As you may already know, an ESTA is one the required travel document to enter the United States. Therefore, you must comply with the American administration and be in possession of an ESTA if you intend to travel in the USA. However, the regulations of this document can be complex. Thus, it is better to inform yourself before your departure to know everything about the required formalities.

The USA ESTA Basic Rules

To be able to get a valid ESTA, you must be from one of the 37 countries which are registered in the Visa Waiver Program. If it is the case, you can submit the application online. Anyone wishing to stay in the United States for a tourist or business trip of less than 90 days must have this electronic document. Even if you simply have to transit on the American soil, you still must have it.

Any adult, but also any child, even very young, must apply for a USA ESTA. Minors have the same obligations as adults and must absolutely obtain it before their departure. You must complete the file online and pay the application fees. This USA official travel document cost is generally comprised between EUR 10 and EUR 80. There is no rate reduction for minors, not even for babies. A child must also have a valid passport.

The Deadline Rules for the Delivery of a USA ESTA

The ESTA delivery time can vary from a few minutes after the validation of your application to 72 hours, not more. This information allows you to plan enough time before your departure to be certain of obtaining the travel document on time. However, you should know that from the moment you obtained your USA ESTA, its validity begins to run. The form then remains valid for 2 years.

The important thing is to keep in mind that you should not stay more than 90 days on the American territory. After this time, you will be outlawed and liable to prison. On the other, if you lose your ESTA, it’s not a big deal. Indeed, this certificate can be easily verified electronically. The paper version is only a security since on boarding, the ESTA verification is done by computer.

Finally, when your document expires, you simply need to request a renewal. ESTA requires compliance with a certain number of rules to be aware of in order to obtain it. You must respect them and comply with them. Otherwise, your ESTA application will be refused.