Information about the ESTA USA

Do I need an ESTA? You need an ESTA if you travel to the United States for a holiday, business trip or transfer. It does not matter whether you arrive in the United States by air, (cruise) ship or by land. Children also need their own ESTA. If you do not have a valid ESTA, you will be stopped at check-in or when boarding. Only travellers with a US passport or visa, or a Canadian passport are exempt. You can also apply for a visa, but that is more expensive and takes more time. For a visa application, you need to visit an embassy or consulate. You can apply for your ESTA fully online.

What is an “ESTA”? The abbreviation “ESTA” stands for: “Electronic System for Travel Authorization”. This system is a security measure of U.S. Customs & Border Protection. Its purpose is to keep out unwanted travellers. When you apply for an ESTA, U.S. Customs & Border Protection will assess whether you potentially pose a security risk. If no risks are found, your application will be approved. An ESTA is not a physical document, but a digital travel authorisation. After approval, you will receive a confirmation in PDF format. You do not need to show this anywhere. During check-in, your passport number will be checked to see whether you have a valid ESTA.

Validity period of the ESTA

From the moment your ESTA USA is issued, it is valid for two years. During this validity period, you may travel to the USA an unlimited number of times. Each stay may not exceed 90 days. Visiting Canada, Mexico or a Caribbean island also counts towards these 90 days. Do you want to stay longer in the United States? Then you need to apply for a US visa. Will you be using a new passport? Then you will also have to re-apply for an ESTA with your new passport.

What activities are allowed in the USA when travelling with an ESTA?
With an ESTA, you are allowed to travel to America for a holiday, business trip or transfer. Visiting friends, family, business associates, meetings and conferences is also permitted. You may only perform paid work during your trip if your employer is located outside the United States. With an ESTA, you are not allowed to work for an American organisation. You are also not allowed to engage in journalistic activities, invest in American companies or study at an American educational institution.

Requirements of the ESTA USA

• You must abide by the coronavirus rules in the United States. These are determined by the US government, your airline and by the government of the country you are travelling to after you leave the USA.
• Travellers have to prove on arrival in the United States that they are planning to leave the USA in the future, by providing a return or transit ticket.
• If a Homeland Security officer suspects on arrival in America that you pose a threat to security or public order, you will not be allowed to enter the country, even if you have a valid ESTA or visa.
• Applying for an ESTA online is also necessary for trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the American Virgin Islands or the Northern Marianas.
• Travellers who after 10 March 2011 have been to Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya or Somalia, or who have ever held the nationality of one of these countries, cannot apply for an ESTA.
• Have you been in Cuba on or after 12 January 2021? Since Cuba is viewed by the United States as a financier of terrorism, you will not be able to apply for an ESTA. You can, however, apply for a visa.

Travellers that do not comply with the above-listed requirements for the ESTA visa risk deportation and subsequent pre-emptive rejections of all future applications for travel authorisations to the United States.

Apply for your ESTA online

You can easily apply for your ESTA with an online application form. Filling in this ESTA form will only take a few minutes. Next, you must submit a scan or photo of your passport. Applications are processed 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, even during holidays. You can also submit a group application with the same ESTA form. This makes it so you do not need to fill in the contact and travel details for each traveller again. You can pay for your ESTA safely with Visa, MasterCard, American Express or PayPal. Once your application has been approved, you will receive an email and text message. On average, this takes 3 days. You do not need to print anything.

Do you need your ESTA urgently? Indicate this on the application form by ticking the "urgent delivery" box. On average, urgent applications are approved after 60 minutes. However, even urgent applications can in exceptional cases be delayed by several days. U.S. Customs & Border Protection reserves the right to take longer to process your application and recommends applying for your ESTA as soon as you plan to travel to the USA.

You can start applying for your ESTA USA right away. You do not need to have a place of residence or contact person in the USA yet. You may also deviate from the expected date of arrival. Do you still have questions about the ESTA USA? Check the frequently asked questions.