APPLYING FOR AN OFFICIAL ESTA

All travelers wishing to visit the United States must first obtain a USA visa or ESTA travel authorization. If you are a citizen of one of the countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, you are required to apply for an official ESTA. We’ll explain the process in this guide to obtaining your document.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN OFFICIAL ESTA APPLICATION?

Before starting the process, it’s important to be aware of the requirements for obtaining an official ESTA, to avoid having your application rejected by the U.S. government. As mentioned above, only nationals of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program can apply for an ESTA. Eligible persons can then travel to the United States, for tourism or business, for stays of up to 90 consecutive days.

• For tourism: travel around the country, alone or in a group, visit family and friends, take part in a variety of cultural activities, visit national parks, enroll in non-credit courses leading to a university degree, and more.
  
• For business: attend meetings, sign contracts with partners or take part in short-term, unpaid training courses.

The ESTA certificate remains valid for two years, allowing multiple trips or simply transit through the USA using the same authorization. However, there is a list of prerequisites that must be met in order to obtain the travel authorization:

• The passport must be an electronic or biometric passport from one of the VWP countries;
• The passport must be valid for the entire duration of the trip;
• The trip is not scheduled to last more than 90 days;
• Airline or cruise tickets (return or onward) must be purchased in advance of the request;
• The airline or shipping company you choose must be recognized and approved by the U.S. government.

If you meet all the criteria imposed by the U.S. authorities, you can then apply by filling in the dedicated form.

HOW TO APPLY FOR AN OFFICIAL ESTA?

An official ESTA application can only be made online, and requires a passport and about twenty minutes of free time. It’s not free, but it doesn’t cost much either: $21. You can access the travel authorization form via the U.S. Customs website, or through specialized private companies. If you’re not sure when to apply for ESTA, keep in mind that the sooner the better!

The form is divided into three parts:

1. First part: information about your identity (surname, first name, date and place of birth, gender, etc.);
2. Second part: information about your passport (number, date of issue, expiry date, etc.);
3. Part 3: a series of yes/no questions about your current and past health, your criminal record, or whether you intend to commit a terrorist act on American soil.

The U.S. government takes homeland security very seriously, and can be tough on ESTA applications that contain errors. All it takes is a simple typing error or the wrong passport number to have your application automatically rejected. To give yourself the best chance of success, you can call on our team of experts in travel formalities. We’ll take care of the entire process, verifying and correcting the information you submit to ensure that your application meets the U.S. government’s expectations. We guarantee the success of your official ESTA application and its delivery straight to your inbox. Thousands of people place their trust in us every year – why shouldn’t you?