ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization)

ESTA is the abbreviation for “Electronic System for Travel Authorization”, an electronic travel authorization system used in the United States of America (USA). With this system, the government aims to increase the security of the Visa Waiver Program. Citizens of countries participating in this program do not require a visa for the USA.

However, since January 12, 2009, all persons traveling to the USA by air or sea without a valid visa are required to apply for an electronic permit (= ESTA USA) in advance. Children are also affected by this provision. The permit is only valid for the journey to the country; as in every country, the responsible border officials decide on entry locally. The Department of Homeland Security uses the system to compare the data of registered US travelers with the national law enforcement and wanted lists.

Almost all Europeans are allowed to travel to America without a visa if they meet certain conditions. This rule also applies to citizens of Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile. You do not need a visa to the United States if you:

• present a valid passport
• are traveling to the United States for no more than 90 days
• you are traveling for leisure or business purposes or are in transit
• fre a citizen of a country participating in the Visa Waiver Program
• have an electronic travel authorization (ESTA USA)
• you are traveling with a transportation company that is contracted to participate in the Visa Waiver Program.
• have a return or direct ticket
• you do not end your trip in a neighboring territory or on a neighboring island

In order to obtain an electronic authorization for the USA, it is necessary to fill out a corresponding form on the ESTA website. The application should be submitted at least 72 hours before departure to the United States. It is subject to a fee. The information requested includes all passport details including passport number, date of issue and expiry, travel dates, security questions (including illnesses, drug abuse, criminal record) as well as your address (1st overnight stay or rental car station) and contact person in the United States. You must also provide a contact person for emergencies. For payment, the system will ask for credit card information and a billing address.

If you order ESTA for the USA via Buch-Dein-Visum, our staff will fill out the ESTA form quickly and correctly for you and send you a confirmation by e-mail. You do not need a credit card, but have the option of paying for the digital document securely and conveniently with us. While you make your travel plans, we will take care of the formalities.

Once you have completed the application process, you will receive a personal number which you can use to check the status of your ESTA and, if necessary, update your data afterwards. As a rule, travel authorization is granted within a few seconds or minutes. In cases where verification is necessary, you may have to wait up to 72 hours. Unlike a visa, you will not receive an entry in your passport. All data is stored digitally for the US immigration authorities.

With an electronic travel authorization, you have the option of staying in the USA for up to 90 days without a visa. The permit is usually valid for two years - unless your passport expires or is revoked. You are free to enter the United States multiple times. The respective destination address can be changed on the application website using the personal registration number. It is important that the ESTA USA travel authorization is still valid at the time of entry; it may expire before the return journey.