WHEN APPLY FOR an ESTA

How long in advance can I apply for an ESTA?

For your trip to America you need an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel authorization). The airline that takes care of your flight to the United States cannot allow you to go on board if you don’t have a valid ESTA. Your ESTA applications can be done quickly and easily online.
An ESTA is valid for two years from the time of issue. You can make your request thereby before your trip to America. Within these two years you  can travel several times to the United States with the same ESTA. Make sure that your passport and your ESTA are valid during your entire stay in America. 

When do I need to apply for a new ESTA?

An ESTA is valid for two years from the date of issue. There are a number of situations in which the validity expires earlier than these two years:

·        Your passport expires within the period of validity of your ESTA. In that case your ESTA is valid until the date that your passport expires because your ESTA is attached to your passport number. You need to apply for a new passport and a new ESTA.
·        You visited after your previous trip to America one of the following countries: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Sudan and Yemen. You cannot travel with an ESTA any longer. You need to apply for a visa at the American Embassy.
·        Your ESTA is no longer valid in the case of a change of your name, gender or nationality. You have to apply for a new ESTA with the correct information.
·         You moved since your previous travel to the United States to another country. You have to apply for a new ESTA.
·        Are there changes occurred in your health? Check if you need a new ESTA at the Embassy of the United States.
·        You are caught using drugs after your previous trip and application? You cannot travel no longer with only an ESTA. You have to apply for a new visa at the Embassy.
·        Did you committed a crime after your previous trip or are you caught by US customs staff on breaking rules? Please contact the Embassy.
·        If during a control of the Customs shows that you have left America a very short time  to extend your stay of 90 days to 180 days you may not be allowed to enter the country due to circumvent the rules. Our advice is: if you want to stay longer in the United States, contact the Embassy.

If your travel date, your travel purpose or your place to stay is otherwise than you have indicated on the ESTA then that's no problem, provided you meet all the conditions set by the U.S. Government.We encourage you to verify the validity of your ESTA before you travel to America.

Maximum stay in the United States with an ESTA:

Within the two years your ESTA travel authorisation is valid you may, if you wish, travel several times to the United States. You can stay up to 90 days per trip in America. After this period you need to leave the country.
Please note!  If you have visited Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean during  your travels (on the Caribbean is the length of stay 45 days!),the stay in those countries counts in the length of stay up to 90 days.

ESTA: apply now