US Entry Authorization without visa - ESTA

ESTA is an electronic system for authorizing entry to the USA. Using the system to obtain an entry permit allows you to visit the USA without needing a regular visa, saving both time and money. The maximum period of stay in the USA with ESTA is 90 days. Working in the USA with an ESTA permit is prohibited. For those planning to work, study, or stay in the USA for more than 90 days, ESTA is not suitable, and they must apply for an appropriate visa.

ESTA is the most suitable option when:
• The purpose of the visit to the USA is for tourism, business, visiting, or a combination of these purposes.
• The length of stay in the USA does not exceed 90 days per visit.
• You do not intend to work in the USA (i.e., receive payment from an American entity).
• You are in transit in the USA, connecting to a flight to another country.

A visa is the most suitable option when:
• The purpose of the visit to the USA is to study, work, or engage in journalism.
• The duration of the planned stay in the USA is over 90 days.
• You are traveling to the USA, and your stay will be financed by an American entity.

Citizenship and Passport Requirements
• You must hold citizenship from one of the countries participating in the US Visa Waiver Program (most European countries, except Romania and Bulgaria).
• You must have a valid passport from that country, which must be valid for the entire duration of your stay in the US.
• The passport must contain a biometric chip, which is standard in all regular passports, including those for children (e.g., German Kinderreisepass). Emergency passports typically do not have such a chip.

Purpose of Travel

• An ESTA entry permit can be used for business, tourism, visiting family or friends, medical treatment, or for a connecting flight to another destination.
• You are allowed to work for pay during your stay in the US only if your employer is based outside the US. This includes visiting clients, suppliers, attending conferences, and other meetings.
• It is strictly forbidden to be employed by and receive financial compensation from an American employer. Activities such as studying, extensive investments, journalism, participating in prize-winning sports competitions, working as an aircrew member, and traveling as an artist are prohibited with an ESTA and require an appropriate visa.

* Green card holders or US citizens cannot apply for ESTA.

• You only need to complete and submit the application form through the ESTA system, make payment via credit card and within 72 hours you will receive a confirmation via email.
• When completing application form, make sure you have your passport ready in hand, fill out the form from top to bottom, starting with your personal details followed by your travel plans. The travel plans are preliminary and not binding, so any changes made to your plans will not affect permit approval. The application submission should not take more than 15 minutes.
• Once the form is completed, proceed to payment. This can be done easily and securely by using a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Isracard).
• The immigration service will then start processing your application. If everything is in order, your request will be approved within three days, but urgent requests can be processed within one to two hours.
• Your ESTA approval is valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. During this period, you can use it for multiple entries.
• It is highly recommended (though not mandatory) to update your travel details before each trip to the USA through the ESTA Center system.
• After receiving confirmation, you can check-in at your airline's counter or website. While it is recommended to print the certificate, you can also present it on your mobile phone.

• Yes, every traveller, regardless of age, must have a valid ESTA or visa to enter the USA.
• The ESTA application process for children is the same as for adults.
• Additionally, adults traveling with a child to the USA should have documentation proving they are the child's parents or legal guardians. While this document is not required when submitting the ESTA application for the child, it is recommended to have it before arriving in the USA.

• When you apply for a US ESTA through this system, the result is typically sent within 24 hours, though it can take up to 72 hours depending on the workload of the US government immigration system.
• If you need approval more urgently, you have the option to choose the urgent application process. In such cases, confirmation is usually sent within two hours of submitting the application.

• The application fee for the ESTA visa exemption program is the same for each person, regardless of the number of applicants. You can expedite / speed up the approval process by paying for the urgent service.
• Payment can be made using a Visa or MasterCard credit card (including Isracard). After completing the payment through the secure system of the ESTA CENTER, you will receive a receipt invoice directly to your email.

• No, it's not possible to extend an entry permit under the ESTA program.
• You will need to apply for a new US entry permit. To do so, click the "Submit Application" button above.

• No, you don't need to have any bookings when applying for ESTA.
• However, you must have a confirmed booking for your onward or return flight when you check in for your flight to the USA.
• If you're traveling by private plane or boat, an ESTA is not sufficient, and you must apply for a visa.

• It is highly recommended to print your ESTA certificate.
• Most airlines are not synchronized with the US border control service and cannot verify your ESTA status directly with American authorities.
• If you don’t present the printed ESTA certificate to the airline, you might not be allowed to board the plane. Therefore, it's best to have a printed copy ready in advance.

• The name on your ESTA entry permit must match the name in the lower part of your passport. This is found in the two lines containing the symbols "<<<" at the bottom of the information page.
• If the name on your ESTA matches the name in the lower part of your passport (after the country prefix), then everything is fine, and you can travel to the US without any problems.
• If the error in your name is due to punctuation, it might be a mistake on your part. In this case, the ESTA approval is not correct.
• If another person's name is listed or part of your name is missing, it might be due to your browser's autofill function.

You are solely responsible for making sure all the details are correct before making the payment. The only way to correct any mistakes afterwards is to apply for a new ESTA.

To apply for ESTA, you must declare that you do not pose a risk to US security by honestly answering all the security questions on the application form. If you meet all the following conditions and submit the application correctly, your permit is almost certain to be granted.

Here are the conditions:

• You are not a risk to yourself or others (physically or mentally).
• You have never committed a crime that caused serious property damage or injury.
• You do not use drugs and have never violated any drug-related laws.
• You are not involved in terrorism or espionage.
• You have never violated any laws related to a US visa.
• You have never had a US visa application rejected (a rejected ESTA application is not an issue).
• You have never been denied entry to the United States nor have you been deported from the country.
• You have never visited Cuba.
• You have not travelled to Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and/or Yemen after March 1, 2011.
• You do not hold citizenship in Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and/or Yemen.

It is relatively rare for a US entry permit application to be rejected, and the American Immigration Service does not disclose the reason for rejection. Possible reasons include:

• You hold American citizenship.
• You did not disclose additional citizenship.
• You are suspected of a criminal offense.
• Your name appears in an Interpol database.
• You are traveling with a reported lost or stolen passport.
• You may pose a risk to US security.
• You are inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Law (Article §212).
• You previously attempted to violate US visa laws.
• You have been denied entry to the US or deported in the past.
• You have overstayed in the US beyond the legal limit.
• Your previous US visa application was rejected.
• You visited Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and/or Yemen after March 1, 2011.
• You are a citizen of Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and/or Yemen.
• You have visited Cuba.
• You do not meet other ESTA program requirements.

Important note: to minimize the chance of the rejection of your application, we recommend using the ESTA CENTER system you are currently using.

What can you do if your application is rejected?

• First, verify that your passport details were correctly entered in the application form. If there was an error, you can submit a new application.
• If your passport details were correct, submitting another ESTA application will not help, as it will likely be rejected again. But usually, the reason lies elsewhere.
• You can always apply for a US visa. Our system can assist you with this process.
• During the visa interview at the embassy, you may learn the reason for your ESTA rejection, and you can provide a justifiable explanation regarding the matter.
• If all issues are resolved, you will be granted a visa and can travel to the USA.

Please note that the system cannot bear responsibility for any damages resulting from a submitted US entry permit application, a late or rejected visa. You can read more about this in the general conditions section.

Our website processes a significant amount of personal information, including passport numbers, ID numbers, and passport photos. The ESTA CENTER system ensures that your data is protected in accordance with the strictest current privacy regulations (GDPR). To guarantee this:

• We employ advanced organizational and technological precautions.
• Your data is processed only through secure, encrypted connections.
• Your data is deleted immediately when no longer needed.
• Your personal data is used solely for processing your order and submitting your application through the ESTA CENTER system.
• We do not use your personal data for any commercial purposes.