ESTA online form
Entry formalities for stays of less than 90 days can be completed directly online. There is no need to make an appointment at an American embassy or consulate to obtain ESTA travel authorization.
The online form can be completed in a few minutes if the applicant is in possession of his or her travel documents.
ESTA is part of the Visa Waiver Program. The U.S. Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of member countries to travel to the U.S. without a visa for tourism, business or transit purposes.
How long does it take to process an ESTA application?
Once the ESTA has been paid for online, the ESTA application is validated and ready for processing.
Processing is computerized and takes just a few minutes. This means that applicants may receive an ESTA authorization approval by email within a few minutes.
Sometimes the answer doesn’t reach the applicant in a matter of minutes.
In some cases, human intervention is required to validate the application.
The official ESTA website is committed to providing a response within 72 hours.
For more information, see our page explaining what ESTA is.
How long is an ESTA authorization valid for?
The ESTA is valid for a limited period of time. The initial validity period is generally 2 years. Under certain conditions, the validity period is reduced: for example, if the passport used to obtain the ESTA is no longer valid, then the ESTA itself is no longer valid.
Do I need to print my ESTA authorization?
The ESTA application process is 100% online.
The reply to the ESTA application is sent to the applicant by email only.
However, it is not necessary to have printed your ESTA before going to the airport.