U.S.A ESTA Visa Application Step-by-Step Guide
If you are considering travelling to the USA, Luxe Wanderer strongly advises that you read through the SmartTraveller website (https://www.smartraveller.gov.au) to check for any health & safety advisories. This is an Australian government website and can provide a myriad of details to ensure you are fully prepared and up to date on all the latest information. You can subscribe to their emailed travel news and updates HERE.
Initiating Your Application
Go to the official ESTA Visa website, a page within the official website of the Department of Homeland Security, which is the official visa portal for the USA.
You can either click the linked words above or copy and paste the following web address: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta
Click on the tab that says “Create New Application” which I have put a red box around in the screenshot on the left of this page.
Initiating Your Application cont.
The screenshot to the left is the instructions they provide on the main page of the website for your reference.
Initiating Your Application cont.
2. When you click on “Create New Application” you have two options:
“Individual Application” for if you are applying for one visa for a singular person.
“Group of Applications” for if you are applying for multiple at one time. A family trip would be a good example of when this option would be selected.
For the purpose of this guide, we are going to select “Individual Application”.
Initiating Your Application cont.
3. Read the Security Notification then click “Confirm & Continue”.
Initiating Your Application cont.
4. Read the Disclaimer and then click;
“Yes, I have read and understand and agree to these terms.”
5. Read The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 and then click:
“Yes, I have read and understand the information and agree to these terms.”
Application Page One
6. Next you are going to have to upload a photo of your passport identity page (the one with your photo and personal information on it).
Read the “Upload Your Passport” page for instructions then click “Upload Your Passport”.
Application Page One cont.
7. Upload Your VWP (Visa Waiver Program) Eligible PASSPORT
If you are completing your application on your smart phone, you can select “From Camera” to take a photo of your passport and upload it on the spot.
If you are completing it on your computer or have a photo saved on your phone that you took earlier, select “From Gallery”
Application Page One cont.
8. Once you’ve taken the photo of your passport and uploaded the file, it will appear in the large box in the middle of your screen. Below it will be your personal information as it also appears in your passport.
9. Review the information below the photo of your passport and if it’s correct click “Add To My Application”. If it’s not, click cancel and try again.
Application Page One cont.
Now that all the prepartory pop-up windows are done, you can finally start filling in the first page of your application.
Some key information will already be present as it was previously scanned from your passport. You’ll now need to go through and fill in the gaps for all sections that feature a red asterisk.
In Box 10 you should only need to fill in the Issuance Date of your passport using the dropdown menus. National Identification Number need only be filled in should your country issue you with one. Not all countries have this, therefore it is not a required piece of information.
In Box 11, you’ll notice that City of Birth and Country of Birth have not been pre-filled in. This is because you may have been born in a county different to that of your passport. Go ahead and fill in this information.
Box 12 pertains to those that either have duel citizenship / residency with a county other than the one that issued your passport or those that may have been a citizen or resident of a county other than the one that issued your passport in the past. If this applies to you, select “Yes” and fill in the details. If not, select “No”
Box 13 is where you’ll need to type in your email address (twice, as you need to type it again to confirm) so that all communication pertaining to your application can be sent to you.
Application Page One cont.
15. Next you’ll need to review a series of pop-up windows to verify a few key pieces of information. An example of one of them is pictured to the left.
16. If they’re correct, click “Confirm & Continue” for each.
If they aren’t, click “Cancel & Exit” so you can go back and make corrections.
Application Page One cont.
17. Email Verification: Here your email will be displayed as you wrote it in Box 13. Review it to check it’s correct and if it is then click “Send Code”. If it’s not, click “Change Email Address” to go back and correct it.
18. Enter the code that was sent to you then click “Submit Code”.
If it doesn’t appear and you’ve made sure to re-fresh your inbox and have checked your junk mail, click “Resend Code”.
Application Page Two
20. An alias name or AKA (also known as) is any name that has been used by the applicant in the past. Life events such as marriage and divorce result in many applicants with records associated with more than one name. It is possible that criminal records could exist under any prior name. Should this apply to you, then click “Yes” and fill in your details. If not, click “No” and continue on.
21. This pertains to what we discussed in Box 12. So if you have ever had a passport or national identity card issued by another country in the past, click “Yes” and fill in the details. If not, click “No” and continue on.
22. Fill in your address and telephone information here.
23. If you have a U.S. Customs & Border Protection Global Entry, Nexus or Sentri membership, click “Yes” and enter your details. If not, click “No” and continue on.
PARENTS: Fill in your parents’ names, Surname first and then their first (given) name. One per row.
24. If you currently have or have ever had a job, click “Yes” here and fill in the business information (name, address, phone number). If you have never had a job, click “No” and continue on.
25. Once you have completed the page, filling in all the places that a red asterisks appears, and are satisfied that they are all correct, click “Next” to move on to the next page. If you need to pause and come back to your application later, click “Save and Exit”.
Application Page Three
26. “Transit" would normally be considered arriving on one flight, and then departing the country on another flight leaving from the same airport, or at most a nearby airport. So if you are simply landing in the USA to change flights on your way to another country, click “Yes” and fill in any information required. If you will be exiting the airport to travel within the USA, click “No” and continue onto the next section.
27. If you are staying with a friend or family you can enter their name, address and phone number here. If not, you can put the name, address and phone number of the hotel you’ll be spending your first night in.
28. The answer to this can be the same as above. It would only be different if you knew someone in the USA who could act as your point of contact but you weren’t actually going to stay with them. For example, you may be visiting a friend or family but are intending to stay in a hotel or AirBNB.
29. Your emergency contact can be someone you know in the USA or someone back at home. Whomever it is, fill in their contact details here.
Note: one thing I noticed when I entered the mobile number of my emergency contact in Australia, the form didn’t accept the ‘0’ at the beginning, so just start from the second number in.
30. Once you have completed the page, filling in all the places that a red asterisks appears, and are satisfied that they are all correct, click “Next” to move on to the next page. If you need to pause and come back to your application later, click “Save and Exit”.
Application Page Four
31. Eligibility Questions: all of these are “Yes” or “No”. If your answer to any is “Yes” then click “Yes” and fill in the relevant details. Some may require a follow up interview at the U.S Embassy / Consulate in your nearest city.
32. Once you’ve answered the questions above and read the Waiver of Rights, make sure you click the box in the area marked “Certification”. if you are filling in the paperwork on behalf of someone else, click the box in the area marked “Third Parties Only” instead.
33. Once you have completed the page, filling in all the places that a red asterisks appears, and are satisfied that they are all correct, click “Next” to move on to the next page. If you need to pause and come back to your application later, click “Save and Exit”.
Application Page Five
34. You’re now at the end of your application and just need to do a final review of all the information you previously entered. Once happy that all your information is correct, click “Confirm & Continue” and move on to the next line.
35. Expand each line using the arrow ( > ) and check all the details are correct. If you need to make any corrections, simply click “Edit” in the top right corner of each line to go back and make the necessary changes.
Application Page Five cont.
36. As a final verification, re-enter your passport number, issuing country, family name (surname) and date of birth.
37. Once you have completed the page, and are satisfied that they are all correct, click “Next” to move on to the next page. If you need to pause and come back to your application later, click “Save and Exit”.
Application Page Six
Now you just need to pay for your visa and you’re all done.
38. You can either pay straight away or in a few days time. Just be mindful that if you elect to pay later, you must do so within 7 days or your application will expire and you’ll have to do it all over again from the start.
So if you’re ready to pay, click the box next to “Disclaimer” then click “PAY NOW”.
39. You can pay either via PayPal or using your Debit or Credit Card. If using PayPal it will next ask you to log in, and you can go through the usual process you do when making any online purchase.
For the purposes of this guide, I chose to pay by card.
Application Page Seven
41. The payment process for your visa is the same as any other online purchase. Simply fill in your name and address details, then your chosen card details.
42. Once you have completed the page, and are satisfied that everything is correct, click “Continue” to finalise your visa application.
You’ll get a receipt of payment emailed to you and then you’ll just need to keep an eye on your inbox for updates on the status of your application. Once approved, I would strongly recommend printing out the approval email to show customs upon entry to the United States.
To Check Your Visa Status
To check on the status of your application you can click on the “CHECK VISA STATUS” tab as pictured on the left. You can log back in using your passport details for individuals. For group applications you’ll be able to log in using the group application ID and the Group Point of Contact‘s details.
U.S.A ESTA VISA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please note that the questions and answers in this FAQ are direct from the official ESTA Visa website. They have been included here for your convenience.
They have more in the “HELP” tab should you have further questions.
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Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security recommends that travel authorization applications be submitted at least 72 hours prior to travel. Unless revoked, travel authorisations are valid for two years from the date of authorisation, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
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Select “Continue Existing Application” from the ESTA homepage and select “Individual Application”. Then you will need to retrieve your application by entering either your Passport Number, Date of Birth, and Application Number OR the Country of Citizenship, Passport Issuance Date and Passport Expiration Date. Once the application is successfully retrieved, you will be able to complete the application.
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Unless revoked, travel authorizations are valid for two years from the date of authorization, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. The Authorization Approved screen displays your travel authorization expiration date.
Your ESTA authorization is generally valid for multiple trips over a period of two years (starting the date that you are approved) or until your passport expires, whichever comes first*. This means that as long as you received an ESTA authorization to travel, you do not have to reapply during the validity period.
Note: Effective July 6, 2023, any new ESTA applications for citizens of Brunei using a Brunei passport will have a maximum validity period of one year.
Note: Effective August 1, 2023, any new ESTA applications for citizens of Hungary using a Hungary passport will have a maximum validity period of one year.
If your ESTA expires while in the U.S. it will not affect your departure.
Note: It is important to PRINT a copy of the document for your records. The printout is not required upon arrival into the United States, as the officers have the information electronically.
Receiving ESTA authorization does not mean you may stay in the U.S. for two years. It only allows you to travel to the U.S. under the terms of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which only allows you to stay in the U.S. for 90 days or less. If you plan to stay for longer than 90 days, you must obtain a visa at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
*If you obtain a new passport or change your name, sex or country of citizenship, you will be required to apply for a new travel authorization. This is also required if one of your answers to any of the VWP eligibility questions changes. The associated fee of US $21 will be charged for each new application submitted.
Note: CBP recommends that you apply for ESTA at the time you book your travel, but no less than 72 hours prior to boarding.
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The Web site will allow applicants to review and correct their data prior to submitting the application, including reconfirming the passport number. Prior to submitting an application with the required payment information, you can correct all application data fields except the passport number, passport issuing country, country of citizenship and date of birth. If an applicant made a mistake on their passport or biographical information he or she will need to submit a new application. The associated fee will be charged for each new application submitted. Any other mistakes may be corrected or updated by clicking “Check Individual Status” under “Check ESTA Status”. If the traveler made a mistake in answering the eligibility questions, please click on the CBP Info Center Link at the bottom of each page.
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The estimated average time to complete this application is 23 minutes.
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You are eligible to apply for admission under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) if you:
Intend to enter the United States for 90 days or less for business, pleasure or transit
Have a valid passport lawfully issued to you by a Visa Waiver Program country
Arrive via a Visa Waiver Program signatory carrier
Have a return or onward ticket
Travel does not terminate in contiguous territory or adjacent islands unless the traveler is a resident of one of those areas
Are a citizen or national of one of the Visa Waiver Program countries listed below:
Andorra
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Chile
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Republic of Malta
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Portugal
San Marino
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan[1]
United Kingdom
Establish to the satisfaction of the inspecting United States Customs and Border Protection officer that you are entitled to be admitted under the Visa Waiver Program and that you are not inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Waive any rights to review or appeal of the admissibility determination of the United States Customs and Border Protection officer, or contest, other than on the basis of an application for asylum, any removal action arising from an application for admission under the Visa Waiver Program.
Reaffirm, through the submission of biometric identifiers (including fingerprints and photographs) during processing upon arrival in the United States, your waiver of any rights to review or appeal of the admissibility determination of the United States Customs and Border Protection officer, or contest, other than on the basis of an application for asylum, any removal action arising from an application for admission under the Visa Waiver Program.
Not pose a threat to the welfare, health, safety, or security of the United States.
Have complied with all conditions of any previous admission under the Visa Waiver Program.
NOTE: British citizens only with the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
[1] With respect to all references to "country" or "countries" in this document, it should be noted that the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, Pub. L. No. 96-8, Section 4(b)(1), provides that "[w]henever the laws of the United States refer or relate to foreign countries, nations, states, governments, or similar entities, such terms shall include and such laws shall apply with respect to Taiwan." 22 U.S.C. § 3303(b)(1). Accordingly, all references to "country" or "countries" in the Visa Waiver Program authorizing legislation, Section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1187, are read to include Taiwan. This is consistent with the United States' one-China policy, under which the United States has maintained unofficial relations with Taiwan since 1979.
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An approved travel authorisation is not a visa. It does not meet the legal or regulatory requirements to serve in lieu of a United States visa when a visa is required under United States law. Individuals who possess a valid visa will still be able to travel to the United States on that visa for the purpose for which it was issued. Individuals traveling on valid visas are not required to apply for a travel authorisation.
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You can check the status of your ESTA as listed below: Individual Application: To check your ESTA status, go to the ESTA homepage, select "Check ESTA Status ", and then click "Check Individual Status". You will need to enter either your Passport Number, Date of Birth, and Application Number OR the Country of Citizenship, Passport Issuance Date and Passport Expiration Date. Group Application: To check your ESTA Group status, go to the ESTA homepage, select "Check ESTA Status", and then click "Check Group Status". You will need to enter Group ID, Family Name, First (Given) Name, Email Address, and Date of Birth for Group Point of Contact. If you do not know the Group ID, select the link "I do not know my Group ID" to retrieve your Group ID. The three possible responses to an ESTA application are:
Authorization Approved. Your travel authorisation has been approved and you are authorised to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. The system displays confirmation of the application approval and a payment receipt notice showing the amount or your payment. A travel authorisation does not guarantee admission to the United States as a Customs and Border Protection officer at a port of entry will have the final determination.
Travel Not Authorized. You are not authorized to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. You may apply for a visa from the Department of State for your travel. Please visit the U.S. Department of State Web site at http://www.travel.state.gov for additional information about applying for a visa. This response does not deny entry into the United States. This response only prohibits you from traveling to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. The system also displays a payment receipt notice showing the amount of your payment for the processing of the ESTA application.
Authorization Pending. Your travel authorisation is under review because an immediate determination could not be made for your application. This response does not indicate negative findings. A determination will usually be available within 72 hours. Please return to this Web site and choose "Check ESTA Status," and then "Individual Application." Your application number, passport number, and birth date will be required to check the status of your application.
NOTE: Details entered to retrieve an application must exactly match the information entered in the ESTA application. Any discrepancy between information entered to retrieve an application and the information entered in the application itself will result in a No Application Found or Application Expired message.
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All payments for electronic travel authorization applications must be made by credit card/debit card or PayPal. The ESTA system currently accepts only the following credit card/debit cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover (JCB, Diners Club). Your application will not be submitted for processing until all payment information is received.
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A new travel authorisation may be required in any of the following circumstances:
The traveller is issued a new passport
The traveller changes his or her name
The traveller changes his or her sex
The traveler's country of citizenship changes; or
The circumstances underlying the traveler's previous responses to any of the ESTA application questions requiring a "yes" or "no" response have changed.
Travel authorisation approvals will typically be granted for a period of two years or until the applicant's passport expires, whichever is sooner. ESTA will provide validity dates upon approval of the application. Therefore, a traveller must apply for a new travel authorisation when a prior ESTA authorisation or an applicant's passport expires. The associated fee will be charged for each new application submitted.
