The ESTA is an official travel document required by air and sea transport companies for eligible foreign nationals. It is specifically designed for people who can travel to the USA without a visa. Introduced in 2008 by the US Congress, it became mandatory in January 2009. For just over a year, it was possible to fill in the ESTA form free of charge. Since September 8, 2010, however, the ESTA document has been subject to a fee.

The fee-paying ESTA: a new document for travel to the USA

The ESTA document is intended for nationals of countries benefiting from the Visa Waiver Program. This means that instead of showing a visa when boarding or arriving in the United States, these citizens can use ESTA authorization.

The ESTA is easier to obtain than the USA visa. However, this does not mean that the temporary travel authorization is available to all citizens of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program. The ESTA document is only issued for tourist, business or transit visits to the USA.

The other sine qua non condition for obtaining an ESTA is that your trip to the USA must not exceed 90 consecutive days. If, for example, you are planning a roadtrip to the USA lasting more than three months, or an internship in the USA, the American authorities will not grant you an ESTA.

The fee-paying ESTA form is not intended to replace the U.S. visa, as each authorization has its own characteristics and conditions.

The information you provide will be used to establish your profile and determine your eligibility to enter the United States. Please note that the information you provide will remain confidential.

Where and how to apply for an ESTA?

An ESTA application can be made on the U.S. government website. It takes the form of a quick questionnaire.

For your ESTA authorization application to be valid, you must answer the above questions accurately.

The online form asks for a variety of information: marital status, passport number, reason for stay, criminal record, health problems, etc. This data is then analyzed by U.S. customs computer systems to determine whether or not you represent a threat to U.S. homeland security. This data will then be analyzed by U.S. Customs computer systems to determine whether or not you represent a danger to U.S. homeland security.

Payment of your ESTA application

Please bear in mind that payment of your application for authorization to stay in the USA in no way guarantees that the American government will issue your ESTA document. The priority is to meet all the eligibility criteria defined by US Customs and Border Protection.

Two methods of payment are accepted for ESTA fees:

• via Paypal ;
• by credit card (Master Card, Visa, American Express…).

Your ESTA request will cost a minimum of $40, which is equivalent to the administrative fee imposed by the US government.

Applying for a new travel authorization: free or paid ESTA?

Have you already obtained ESTA authorization in the past, but it has now expired? To renew your ESTA, just follow the same procedure as for your first application. You will have to pay the fees for a new application. So even if you renew your ESTA, you’ll still have to pay for it.

Please note that if you wish to travel to the United States, but your biometric or electronic passport expires before the ESTA expiry date, you will have no choice but to reapply for ESTA authorization using your new passport data. This formality will also entail the acquisition of a fee-paying ESTA.