American Visa Bureau   »   American Immigration   »   Tourist Visa   »  ESTA Application Information

ESTA Application Information

The United States (US) Department of Homeland Security has implemented a mandatory Electronic System for Travel Authorization - the ESTA.

• The US ESTA can be obtained by making an online ESTA application.

Who needs to complete an ESTA application?

Only travellers who do not hold a visitor's visa for the USA and are eligible to travel on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) are required to complete an ESTA application. The Visa Waiver Program is not open to all nationalities. Please carefully check your nationality's requirements on the Visa Waiver Program page.

 Click here to complete the ESTA application for travel to the United States

What is the ESTA?

An ESTA approval is not a guarantee of entry into the United States, only an authorisation from the US Government that the traveller may board a carrier for travel to the US by air or sea under the rules of the Visa Waiver Program.

How long will it take for my ESTA application to be processed?

Please allow up to 1 week for the ESTA process to be finalised, though in most cases, an ESTA application will be processed instantly or within 1 business day.

 Need an ESTA? Click here for the ESTA application

What are the results that an ESTA application will receive?

ESTA applications will have one of three results:

• Authorization Approved
  The traveller is cleared to travel to the United States with their relevant travel documents (including, but not limited to, a valid passport).
• Travel Not Authorized
  The applicant is not cleared to travel to the United States you will require a full visa for travel, for which the American Visa Bureau can not assist you with.
• Authorization Pending
  The request required further detail for a decision to be made.

If an ESTA application is approved, it is valid for multiple entries into the United States.  An ESTA is valid for up to two years, or until the traveler's passport expires.

Please note that an ESTA is mandatory, but does not guarantee admission into the United States at the port of entry.  An ESTA only authorises a traveler to board an air or sea carrier to travel to the United States.

The final decision to authorize entry will be made by U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the port of entry.

 Travelling to the USA? Make sure you complete your ESTA application before you travel