VISA USA

ESTA application for travel authorization

Submit a new ESTA application for visa-free entry to the United States of America.

We strongly recommend that you complete the travel authorization at least 72 hours before your departure to the USA. You will not be permitted to board the aircraft without approved authorization.

As of May 11, 2023, neither a vaccination nor a COVID-19 test is required before traveling to the USA. All restrictions related to the pandemic are lifted after more than 3 years.

ESTA application form

Check out the application process step by step.

1. Fill out the application form

The application form contains information about your trip, your contact information and your passport details.

2. Pay fee for the ESTA

You pay the administration fee associated with the application. Payment can only be made by credit card, PayPal or bank transfer. The administration fee is 112€.

3. Wait for the approval

Approval is granted within a few hours in 99 % of cases. In normal cases, the maximum processing time is 72 hours.

Receive ESTA authorization valid for 2 years

With the approved travel authorization, you can travel to the USA at any time for a period of up to 90 days!

OFFIZIELLES ESTA

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO TRAVEL WITH ESTA?

You are a citizen or qualified national of a country program for visa-free entry. The EU is part of the program.
You currently do not have a visitor visa.
Your trip will last 90 days or less.
You plan to travel to the United States for business, leisure, medical treatment, or transit.

WHAT DO I NEED TO HAVE FOR THE APPLICATION?

You need a valid passport issued by a Visa Waiver Program country.
You need a valid passenger´s email address.
You need the passenger´s home address and telephone number.
You need a telephone number and an e-mail address for the passenger´s emergency contact.
The fee for the ESTA application is 112€. Accepted payment methods include MasterCard and VISA cards, PayPal and bank transfer.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE REQUESTED:

Aliases or other names of the passengers (if any).
The passenger´s national identity card or personal identification number (if any).
The passenger´s Global Entry number / NEXUS / SENTRI (if any).
The address and name of the passenger´s employer (if any).
The name, address, and telephone number of the passenger´s contact in the USA (if any).

OFFIZIELLES ESTA

INFORMATION ABOUT THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM

The VISA Waiver Program for travel to the USA is known as ESTA. You can apply for ESTA instead of applying for a Visa, if your visit of the USA has one of the following reasons – tourism, business, medical treatment or transit through the territory of the USA (for example when traveling to Central and South America, Australia, New Zealand and French Polynesia.)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do you need help?

What is the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA USA)?

To strengthen the security of travel to the USA under the Visa Waiver Program, the requirements for visa-free travel have been tightened. Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries can still travel visa-free, but must obtain a travel registration authorization before traveling to the US.

ESTA is not a visa. It does not meet the legal requirements to be used in lieu of a US visa in cases where a visa is required. Travelers with valid U.S. visas may travel to the U.S. for which the visa was issued. Travelers with valid visas do not need to apply for ESTA. As with a valid visa, ESTA approval does not guarantee entry into the USA.

Approved ESTA applications are valid for two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. ESTA is also valid for multiple trips to the USA without travelers having to apply for a new ESTA registration. When traveling to the USA with an approved ESTA registration, each stay can last up to 90 days. However, there must be a reasonable amount of time between visits to avoid giving the impression that you are trying to live in the USA. However, there is no specific requirement as to how long you must wait between visits. Travelers whose ESTA applications have been approved but whose passports have a validity period of less than two years will receive an ESTA registration with the same validity period as the passport.

It is recommended that you apply for ESTA registration as soon as you learn that you will be traveling to the U.S. under the ESTA program. If your ESTA registration expires during your stay in the USA, this will not affect your departure.

Who can apply for ESTA?

You can apply to enter the USA under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) using ESTA in the following cases: You plan to travel to the U.S. for less than 90 days for business, family, tourism, medical reasons, entertainment or transit purposes (route to another country). You have a valid passport issued by a participating Visa Waiver Program country authority (EU is part of this program).

What is the difference between ESTA registration and a visa for the USA?

An approved travel registration is not a visa. It does not meet the statutory or legal requirements to be used in cases where a visa to the USA is required. Persons with valid visas are allowed to travel to the United States for which the visa was issued. Persons holding a valid visa do not need to apply for travel registration.

How does the US government protect personal data and who has access to it?

Applicant data entered on the ESTA website is subject to the same stringent measures and controls that are required for similar traveler screening programs. Access to this data is only possible for those employees who need it to carry out their professional duties.

When will I know if the ESTA application has been approved?

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA USA) processes applications within 72 hours. In most cases, the application will be processed within 24 hours of submission and you will be notified by the email you provided on the form.