Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
International travelers who are seeking to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) are now subject to enhanced
security requirements.
On August 1, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security began accepting voluntary registrations from qualified VWP travelers
under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). From January 12, 2009, ESTA becomes mandatory for all qualified VWP
travelers entering the United States on or after that date with the exception of
citizens of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and the Republic of Korea for whom ESTA is mandatory if entering
the United States on or after November 17, 2008. ESTA applies only to those VWP travelers entering the United States by air or sea. Travelers entering by land either from Canada
or Mexico are not required to register before traveling.
Travel Authorization is obtained through an online registration system known as ESTA. 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.
Before going on line to register, you should ensure that you are qualified to travel
under the Visa Waiver Program otherwise your registration will be rejected.
It also does not guarantee entry into the United States; that
decision rests with the immigration official at the Port of Entry in the same way
that travelers currently entering the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program or with a
visa are subject to inspection.
Entering the United States by land
Travelers who make their initial entry into the U.S. by land from either Canada or Mexico are
NOT required to travel authorization through ESTA before traveling.
Warning
If your passport has ever been reported lost or stolen to the authorities and then recovered,
please do not attempt to use it for travel to the United States. If you input the passport details
into ESTA, your application will be denied.
Submit your ESTA Application at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
| 
Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)