Eligibility requirements for ESTA electronic travel authorization are less stringent than those for U.S. visas. However, the American authorities don’t issue ESTAs to just anyone. To qualify for the Visa Waiver Program, you must meet certain specific conditions. In this article, you’ll find all the details you need to know about ESTA eligibility criteria, to make sure you’re in a position to apply for Temporary Resident Permission.
ESTA application requirements
To apply for an ESTA, you must first be a citizen of a country covered by the Visa Waiver Program. Member states include all the nations of the European Union, as well as New Zealand, Japan and Israel.
US Customs and Border Protection, the government body responsible for issuing ESTAs, requires travelers to have a biometric or electronic passport. As the ESTA document is an electronic authorization, it is electronically linked to the passport. It is essential to remember that you must travel to the USA with a valid passport. If your passport has expired or expires before your departure, the American authorities will categorically refuse your request for ESTA authorization.
To travel to the USA without a visa, the reasons for your stay are very restricted. There are three possible scenarios:
- tourist trip;
- business travel ;
- transit.
If you are traveling to the United States for any other reason, you will need to apply for a b2 tourist visa at the American embassy.
The length of your stay in the USA is also crucial. If you wish to benefit from ESTA authorization, please note that your trip must not exceed 90 days. For one more day, you’ll need an American visa. The above conditions entitle you to apply for ESTA travel authorization.
The ESTA form: an important step in selecting applicants
To apply for ESTA, you need to fill in an online ESTA form. This questionnaire asks for a great deal of information, in particular about your identity, your passport and the conditions of your trip to the USA. You’ll also have to answer a series of closed questions about your health, previous travels and criminal record.
The purpose of the ESTA questionnaire is simply to assure the American government that you pose no threat to its citizens. As such, if in analyzing your answers to the questions asked, the computer systems discover that you are a carrier of a transmissible disease, that you have already committed crimes or even that you have traveled to one of the Muslim Ban countries, you will probably face a refusal of ESTA authorization.
What does ESTA travel authorization entail?
Once you’ve obtained your travel authorization, you’ll have the right to board an air or sea carrier bound for the USA. However, this does not guarantee that you will be able to enter the U.S.: only border officials can approve your presence on U.S. soil.
To be sure of receiving your authorization on time, you must submit your request 72 hours before the day of your embarkation. If your request is approved, you will automatically receive a reply. In the case of a pending authorization, you will need 3 days for a final response.
The ESTA form is valid for two years. It can be used as soon as it is issued, and allows you to travel anywhere and at any time within the United States. However, if your e-passport or biometric passport expires before your ESTA expires, your travel authorization will no longer be valid, and you will need to apply for a new one online.