Developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the ESTA form is an online travel document. Made mandatory in 2009, it was issued free of charge. In 2010, a fee will be charged. It should be noted that the ESTA form is reserved for citizens of countries covered by the Visa Waiver Program. What is ESTA authorization? Who is eligible? How much does it cost? These are just some of the questions we’ll be answering in this article for your future trip to the USA.
What do I need to know about the ESTA travel form?
The ESTA USA form is a document to be completed online, and not at the American embassy as you might think. To travel to the USA, all persons in the Visa Waiver Program are required to provide this document before boarding a plane or ship bound for the USA. This requirement applies to both adults and infants wishing to travel to the USA. It’s worth pointing out that this USA visa waiver is only valid if the traveler does not intend to stay longer than 90 days in the U.S., and is visiting for business or pleasure.
Who can fill in the online questionnaire for a trip to the USA?
As mentioned above, the ESTA form can be completed by nationals of countries covered by the VWP (Visa Waiver Program). Here is the list of member countries:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and United Kingdom.
Travel to the USA is possible for all these visa-exempt citizens if they hold a valid passport (biometric or electronic passport), are on a business trip or a tourist stay of up to 90 days, or are in transit en route to their final destination. If the traveler does not meet all these conditions, he or she is not eligible for ESTA and must apply for a U.S. visa at the U.S. embassy.
How much does the ESTA travel form cost?
The ESTA form is accessible to all, making it an attractive authorization for travel to the United States. There are two ways to apply for an ESTA: via a private website, or via the official U.S. government website. You’ll receive the same official authorization whether you place your order on a private website or on the official U.S. government website.
Make a request on the U.S. government website
The application can be made on the government website, simply by filling in a multi-step questionnaire. However, no assistance will be provided. Make sure you fill in every field correctly, and don’t make any mistakes. The American authorities leave no stone unturned. Filing your application will cost you $14.
Making a query on a private site
For personalized assistance, many private sites offer their services to ESTA applicants. There will be an additional charge, but all you have to do is fill in a simplified form, and the private company will take care of the application for you.
In all cases, there is no free authorization to travel to the USA, so you’ll need a credit card to pay for your order and travel to the United States. If ESTA authorization for a temporary stay is refused, the applicant must contact the US embassy to apply for a visa. Note that an electronic or biometric passport is also required to obtain a visa.
What information do I need to fill in the online form?
Personal information is required when you apply for a travel authorization. To begin with, you’ll need to identify yourself by giving your name, date of birth and, above all, your passport details (passport number, issue date, expiry date, etc.). Next, you’ll need to give details of your trip, i.e. the reason for your trip and your address in the USA. A questionnaire consisting of closed questions (you can only answer yes or no) will finalize the application.
You will be asked to provide information so that the U.S. authorities can verify whether or not you are eligible to enter the United States. The U.S. immigration service will only give you an answer once it has processed the information you provided when you applied online.
The ESTA document is valid for two years, which means you can carry out your planned stay in the USA and return to American soil if you feel you need to, provided you hold the same valid passport as when you applied, and you stay in the USA for a maximum of 90 days each time.
