ESTA - ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is an automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). This basically means that you do not have to apply for a full visa if you are and Australian (or from another approved country) travelling for a holiday for under 3 months.
We recommend that you apply for ESTA authorisation as soon as you know you will be traveling to the United States so that you have enough time to address any issues that may arise (this is rare unless you have been convicted of a serious crime).
We recommend that you apply for ESTA authorisation as soon as you know you will be traveling to the United States so that you have enough time to address any issues that may arise (this is rare unless you have been convicted of a serious crime).
There is only one website for ESTA and that is the Department of Homeland Security.
All other websites are scams. The below is the correct link.
All other websites are scams. The below is the correct link.
It is a mandatory requirement that all travelers to the US (including Hawaii) have an ESTA or a valid US visa. Travelers traveling on valid visas are not required to apply for an ESTA. In the same way that a valid visa does not guarantee admission to the United States, an approved ESTA is not a guarantee of admission to the United States.
Approved ESTA applications are valid for a period of two years, or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, and multiple trips to the United States without the traveler having to re-apply for another ESTA. When traveling to the U.S. with the approved ESTA, you may only stay for up to 90 days at a time - and there should be a reasonable amount of time between visits so that the CBP Officer does not think you are trying to live here. There is no set requirement for how long you must wait between visits.
Travelers whose ESTA applications are approved, but whose passports will expire in less than two years, will receive an ESTA valid until the passport's expiration date. If your ESTA expires while in the U.S., it will not affect your departure.
If you have already had a ESTA authorisation, you will need a new one if:
Approved ESTA applications are valid for a period of two years, or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, and multiple trips to the United States without the traveler having to re-apply for another ESTA. When traveling to the U.S. with the approved ESTA, you may only stay for up to 90 days at a time - and there should be a reasonable amount of time between visits so that the CBP Officer does not think you are trying to live here. There is no set requirement for how long you must wait between visits.
Travelers whose ESTA applications are approved, but whose passports will expire in less than two years, will receive an ESTA valid until the passport's expiration date. If your ESTA expires while in the U.S., it will not affect your departure.
If you have already had a ESTA authorisation, you will need a new one if:
- Your old one has expired
- You are issued a new passport
- You change your name (first and/or last)
- You change your gender (ESTA does not currently have a gender X to choose from on the application. It is suggested that the traveler choose whichever choice they feel most comfortable with. ESTA will not be denied solely on the gender chosen on the application.)
- Your country of citizenship changes
- Your circumstances change, e.g., you are convicted of a crime of moral turpitude or you develop a contagious disease. Such a change may require you to get a visa to travel to the U.S. You must re-apply and your application must reflect the change in your circumstances or you may be denied entry upon arrival in the United States.
Find out all of the Covid-19 requirements at our dedicated Covid-19 page
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