ESTA Step-by-Step Guide

General Information

Before starting your ESTA application, you should make sure to have the following documents ready:

Information about the applicant

During the first step of your application you must provide personal information such as your full name, date of birth, gender and your place of birth.

E-Mail Address

Please ensure that you enter a valid email address to receive any necessary updates, changes and important information about your Esta status. You will receive your ESTA approval via the E-Mail address you entered.

Check both your E-Mail inbox and junk mail folder. This will help you to avoid missing any important messages.

Passport information

To apply for an ESTA, you need to provide your passport information. This includes your passport number, the expiration date of your passport, and the country that issued your passport.

Passport expiration date

Whilst your ESTA does not need to be valid for the entirety of the duration of your stay in the US, your passport must remain valid for at least six months after your arrival.

Nationality or citizenship from another Country

You will be asked questions about wether you have an other citizenship/nationality at the time of the ESTA application.
"Are you now, a citizen or national of any other country?"
If so you must answer this question with "Yes" and provide the Country of Citizenship / Nationality and select how you aquired the citizenship / nationality from this country ? This can be through ancestry if one or both of your parents are citizens of this country or through naturalization if you have applied for and obtained citizenship.

Other citizenships in the past

If you have been a citizen or national of any other country in the past you must answer this question with "Yes" and select which country.

Contact Details of the Applicant

You must enter your current contact details such as your address and telephone number.

Phone number

Enter a phone number (incl. the country code) where you can be reached.
If you don't have a phone number, you can enter the phone number of a contact person (your parents or a friend).

Home address

You will be asked to provide your home address when applying for ESTA.

Names of parents

You must enter the name of your parents. If you do not know the name of your parents, please enter "unknown".

Employment Information

You are required to provide information on your employment when applying for ESTA. If you have a current or previous employer, you must enter the name, address, and phone number of your employer.

You can also enter : self-employed or student.

However, if you have never been employed in any form, you can answer the question about your employment with "No".

Address and Emergency Contact Information

Providing emergency contact information when applying for ESTA is a standard procedure used by US authorities to contact someone in case of an emergency, such as a natural disaster, an accident or a medical emergency.

This contact can be someone inside or outside the US, such as a family member or a friend.

This information is used as a precautionary measure to ensure your safety and wellbeing and to provide support in case of an unforeseen event. It allows emergency services to quickly get in touch with a designated contact person if necessary, ensuring that your family or loved ones are notified promptly and that any necessary support or assistance is provided as quickly as possible.

US Contact Information

A US contact is required during the ESTA application process to help authorities contact you in case of an emergency while you are in the United States.

If you plan to a trip between different locations, you can enter a place where you will be staying. This can be the contact information of a hotel or a location you will visit in the US.

If you don't have a planned accommodation you can enter "unknown", however it is very much recommended to provide this information to ensure efficient communication with the authorities in case of an unforeseen event. Providing a US contact also demonstrates your commitment to comply with all regulations and laws during your stay in the US, which may improve your chances of being approved for ESTA.

Upload your passport

You must now upload a copy of the data page in your passport. The photo, personal details, and expiration date must all be clearly visible and readable. The file must be uploaded as jpg, jpeg, or png.

Important Information

If you are travelling children, each child must have their own valid passport in order to qualify for ESTA.

Complete the ESTA Security Questions

These questions help to verify your identity and prevent people with criminal backgrounds or those who pose a threat to national security from entering the country. This questions may include queries about your previous travel and employment history, as well as inquiries about your personal background and biographical data. Answering these questions truthfully is essential for your ESTA to be approved.

Question 1

Do you have a physical or mental disorder, or are you a drug abuser or addict,; or do you currently have one of the following diseases (communicable diseases are specified pursuant to section 361 (b) oft he Public Health Service Act: a. Cholera b. Diphtheria c. Tuberculosis d. Plague e. Smallpox f. Yellow Fever g. Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers, incl. Ebola, Lassa, Marburg, Crimean-Congo h. Severe acute respiratory illnesses capable of transmission to other persons and likely to cause mortality

Question 2

Have you ever been arrested or convicted for a crime that resulted in serious damage to property, or serious harm to another person or government authority?

Question 3

Have you ever violated any law related to possessing, using, or distributing illegal drugs?

Question 4

Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?

Question 5

Have you ever committed fraud or misrepresented yourself or others to obtain, or assist others to obtain, a visa or entry into the United States?

Question 6

Are you currently seeking employment in the United States or were you previously employed in the United States without prior permission from the U.S. government?

Question 7

Have you ever been denied a U.S. visa you applied for with your current or previous passport, or have you ever been refused admission to the United States or withdrawn your application for admission at a U.S. port of entry?

Question 8

Have you ever stayed in the United States longer than the admission period granted to you by the U.S. government?

Question 9

Have you travelled to, or been present in Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011?

After completing the ESTA Security Questions

If you had to answer "yes" to a security question on your ESTA application this may trigger additional scrutiny from immigration officials, but it does not necessarily mean that your application will be rejected.

In this case you must be prepared to provide additional details and documentation if requested.

Remember that ESTA is not a visa and does not guarantee entry into the United States, but rather determines your eligibility to travel under the Visa Waiver Program.

If your ESTA Application gets denied, you can still apply for a US visa instead.

Select a service package

Step 6 : Select a payment method

You can make a payment via MasterCard, VISA, American Express or PayPal.