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ESTA: Electronic System for Travel Authorization

united-states-of-america-visa-image Following the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, the United States made ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Administration) mandatory for all foreign nationals visiting the country via air or sea.

What is ESTA?

ESTA is basically an automated system that determines the eligibility of foreign nationals to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

The system was introduced by the United States authorities to strengthen the security in the country following the 9/11 terror attack.

It should be noted that an ESTA approval is enough for a traveler to board a carrier for travel to the United States under the VWP. Travel experts recommend all foreign nationals under the VWP program to apply for an ESTA at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel date.

In the ESTA application, the foreign national will be asked to answer certain biographical questions, and VWP eligibility queries.

Travelers should also understand that ESTA is not a valid visa, and this travel document does not meet the legal requirements to serve in lieu of a U.S. visa when a visa is required. It means, authorization via ESTA does not determine whether a foreign national is admissible to the United States. The admissibility of a foreign national to the United States is determined by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.

Note: An ESTA is not needed if a foreign national is arriving to the United States from Canada or Mexico via land. However, foreign nationals should be asked to fill an I-94W paper form.

As per latest updates, citizens of 39 countries including nationalities of the United Kingdom are eligible to participate in the Visa Waiver Program. However, British Subject passport holders with permanent abode status (The holder has the right of abode in the United Kingdom: written on their passport) are not eligible to apply for ESTA under the Visa Waiver Program.

What is the validity of an Electronic System for Travel Authorization?

An approved ESTA application will be valid for two years, or until the passport of the foreign national gets expired. It should be noted that foreign nationals visiting the United States using an ESTA are allowed to stay inside the country for only up to 90 days.

If the foreign national wants to stay more than 90 days, he or she should return to their home land, and should again visit the United States with a fresh ticket.

Please note that there should be a reasonable amount of time between your visits to the United States. If you visit the United States continuously without a gap between each visit, CBP officers may think that you are trying to live inside the United States, and they may deny your entry to the country.

In certain cases, a foreign national may be asked to apply for a new ESTA, and those circumstances are mentioned below.

If the foreign national is issued with a new passport from his motherland, he or she should have to obtain a new ESTA to enter the United States.
If a traveler changes his or her first name/last name.
If the traveler changes his or her gender.
When the country of citizenship of the traveler changes.
If the traveler gets caught for any criminal activities.
If the traveler develops any contagious disease.

How can I apply for an ESTA?

All the steps to complete the ESTA application can be completed online, and there is absolutely no need to visit the embassy. In order to complete the ESTA application, the foreign national should hold a valid passport from a Visa Waiver Program Country.

This passport should be valid throughout your intended duration of stay, and it should also have sufficient blank pages for visa stamping purposes.

While applying for an ESTA, the traveler should provide a valid email address, home address, and phone number. It is also necessary to submit details of traveler’s emergency point of contact, email address and phone number.

Apart from the above-mentioned details, it may be also required to give the below-mentioned information.

Traveler’s aliases or other names may be asked to enter in the ESTA application form.
It may be necessary to enter traveler’s national ID number.
If applicable, the traveler may be asked to enter his or her Global Entry ID number.
The ESTA application may ask details about the traveler’s employer and other contact details.
If applicable, you may be also asked to enter the name of your point of contact in the United States, his or her address, contact number and email id.

If you face any queries while filling the ESTA, you can contact Visa Genie, and we will be glad to assist you.

Note: Foreign nationals should understand that United States authorities are issuing ESTA for travelers who intend to visit the country only for tourism and business-related activities. If the foreign national is planning to enter the country for other activities, it is mandatory to obtain a visa. If authorities nab a foreign national for violating the rules, he or she will be compelled to face strict legal actions, and it includes immediate deportation.

Tips to take care while visiting the United States with an ESTA

While visiting the United States using an ESTA, you should make sure that the below-mentioned conditions are met.

The traveler should make sure that he or she is traveling with a passport that has sufficient period of validity and adequate blank pages.
It is necessary to hold onward/return ticket on a scheduled flight with a major airlines/Cruise company that is registered for ESTA’s.
The traveler should make sure that he or she is not staying in the United States mainland, Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean Islands above 90 days.
The foreign national should not have broken US immigration laws in the past, and it includes overstaying beyond 90 days in the US using an ESTA.

How many days should I need to wait to get the ESTA after completing the application?

After submitting the application form, you will get the ESTA within three days. So, it is highly recommended to apply for this Electronic System for Travel Authorization before 72 hours of your proposed travel date. Once your application is processed, you will receive the ESTA on your registered email. Please note that real time approvals are no longer available, and arriving at the airport without an approved ESTA will result in immediate deportation. To get ESTA in a very hassle free manner, you can contact Visa Genie, and our visa processing experts will assist you in each steps of completing the application form.