Visa Services, U.S. Embassy London

Traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program after January 20?

If you are traveling to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, you are required to register under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization before boarding the air or sea carrier.  If you fail to do so, you should expect to be denied boarding by the carrier.

I registered under ESTA a couple of weeks ago and it was successful. At the time I didn’t print a copy of the registration as I didn’t think it necessary. Now my travel agent is saying that unless I can provide a copy of the form I will not be able to travel. How can I retrieve the form as I did not save it!

If you did not keep your reference number it is not possible to retrive your registration.  You will be required to re-register.  The old number will automatically be cancelled, and a new number generated for you. You may want to check with the tour operator exactly why they are asking you to furnish a copy of the registration.  If travel has been authorized under ESTA the information is transmitted...

I have attempted to register under ESTA but the site appears to be down. Is there another site that I can use?

We are aware that travelers have been experiencing problems logging on to the ESTA site when using the web browser Google Chrome.   If you are one of those travelers affected by this, we suggest that you use a non-beta browser to register.  But remember that there is only one official site and that is https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov which is free to all users.

I am confused. I have a valid U.S. visa do I also need to register under ESTA?

If you hold a valid U.S. visa you are NOT required to register under ESTA before traveling to the United States.  ESTA applies only to those traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.   If you have yet to determined your eligibility to travel visa free, let our Visa Wizard  help you decide.

I recently submitted my ESTA application on a non-government website. I have been charged a fee, which I am refusing to pay because I now realise that I could have registered for free on the Embassy’s website. Is this ESTA valid?

As you know the U.S. governement does not charge a fee for registering under ESTA.  If  you have not used the official U.S. government website to submit your regsitration, we recommend that you re-register on the offiical site at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.  Before dong so, you should check out your eligibility to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.  Remember only those travelers eligible...

Can I hold more than one ESTA? I cannot remember if I filled in more than one form!

You need not be concerned.  If you have registered more than once, any subsequent registration will override the initial one.  You can check on the status of your ESTA registration by visiting the official ESTA website.   You will require your registration number in order to do this. If you have lost your registration number, then you will be required to re-register.

Traveling to Puerto Rico?

The visa requirements for Puerto Rico are the same as for mainland USA.  If you are eligible to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, you will not require a visa if your visit is for business or tourism and is for less than 90 days.  If you are not sure if you qualify for visa free travel, let our Visa Wizard help you decide.  If you are not eligible to travel visa free under the Visa...

I haven’t applied for ESTA yet, but I have just found out I have to go to the USA tomorrow. Can I still fill in the form and travel anyway?

Yes!   While it is recommended that a traveler complete a registration at least 72 hours before boarding the air or sea carrier, ESTA does accomodate last minute travel.  In most cases, the traveler will receive a response within 4 minutes of submitting the registration.  We suggest that you get on line immediately and complete the registration form – https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

I’m having trouble filling in my ESTA form, and I can’t find an answer to my question on your “frequently asked questions” page. Is there anybody I can speak to at the Embassy, who can help me?

If you are experiencing problems in registration under ESTA, you may wish to contact the Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection’s call center in the United States.  Their phone number is 001 (202) 344-3710.   It is also possible to contact them by email through their website at www.cpb.gov.  Click on “questions” on the left-hand side of the page, “Find...

I filled in the ESTA form on-line, but my registration has been denied. What do I do now?

If your registration has been denied you are required to apply for a visa.  Before calling our  Operator Assisted Information Service to schedule an appointment, we suggest you review the following: Did you answer all of the eligibility questions correctly?  If you believe that you may have made a mistake you may submit a new registration, but must wait 24 hours before doing so. Did you enter the...