The U.S. State Department has launched a new online tool to help travelers get into the United States without having to go through all the hassles of applying for a visa in advance. It’s called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The ESTA program allows you to apply for your travel authorization online, and if you qualify, your application will be approved immediately. If you do not qualify, it won’t affect your chances of getting a visa. 

The ESTA Program was created by Congress as part of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990 to streamline and simplify the process of obtaining entry visas to the United States. The law requires that all nationals from certain countries must obtain an ESTA before they can enter the United States. The number of countries on this list varies from year-to-year but the most recent list included 48 countries. 

You can find out which countries are required to have their citizens obtain an ESTA by visiting the US State Department website. 

But what exactly is an ESTA Visa? 

An ESTA is similar to a passport, except it is issued by the United States government instead of the country where you were born or reside. An ESTA does not grant you permission to visit the United States permanently. Instead, it enables you to travel to the U.S. temporarily under the Visa Waiver Program, or VWP. 

These days people plan to travel to the foreign countries, for this they require a valid VISA. A person should have the idea of the various option that will help in achieving the goals. A person can go through the ESTA visa application and search for the results that it will provide you. In the long run the option will give favorable results to people.

Visa Waiver Program 

For people living outside the United States, traveling to the United States may involve a lot of paperwork and red tape. To eliminate these inconveniences, the United States government developed the VWP. The VWP allows Americans who are legally present inside the U.S. to travel freely to other countries without needing to obtain a visa beforehand. 

To use the VWP, you need to apply for an ESTA and then obtain a Form I-94W, also known as a “Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Record”. You must keep this form with you while you’re in the United States. In order to use the VWP, you must meet one of two requirements: 

• You are a citizen of one of the countries listed below. 
• Your home country is a Visa Waiver Agreement country. 
• There is no limit to how many times you can apply for an ESTA, so long as it is within 12 months of the date of your last previous application. 

VWP Countries 

The VWP allows citizens of 38 countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore and South Korea, to travel to the U.S. without a visa. Some countries on this list have reciprocity agreements with the U.S. and others don’t. 

These 38 countries are referred to as the VWP countries. As mentioned above, each country has its own rules regarding whether they require their citizens to obtain an ESTA or not, and some of them require only that their citizens obtain an ESTA if they intend to stay in the United States for more than 90 days. 

In addition, there are a few countries that are considered “visa waiver compliant” but are exempt from being added to the list of VWP countries. These include Aruba, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Turks & Caicos Islands, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Malta, and St. Helena. 

If you are a resident of any of the countries listed above, you must obtain an ESTA prior to entering the U.S. There is no exception to this requirement. You cannot simply purchase a ticket to fly to the U.S. and expect to be allowed to land just because you are a citizen of a VWP country. 

How Do You Obtain an ESTA? 

Once you determine which countries you belong to, you will need to check with the country’s consulate to see if you need to obtain an ESTA. Visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website to learn about the requirements for citizens of the applicable countries. 

Some countries have different requirements depending on the purpose of your trip. For example, if you plan to visit family members, you’ll need to provide proof of your relationship at the time of your interview. However, if you plan to attend an international conference, you’ll need to submit a formal invitation letter. 

If you have any questions about whether you need to obtain an ESTA, contact the consulate that you’ll be using when you arrive. They should be able to answer any queries you might have. 

Another option is to take advantage of an ESTA expedited service provided by a third-party company. ExpediteMyTravel is one such site. Their service costs $30 per person and includes everything you need to complete the process, including an official ESTA approval letter.