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The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). ESTA was mandated by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. [1] ESTA only authorizes travel to a U.S. airport, border, or port of entry, but admissibility into the United States is determined by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer upon arrival. The ESTA application collects biographic information and answers to VWP eligibility questions.
ESTA applications may be made at any time, but travelers are encouraged to apply at least 72 hours prior to travel. ESTA has an application fee of $4, and if approved, an additional fee of $17 is charged, for a total of $21. [2] After approval, the authorization remains valid for two years, or until the passport expires if earlier, for multiple trips during that period. [lower-alpha 1] Each person traveling under the VWP, regardless of age, needs a separate ESTA. [2]
ESTA is also needed for travel under the VWP to the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, but some of these territories have separate waivers for certain nationalities that do not require ESTA. [2] Travel to American Samoa requires a different electronic authorization or permit. [3]
Travelers were able to apply for ESTA in August 2008, and the authorization became mandatory for travel by air or sea from January 12, 2009. Since January 20, 2010, airlines may be fined if they do not require ESTA from passengers traveling under the VWP. [4]
Initially ESTA was available for free from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website. On September 8, 2010, following the Travel Promotion Act, CBP began charging a fee of $4 to cover administrative costs, and if the application was approved, an additional fee of $10 to fund the Corporation for Travel Promotion (also known as Brand USA [5] ), for a total of $14 for each approved ESTA. On May 26, 2022, the second fee was increased to $17, for a total of $21 for each approved ESTA. [2] The European Union criticized the fee when it was introduced, [6] [7] but later planned to also require an electronic travel authorization named ETIAS for a fee of €7 though the fee will only finance the ETIAS itself and not EU travel promotion. [8]
ESTA became required also for entry by land from October 1, 2022. [9]
On July 6, 2023, the validity of new ESTA applications from nationals of Brunei became limited to one year. On August 1, 2023, the validity of new ESTA applications from nationals of Hungary became limited to one year and to a single use. [2]
As of 2023, nationals of 41 countries may travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program: [10]
Visitors under the VWP may stay in the United States for 90 days, which also includes the time spent in Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the islands in the Caribbean if the arrival was through the United States.
Due to the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, those who have been in Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011, or in Cuba on or after January 12, 2021, or who are dual nationals of Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan or Syria, are not eligible to travel under the VWP. [14] [2] However, those who traveled to such countries as diplomats, military, journalists, humanitarian workers or legitimate businessmen may have this ineligibility waived by the Secretary of Homeland Security. [15] In any case, those ineligible for the VWP may still apply for a regular visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate.
In December 2018, CBP announced that instant ESTA approvals would no longer be available and reiterated that it "strongly encouraged" travelers to submit an online authorization request at least three days (72 hours) before traveling to the United States. [16] However, CBP's website still says that "In most cases, a response is received within seconds of submitting an application." [17] However, some immigration consultants report that decisions on ESTA applications can occasionally take longer than 72 hours, for example if the applicant had any U.S. visa refused before (even if declared on the application). [18]
Each travel authorization under ESTA can be valid for up to two years, for multiple trips during that period. [lower-alpha 1] However, travelers must obtain a new ESTA authorization if they are issued a new passport, or change their name, gender or country of nationality, or if any answer to their ESTA application eligibility questions changes. [2]
Each entry under the Visa Waiver Program is only valid for a combined maximum stay of 90 days in the United States and its surrounding countries. The admission period cannot be extended under the program. If a longer stay is intended, a visa is required. [2]
ESTA does not guarantee entry to the United States. CBP officers make the final determination of admissibility (entry) to the United States and may cancel or deny ESTA at any time during travel, for example for suspicions of giving false information in the application.
The applicant must provide the following information:
Some websites offer to complete ESTA applications for a fee, often many times more than the required fee charged by the U.S. government. Access and application through the official U.S. government website are available to any travelers who qualify under the VWP program. Prevention of such "ESTA fee scams" was made more difficult when the mandatory U.S. government fee was imposed, as previous public education efforts focused on getting out the message that ESTA applications were free of charge and anybody requesting payment was an unauthorized third-party. [20] Third-party websites try to make themselves look legitimate by using official-sounding web addresses and posting logos that resemble the U.S. government emblem. They may or may not contain a small disclaimer at the bottom of the page that says they are not associated with the U.S. government.
Even if one of the third-party websites is used, passengers themselves still have to complete the same form. [21] Concerns have been raised that third-party sites could be used for identity theft, credit card fraud, or the distribution of malware. [20]
A visa is a conditional authorization granted by a polity to a foreigner that allows them to enter, remain within, or leave its territory. Visas typically include limits on the duration of the foreigner's stay, areas within the country they may enter, the dates they may enter, the number of permitted visits, or if the individual can work in the country in question. Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter a territory and thus are, in most countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country. In each instance, a visa is subject to entry permission by an immigration official at the time of actual entry and can be revoked at any time. Visa evidence most commonly takes the form of a sticker endorsed in the applicant's passport or other travel document but may also exist electronically. Some countries no longer issue physical visa evidence, instead recording details only in immigration databases.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is a program of the United States federal government that allows nationals of specific countries to travel to the United States for tourism, business, or while in transit for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa. It applies to all fifty U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as to Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, which also have an additional program with waivers for more nationalities; American Samoa has a similar but separate program.
Form I-94, the Arrival-Departure Record Card, is a form used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intended to keep track of the arrival and departure to/from the United States of people who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents. While the form is usually issued by CBP at ports of entry or deferred inspection sites, USCIS can issue an equivalent as part of the Form I-797A approval notice for a Form I-129 petition for an alien worker or a Form I-539 application for extension of stay or change of status.
The visa policy of Australia deals with the requirements that a foreign national wishing to enter Australia must meet to obtain a visa, which is a permit to travel, to enter and remain in the country. A visa may also entitle the visa holder to other privileges, such as a right to work, study, etc. and may be subject to conditions.
Visitors to the United States must obtain a visa from one of the U.S. diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt or Visa Waiver Program countries.
NEXUS is a joint Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection-operated Trusted Traveler and expedited border control program designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members of the program can avoid waits at border entry points by using reserved lanes at land crossings into Canada and the United States, by using self-serve kiosks at airports in Canada, the US and some international locations, or by phoning border officials for a marine entry. A NEXUS membership card is a valid document under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), so it can be used in place of a passport, including by air if flying between the US and Canada. However, carrying a valid passport is still recommended, in the rare event that a flight is diverted to an airport without NEXUS support.
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is the implementation of the requirement to show a passport or other acceptable document to enter the United States, for nationals of certain North American jurisdictions who were previously exempt from it when traveling within the Americas. The requirement was mandated by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, enacted in 2004 in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and implemented in phases between 2007 and 2009. According to the United States Department of Homeland Security, the purpose is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for both U.S. citizens and foreign visitors.
The visa policy of the Schengen Area is a component within the wider area of freedom, security and justice policy of the European Union. It applies to the Schengen Area and to other EU member states except Ireland. The visa policy allows nationals of certain countries to enter the Schengen Area via air, land or sea without a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Nationals of certain other countries are required to have a visa to enter and, in some cases, transit through the Schengen area.
A B visa is one of a category of non-immigrant visas issued by the United States government to foreign nationals seeking entry for a temporary period. The two types of B visa are the B-1 visa, issued to those seeking entry for business purposes, and the B-2 visa, issued to those seeking entry for tourism or other non-business purposes. In practice, the two visa categories are usually combined and issued as a "B-1/B-2 visa" valid for a temporary visit for either business or pleasure, or a combination of the two. Nationals of certain countries do not usually need to obtain a visa for these purposes.
Global Entry is a program of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to receive expedited clearance upon arrival into the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports and via the SENTRI and NEXUS lanes by land and sea. As of May 4, 2018, Global Entry was available at 53 U.S. airports and 15 preclearance locations. By April 2018 more than five million people were enrolled in Global Entry and approximately 50,000 new applications for the program were being filed each month.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents entering Canada by land are required to possess the requisite documentation, such as a passport, driver's license, and other valid identification documents. They must also meet other criteria, such as passing security measures, before they are allowed entry into Canada. Consequently, travelers must also meet the requirements for re-entering the U.S. at the end of their visit.
The visa policy of Canada requires that any foreign citizen wishing to enter Canada must obtain a temporary resident visa from one of the Canadian diplomatic missions unless they hold a passport issued by one of the 53 eligible visa-exempt countries and territories or proof of permanent residence in Canada or the United States.
The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) is a travel document issued to business travellers who are citizens of APEC participating economies. Valid for five years, the card eliminates the need for its holder to possess a visa when visiting other APEC participating economies as long as pre-clearance has been obtained during the application process.
Visitors to Argentina must obtain a visa from one of the Argentine diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.
Most visitors to Bahrain may obtain a visa on arrival or an e-Visa before traveling.
Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status is one of the forms issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. It is used by people currently in the United States in a non-immigrant status to change the classification for their status and/or extend their stay with their current status. Both the current status and the status to which the transition is being sought must be non-immigrant visa statuses.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is a planned electronic authorisation system of the European Union for visa-exempt visitors travelling to the Schengen Area, as well as Cyprus. ETIAS is planned to cost €7 for 3 years validity or until the expiry of the passport, whichever is sooner. As of August 2024, the ETIAS is planned to come into force by May 2025 with a planned six-month transition period.
The United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is an advance travel permission required from foreign nationals who intend to visit or transit the United Kingdom without a visa.
The Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 is an Act of Congress that adds some requirements and restrictions to the Visa Waiver Program, which allows nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States without a visa. Among other requirements, the act disqualifies those who had previously been in certain countries of security concern or who are dual nationals of those countries, making them ineligible to travel to the United States without a visa under the program.
An electronic visa (E-Visa) and an electronic travel authorization are digital travel permits commonly required in conjunction with a valid passport for entry into specific jurisdictions. These electronic travel documents have gained prominence in the modern era of digital connectivity and streamlined travel processes.
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