Nationals benefiting from the Visa Waiver Program can travel to the USA with the ESTA document. This new formality is easy to obtain. In fact, it can only be obtained via the Internet, and there’s no need to go to an American embassy.
ESTA requirements
Most of the countries covered by the Visa Waiver Program are on the European continent. In all, 38 countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program. If you are a national of one of the following countries, you can apply for ESTA:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and United Kingdom.
You must also be in possession of a valid passport that covers your entire stay. The passport must be biometric (with fingerprints) or electronic. Please note that if you change your passport, you will need to apply for a new ESTA. This is because the ESTA is intrinsically linked to the passport number.
The American authorities are keen to control who comes and goes on American territory. That’s why you’ll need to use an approved airline or shipping company to travel to the USA with an ESTA.
You will only be authorized to travel to the USA if your trip meets certain criteria. Your stay in the USA must not exceed 90 consecutive days. In addition, only business, tourist and transit trips are accepted. For any other reason, you will need to apply for a US visa.
The ESTA is an electronic travel authorization, meaning that it is electronically linked to your passport. In other words, you don’t have to print out the ESTA USA. If, for your own peace of mind, you’d like to have a printed version of this document, that’s perfectly possible. Before we guide you through the printing process, let’s take a look at how to fill in the ESTA form.
How do I fill out the ESTA form?
Unlike the old I-94 W paper form, which had to be filled out on board the plane or ship, the ESTA form can be filled out at any time. However, the traveler must complete it no later than 72 hours before departure. The ESTA form consists of a series of questions which the traveler must answer, or risk having his authorization refused.
You’ll find the online form on the official U.S. government website, or on a private site. On the official site, the ESTA application takes around twenty minutes. On a private site, you fill in a simplified form, and the team in place will then apply online on your behalf.
The questions concern the traveler’s identity, contact details, physical and mental health, passport, purpose of travel to the USA, drug addiction, terrorist or espionage connections… Once completed, the form is validated by payment of the authorization request. The response is almost immediate, except in certain cases (ESTA pending, in which case a response is given within 72 hours).
If your ESTA application is rejected, don’t panic. You can reapply if the refusal is due to a mistake, typo or error. If the refusal is due to a breach of the admission conditions, you will need to apply for a U.S. visa.
How do I print an ESTA?
Once approved, you can immediately download and print your ESTA document. You can even do this free of charge from the website where you made the request.
As stated above, no one will ask to see a printout of your ESTA authorization, neither immigration officials nor the airline or shipping company. However, a printout of your ESTA may be useful to remind you of its expiry date, so that you can take the appropriate steps (new application, USA visa application, etc.).
When do I need to reprint the form?
The ESTA is valid for two years from the date of issue. Travelers can enter the U.S. several times during this period, provided their passport remains valid. The ESTA is available on the official website or private platform. You can print it out as many times as you like.
