before this date.
However, if you are a national of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, or the Republic of Korea
or you are a national for whom it becomes mandatory on January 12 2009, and you are entering the country on or after date, you will be required
to obtain travel authorization before traveling. It is recommended that you
register no later than 72 hours before your travel. If you need to travel within 72 hours, you should still
go on-line and register as soon as possible. The system does accommodate last minute
and emergency travelers. If you do not receive authorization in time to travel,
or authorization is denied, you will be required to apply for a visa.
I was denied approval to travel and I need to travel urgently; can I obtain an emergency appointment?
You should call the Operator Assisted Information Service on 09042 450 100(calls cost 1.20/min). They will advise you of the earliest
available appointment to apply for a visa. No guarantees can be offered that an apointment will be available
to accomodate travel, which is why we strongly recommend that travelers register for ESTA well in advance
of your proposed date of travel.
If I receive authorization to travel, does that mean I can enter the country?
Approval only authorizes a traveler to board an air or sea carrier (plane or boat) to the United States
under the Visa Waiver Program; it does not guarantee entry. That decision can only
be made by the immigration official at the Port of Entry in the same way that
travelers currently entering the U.S. with a visa are subject to inspection.
Is there any advantage to me doing this before it becomes compulsory?
The Embassy recommends that you register as soon as possible. If your registration
is successful, it will be valid for multiple applications for two years or until the
date on which your passport expires, which ever comes first. If your itinerary changes in any way - hotel, flight number you may
update the information through the ESTA website. You may update your itinerary for each trip.
Will I still be required to complete the form I-94W
Approval to travel under ESTA will eventually eliminate the requirement that the traveler complete the I-94W form.
I have a postdated passport. Can I register under ESTA?
ESTA will only recognise a valid passport. Therefore, you will not be able to register your details until the date on which the passport
becomes vaild for travel. It is recommended that a traveler submit a registration at least 72 hours before traveling. If there is
insufficient time for you to do this between the wedding ceremony and date of travel, you may wish to delay applying for a postdated
passport and travel on your exisiting passport together with a copy of your marriage certificate.
I am entering the United States by sea but the ESTA website does not have a list of carriers. What should I do?
Carrier information is not mandatory, therefore, you should submit a registration leaving this section blank.
Electronic System For Travel Authorization (ESTA)
FAQs