ESTA

APPLY FOR YOUR ESTA ONLINE

After months of planning and waiting, it’s finally time to leave for the USA! To help you make the final preparations with complete peace of mind, we’ve put together a practical guide to obtaining your ESTA online.

ONLINE ESTA: A MANDATORY FORMALITY?

Since 2009, the ESTA has enabled millions of people to travel to the USA for up to 90 days without needing a conventional visa. The ESTA attracts the vast majority of travelers due to its low cost and simplicity, as well as its two-year validity. The main condition for applying is to be a national of one of the countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program(VWP).

The purpose of this formality is to allow U.S. customs to verify your identity and the reasons for your trip beforehand. In exchange, you don’t need to obtain a USA visa, which is much more time-consuming and costly. It’s a win-win situation for travelers and the U.S. government alike. Thanks to the success of this approach, Canada has very recently introduced a similar authorization.

Our customers often ask us if it’s possible to apply online: you should know that it’s only possible to apply for an ESTA online!

WHERE CAN I GET AN ESTA ONLINE?

There are several ways to apply for your ESTA online. You can use the official U.S. Customs and Border Protection website, where you’ll find the full 6-part form, accessible by clicking on the “new application” tab.

The ESTA online form contains questions about :

  1. Your identity (surname, first name, address, passport number, etc.) ;
  2. Your state of health (present and past) ;
  3. Your criminal record ;
  4. The reason for your trip. You can apply for ESTA without any specific plans.

Note: The online ESTA application will be automatically rejected if your passport is not electronic or biometric.

Our team of seasoned travelers knows from experience that filling out a lengthy form can be stressful. Indeed, the slightest error in filling in the ESTA form online can be the reason for a refusal. You need to be careful with numbers and spaces in the information you enter. To help you make your dream come true, our platform offers you a simplified form in French, as well as a thorough check of your information and, if necessary, correction of any mistakes, as quickly as possible.

Whichever method you choose, applying for an ESTA is not free: you’ll need to pay a minimum of $21 to complete the form for your official ESTA online. The application will be processed within a maximum of 72 hours, although the vast majority of travelers receive their document within a few minutes.