इस गाइड में प्रत्येक चरण को संबंधित सरकारी पोर्टल पर एक लाइव आवेदन पूरा करके सत्यापित किया गया।
An ESTA is required if you are a citizen of one of the 42 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries travelling to the USA for tourism, business, or transit for up to 90 days. Check the current list of VWP countries on the US Department of Homeland Security website. Citizens of non-VWP countries need a B-1/B-2 visa instead.
Your passport must be an e-Passport (with an embedded chip — marked with the chip symbol on the cover). Passports issued before 2007 may not be e-Passports — check with your country's passport authority. Your passport must also be valid for your entire stay (US immigration does not enforce the "6 months beyond return date" rule for most VWP countries, but it is safest to have at least 6 months validity).
You can apply directly at the official ESTA website (esta.cbp.dhs.gov) for $21, or through a reputable service like VisaGov which adds a service fee for document checking and support. If you choose the official site, be cautious of lookalike websites — the official US ESTA URL is esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Many unofficial sites charge much higher fees.
The ESTA form asks for your passport details, travel plans, employment information, and a series of eligibility questions covering health, legal history, and previous travel to certain countries. Answer all questions truthfully — the ESTA is connected to US border systems. Have your passport in hand to avoid transcription errors.
The ESTA government fee is $21, payable by credit or debit card. If approved, $17 is the travel authorisation fee; $4 is the processing fee (non-refundable even if denied). Third-party services charge additional service fees on top of this.
Most ESTA applications receive one of three responses: Authorization Approved (immediate), Travel Not Authorized (denied — you need a B visa), or Authorization Pending (review required — usually resolved within 72 hours). An approved ESTA is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires.