Apply for an ESTA after visiting Iraq, Libya, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Somalia or Yemen

Apply for an ESTA after visiting Iraq, Libya, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Somalia or Yemen.

Travelers who have been in certain countries after 1 March 2011 are not eligible for an  United States ESTA . The same is true for travellers who are or were in possession of a passport that was issued by one of these countries. It comes to the following countries:
•        Iran
•        Iraq
•        Syria
•        Sudan
•        Yemen
•        Libya
•        Somalia
 
Were you on holiday in one of these countries  after 1 March 2011? Or did you visited one of these countries related to business, study or family matters? If the answer is ‘yes’ you cannot apply for  an ESTA. You must apply for a visa at the Embassy in Amsterdam.

How to apply for an Esta after visiting a country before 1 March 2011?

Have you been in one of the above countries before March 1  2011  then you can apply for an ESTA. You can apply your ESTA online and it’s not necessary to make a special appointment at the Embassy. This saves you significant time and cost.

The U.S ESTA and your Passport (s)

If you are in possession of a passport that was issued by Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Yemen or Somalia than you cannot apply an ESTA for the United States. Even if you are no longer in possession of such a  passport. Some people have two passports, issued by different countries.  So it’s possible that one has a passport issued by one of the countries belonging to the Visa Waiver Program (including Belgium and the Netherlands) and also owns a passport that is issued by one of the above countries.
A traveller with a passport that is issued by one of the countries from the Visa Waiver Program may request an ESTA United States. However, this rule is void if this traveller also has or had a passport from one of the above mentioned countries.

An ESTA Application Form for America

If you want to request an ESTA you can arrange everything online. You should check and fill in the ESTA form and answer all questions truthfully. In addition to personal information such as name and address, you should also answer other questions. So there are questions for the names of your parents, questions about your physical health. You also must give information about your passport. One of the questions you need to answer is if you visited after March 11, 2011 countries as Iraq, Syria, Libya, Iran, Sudan, Somalia or Yemen. If this is the case, you are not eligible for an ESTA.  

Not eligible for an ESTA? What to do?

If you don’t qualify for an ESTA America does not  always mean that you are not allowed to travel to America. You have to follow a different route and  must contact the Embassy.People with a purpose other than tourism or business or travelers who want to stay longer than 90 consecutive days in America should apply for a visa at the Embassy. An ESTA is not enough. Travelers who want to study or work in America or want to live in America must also apply for a visa.If you have visited in the past (after 1 March 2011) one of the following countries you also must apply for a visa. These countries are: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Yemen or Somalia. This also applies to travelers who have or had a passport issued by one of these countries.

 

ESTA: apply now