Whether you are into luxury or budget travel, about to attend a big music festival in the States, ready to jump in a van before starting a Southwest road trip adventure or giving the last touches to your dream week in NYC, if you are planning to visit the United States in the upcoming weeks or months, you need to obtain an authorization before traveling to this country like it or not.
Good news is that if you are a citizen of one of the 38 countries included in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), you should qualify to use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and be granted authorization to enter the US multiple times up to 90 days each during the 2 years before the authorization expires. Then, you will have to renew it and start over.
Are You Eligible To Apply For The US Visa Waiver Program and ESTA?
Citizens of the countries that meet the requirements of the visa waiver program can obtain an ESTA easily. Here’s the complete list of Visa Waiver countries:
The United Kingdom, Taiwan, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, South Korea, Slovenia, Slovakia, Singapore, San Marino, Republic of Malta, Portugal, Norway, New Zealand, Netherlands, Monaco, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Iceland, Greece, Germany, Hungary, France, Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Chile, Brunei, Belgium, Austria, Australia and Andorra.
As stated before, if you hold a passport from these countries and, unless you are entering the United States by land from Mexico or Canada, you will need to apply for your ESTA in order to be granted access to the US.
Which Are The Basic Requirements To Obtain an ESTA?
- You can stay up to 90 days for business, tourism, medical treatment or similar reasons in the US.
- You must be a citizen or national of one of the 38 US Visa Waiver Program designated countries.
- You are planning roundtrip travel to (or travel through) the US on an approved air/sea carrier.
- You have not previously found ineligible for a US visa.
- If you’ve traveled to the US already, you have been compliant with previous admission conditions.
- You possess a valid passport that does not expire for at least six months after your planned departure from the US.
How To Apply For The ESTA?
The current USA ESTA process involves filling an online application form with personal data, submitting the required payment and normally, within minutes, receiving the results of the given application.
Therefore, before starting the process you will need to gather:
- Your personal data, address and phone number
- Your current and valid passport
- A working email address
- A debit or credit card for processing the payment at the end of the application.
Where To Find Online Qualified Assistance To Apply For The ESTA?
There are many agencies with a team of knowledgeable professionals for a worry-free and fast process a quick google search away.
With the plane tickets going down and lots of special deals, visiting the United States is becoming more affordable day after day. And now, with the US Visa Waiver Program and ESTA, it has become even easier to start exploring this country.
Start planning your US trip now and do not forget to apply for your ESTA in advance to avoid last minute complications.
What are you waiting for?