Everything You Would Want To Know About ESTA

ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization. It is a system that determines the eligibility of a non-native to visit the United States under the VWP (Visa Waiver Programme). Visa Waiver Programme allows nationals of certain countries to visit the United States for business or pleasure. Visitors can stay for a maximum of 90 days without obtaining a visa. All countries are not a part of VWP, and not every traveller from VWP countries can use the program. Applying for authorization through the ESTA is a prerequisite for VWP travellers.

ESTA does not pertain to a visa. Instead, it is just a travel authorization, a mandatory requirement for entry in the US from any of the 40 countries that are a part of the Visa Waiver Programme.

The ESTA application process is online-driven, which means you are not required to give a visa interview at the embassy or consulate. The main difference between ESTA and Visa lies in that ESTA does not guarantee entry to the US unless approved by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. Otherwise, an ESTA visa waiver permits holders to board a commercial flight or cruise ship heading for the US.

US Customs and Border Protection has also issued traveller categories who are no longer eligible to visit the US under the Visa Waiver Program for security reasons. From April 1, 2016, it has also been mandated for travellers to own an e-passport to be eligible to use VWP. It claims e-passport proves to be a secure passport because of its embedded electronic chip. The E-passport is readily identifiable in the wake of the unique international symbol on its cover.

ESTA is meant to be used to travel to the United States for up to 90 days. The purpose of the visit could be either tourism or business. One also needs it to transit through the country if you are heading for another destination.

Here is more information about the qualifications for ESTA membership. If one wishes to apply for an ESTA visa waiver, one needs to fill out the online form first. The fundamental details asked are:

• Personal details: full name, date of birth, family, and employment information

• Passport details: the country where passport got issued, passport number, and expiry date

• Contact details: permanent residential address and email addresses

• Travelling reason: business, tourism, or transit

After submitting all the required details, one is directed to ESTA processing fees. Same shall be paid using a debit or a credit card, which shall be the conclusion of the process from your end. ESTA takes one business day to process and approve most applications. Rarely do some applications take longer to process. Approvals for ESTA visa waiver are received via emails.

The ESTA visa waiver remains valid for two years or until the passport expires. As ESTA is linked to the passport, in the case the passport expires it automatically becomes invalid. Further information can be obtained from ESTA’s website.