Important Travel Document Information – Please Read
Travelling to USA for a short-stay of less than 90 days for either leisure, business or transit, you MUST apply for an ESTA Visa Waiver. If you do not have a valid ESTA you will be refused at the port of entry when you reach the United States. It is important that all details on your application are correct to avoid problems with your travel.
USA Visa Options:
If you are not eligible for the ESTA Visa Waiver. you can select a B Visa instead and go through the full visa process.
A list of visa types for the USA, which include visa descriptions, can be found by clicking ‘Start Application.’
ESTA Visa Waiver Process
The ESTA visa applications information submission is completed online with no in-person requirements. After your submission, your details will be reviewed for errors and processed via the Department of Homeland Security system.
Results are usually determined within 24 hours of submission and the travel authorization is electronically linked to the passport used on the application. The authorization is valid for 2 years or until the passport expires, whichever occurs first.
Requirements For Applying For An ESTA
If you who want to apply for the ESTA Visa Waiver Program
- Must have followed the terms of all previous entries to the United States and not been declared ineligible for a visa in the United States.
- Must never have been convicted of, or arrested for, a moral turpitude-related offence or crime.
- Must not be inadmissible to the United States for any other reason, such as health or national security.
- You must be planning a trip to the United States for leisure, business, or transit.
Entry To The United States
An ESTA visa waiver enables a foreign person to go to a United States port-of-entry (usually an airport) and request to be granted permission to enter the country. We can ensure your ESTA visa waiver application goes smoothly, however, entrance to the USA is not guaranteed by an approved ESTA.
At the port of entry, authorities from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have the power to grant or refuse entrance to the United States. The CBP officer will give you an entry sticker or a paper Form I-94, known as an Arrival/Departure Record, if you are permitted to enter the United States.
List of ESTA Countries
To be eligible for a ESTA under the visa waiver program, a traveler must be a citizen of a country that has been recognized as a “programme country” by the United States Secretary of Homeland Security in conjunction with the Secretary of State.
Under the visa waiver program, citizens of 40 countries and territories will be able to enter the United States without a visa starting in 2021. The complete list is as follows:
Andorra
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Chile
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Republic of Korea
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
San Marino
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
United Kingdom
Passport Requirements
The Visa Waiver Program only allows visitors with passports that have certain security measures to travel. The following are the requirements for the Visa Waiver Program:
- On the biographic page of the passport, there must be a machine-readable zone.
- The passport must be an electronic passport with a digital chip carrying the passport owners biometric information.
- To use the VWP, all travellers must have an e-passport as of April 1, 2016. An e-Passport, signified by the symbol, is a more secure passport with an electronic chip placed within. E-Passports are issued by the appropriate passport issuing authority and must comply with international standards for the security and storage of information related to the passport and bearer.
All Visa Waiver Program countries must issue passports that include a digital photograph on the data page, or its nationals will be forced to seek a visa to enter the United States. A digital photograph, as opposed to one that is glued or laminated into the passport, is one that is printed on the page. It appears to be similar to the one to the right.
Travelling Without an ePassport
If your passport lacks this function, you can still travel without a visa if you meet the following criteria:
- You are a citizen of a country that joined the Visa Waiver Program before 2008 and have a valid passport with a machine-readable zone issued before October 26, 2005, or you are a citizen of a nation that joined the Visa Waiver Program after 2008.
- You have a “e-Passport,” which has an integrated computer chip that can save biographic information from the data page, as well as a digital photograph and other biometric data.
- If your passport was issued on or after October 26, 2005, and it does not match the above criteria, you will need to apply for a visa.
All Visa Waiver Program countries must include a machine-readable zone on their passports. A machine-readable passport features two lines of text at the bottom of the personal information page, along with the bearers image, in the form of letters, numbers, and chevrons ().
Required For An ESTA
ESTA applications are completed entirely online, no supporting documents are required. You will just require your passport on hand to enter in your details on the electronic form.
Once submitted, you will receive a result within 24 hours, no further action is required after the initial submission.
For detailed information on specific parts of the USA visa process, you can refer to the links in the table on the right to find the answer to your query. If you are unable to find any particular information, please contact us via email.
Other USA Visa Types
Any foreign national wishing to travel to America must have a visa. There are several options depending on the purpose of your visit:
What to do if your ESTA visa is refused?
If you believe that your application was denied in error, you may visit the DHS/TRIP website and submit a request for redress through the DHS Travel Redress Inquiry Program. If a traveller is denied ESTA and his or her circumstances have not altered, a subsequent application will similarly be declined. The most prevalent causes for ESTA application rejection
Had extensive criminal histories in the past and was convicted; thus, he or she is appealing or disputing the verdict. In the past, VISA or ESTA applications had been denied. Previously, overstayed when visiting the United States. Before applying for an ESTA visa, you should evaluate all possible backgrounds.
People also asked...
Visitors that travel from countries who are participating in the Visa Waiver Program are in deed eligible for an ESTA Visitor Visa Waiver.
These countries include but are not restricted to:
- United Kingdom (UK), British Citizens
- Ireland, Irish Citizens
- New Zealand (NZ), New Zealand Citizens
You will need an ESTA for any vacations / holidays to America. Every member of your family will require an ESTA, regardless of age. This is valid for 90 days, you can travel to multiple states during this time. Any travel longer than that will require a full visa.
You can appeal any rejections at the embassy. You may want to seek legal help / advice for future Visa Applications.
90 days. Once your ESTA is granted it lasts for up to two years. During this period, you are allowed to make an any number of trips to the United States. Each isolated stay can last a maximum of 90 days
In some cases you can get an ESTA for a business visit, providing it is unpaid. It is okay for the company to pay for any expenses such as accommodation or flights. If you will be paid for any of your time spent in the US, you will need to apply for either a B1 Visafor Business Visitors or another of the many work visas available.
If you wish to stay in the USA for over 90 days You must apply for a stay in the U.S. for more than 90 days, regardless of your reasoning. Apply for a B1 visa if you are traveling to the U.S. for employment or business purposes (which involve remuneration).
Working with an approved ESTA visa waiver in the USA is allowed, provided you do not take direct employment with an American firm. Travellers are no allowed to take payment for any work done in the USA, as long as the paying party is located outside of the United States of America.