Travel formalities

Why did the USA introduce the ESTA declaration?

13 November 2025 comments off

The ESTA declaration was introduced by the US government to safeguard US national security for travelers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program.

Thanks to the ESTA document, travelers can get to the USA very easily. Like the U.S. visa, the ESTA is an official travel document that must be presented at the time of boarding. The ESTA form is required by immigration authorities for all eligible persons wishing to travel to the USA for tourism, business or transit purposes.

Filling out an ESTA authorization request makes it possible to know the identity of all persons entering the United States by air or sea.

ESTA implementation

The ESTA declaration was launched in 2009, to replace the visa waiver scheme introduced by the US administration. There are now 41 member countries, mainly from the European Union, but also including Japan, Israel, Australia and Taiwan.

The ESTA declaration has two main purposes:

  • make it easier to enter the U.S. by avoiding all the red tape involved in applying for a visa;
  • monitor border access and maintain optimum internal security through precise control of traveler profiles.

ESTA online application formalities

The ESTA online form is only available on the Internet, unlike the USA visa, which requires you to visit a U.S. consulate (or embassy) in person. To obtain your Temporary Resident Permit, simply apply on the website of the general agency that oversees ESTA issuance (U.S. Customs and Border Protection). You can also apply on private websites offering individualized assistance.

Before proceeding with the online application, which is essential for your trip to the United States, you need to make sure you have a biometric or electronic passport. The ESTA document is incompatible with older-generation passports, such as machine-readable passports. You should also check the validity date of your passport. If it expires before your stay in the USA, your ESTA application will certainly be rejected.

Once you’ve decided to apply, all you have to do is follow the instructions provided on the site. To do this, you need to answer all the questions posed correctly and accurately.

It’s important to note that no matter where you apply for ESTA, you’ll always have to pay the administrative fees associated with the application. The ESTA is not free, contrary to popular belief. To pay this fee, you’ll need a credit card (Master Card, Visa, American Express…).

ESTA declaration approved: what next?

If the American authorities decide to grant you ESTA authorization, you are officially entitled to visit the United States of America. One of the main advantages of the ESTA is that it allows an unlimited number of trips on American soil during its period of validity. However, the length of each stay is regulated. Travelers can use their ESTA declaration for up to 90 days. Beyond this period, the U.S. government considers the trip as a long stay, and a visa application must be submitted to the U.S. embassy.

If your electronic or biometric passport expires during the ESTA validity period, your authorization to travel to the USA will no longer be valid. If you plan to travel to the USA in the future, you will need to apply again, repeating the same process as for your first application.

ESTA declaration refused: how to stay in the United States?

Although ESTA refusals are rare, they do occur. In general, the rejection of an ESTA application can be explained by one of these causes:

  • an unintentional error was made when filling in the ESTA questionnaire. It is then possible to place another ESTA order. To do so, the traveler must complete the online form again, this time providing the correct information;
  • the applicant does not meet the ESTA eligibility criteria. This is particularly the case if the applicant is applying for an internship in the USA, or is not a national of one of the VWP signatory countries.

An ESTA refusal does not mean that you are barred from entering the USA, but it does mean that you are unable to travel without a visa. To ensure that your plans to travel to the USA are still viable, you will need to go to the US embassy or consulate general to apply for a visa.