The United States is one of those places that if you haven’t been to, it always seems like a brilliant place to go visit on holiday. And if you think that, then you’re definitely not wrong. It’s got every climate you could want, whether you want to spend time in the cold north or in the balmy tropical south. The only problem – how to get there? You might think that you can book your flight and hotel and all’s said done, but the reality is that you need to do a little bit more legwork to be able to enter the country legally. That’s there ESTA comes in.
Maybe you’ve heard of ESTA, maybe you haven’t. It’s a travel authorization that lets you travel into the US if you’re a passport holder of one of the valid Visa Waiver Program countries. What’s more, this form is super quick to fill out, and even quicker to be approved. Compared to traditional visas, which can take a long time, this option can get you approved to travel to the US for a holiday in as little as a few minutes. Score!
Step 1: Getting your passport ready
The first step to getting it is making sure your passport is up to date, and a biometric passport. This means it has a chip in it confirming that the information written inside is correct. It also has a machine-readable passport number. If your passport is an older version, then you won’t be able to apply, so make sure to get yours renewed if it’s not right! Next thing is the expiry – you’ll need to have a valid passport with at least 6 months left on the validity AFTER you arrive in the U.S. If it’s going to expire three months after you arrive? No can do, I’m afraid.
Step 2: Apply for ESTA
The next thing you’ll want to do is apply for ESTA – this is a pretty painless process, but you need to do it correctly. You’ll be asked to fill in information about various things. Your passport information first, then personal information such as if you’re employed, with whom, and what you’ve got planned for your trip. This is just basic stuff to make sure you’re going as a tourist or on a business trip, not to live and work.
Step 3: Verify your eligibility
The next step, which is also the most important, is filling out eligibility questions. These are relevant to your background, such as if you have any criminal convictions, very contagious diseases, or if you’re planning anything nasty. Make sure to answer these questions honestly. Here’s an important point, though – if you are denied because of these questions, and then you go back and fill them out incorrectly to be approved? You’ll be made permanently ineligible for ESTA. Just don’t do it, trust me.
Step 4: Pay the fees
Having followed all of these steps, you’ll just need to pay and then you’re done. That wasn’t too difficult – plus the whole process will only cost you $14, and if for whatever reason your application is denied, then you’ll only be charged $4 out of that for processing. If you’re approved, then you’re all done! You’re free to travel to the U.S. on your holiday, at any point in the next two years. You can use it multiple times, too, if you feel like making more than one trip!
The whole process is easy as anything costs less, and takes less time than completing a regular visa. So what are you waiting for? If you’ve been thinking about visiting the U.S. and you’re eligible for ESTA, you’d be crazy not to apply.
