Some Quick but Important Tips for ESTA

The electronic system for travel authorization (or ESTA, as it is commonly called) is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to enter the United States under the visa Waiver program (VWP). The VWP allows most foreigners from participating countries to travel to the United States for tourist or commercial purposes without first obtaining a visa if they meet certain conditions. These potential travelers must prove their eligibility for the VWP by applying for a travel authorization via ESTA before boarding a plane or ship in the United States. Thanks to ESTA, the US government compares the applicant’s personal information with various databases to determine if there is a law enforcement or security reason that considers that this person is not authorized to travel to the United States under the VWP. While the ESTA is valid for two years OR until the applicant’s passport expires, the actual stay allowed in the United States on the VWP is only ninety days at a time.

Here are five tips to help foreigners pass the ESTA:

1. It is not necessary to hire an immigration lawyer to apply for a travel permit via ESTA. Although there are services and travel agencies that will help you in the process for a fee, we believe that this is an unnecessary expense. The application is simple and takes about five minutes. That said, foreigners who have been seized, warned or who have had immigration problems in the past may need the help of a lawyer to ensure that they answer the questions correctly.

2. Foreigners must complete the ESTA application at least seventy-two hours before traveling to the United States. Due to changes in the processing of ESTA applications, CBP indicates that “real-time approvals will no longer be available.” Although it is not mandatory, CBP strongly recommends that travelers request their ESTA” at the time of booking their trip and no after than 72 hours before departure. “The CPB notes that “applicants who submit an application on the same day of departure of their flight run the risk of not having an approved ESTA before their scheduled departure. “When filling out the application, foreigners must have at hand: passport, Address, where you will be staying in the United States, and flight dates. Once foreigners have completed the ESTA application, they must keep the application number in a safe place. Although foreign nationals are not required to bring a hard copy of the application when traveling to the United States, we always recommend that you keep a hard copy for your records. An expression is also useful when you need to change information after.

3. Once the ESTA application has been submitted, foreigners can only update their Email Address and The Address of their place of residence in the United States. Foreigners must apply for the ESTA authorization again if there are other changes. These include traveling to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011, applying for a new passport or refusing a visa at the American embassy/consulate, among others.

4. If foreigners have already obtained an ESTA permit, they should remember to renew it in time for other future trips to the United States. The ESTA authorization is only valid for two years OR until the passport expires, whichever comes first.

5. Foreigners must disclose all previous seize (anywhere in the world) and immigration issues (for example, refusal of a US visa, refusal to enter the United States, etc.) in the ESTA application. If foreigners do not do this, it could be interpreted as bluff, which could make applicants banned in the United States. As mentioned above, foreigners should consider talking to an immigration lawyer about their past immigration or lawful problems and how they may affect their visa applications.

Entry to the United States

If the ESTA system determines that foreigners are eligible under the VWP, they can travel to the United States. However, keep in mind that approval via ESTA does not determine whether a traveler can enter the United States — this is determined by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents upon the traveler’s arrival in the United States. The CBP officer may determine that the traveler is ineligible under the VWP or, for any reason, under U.S. immigration law. This may include previous seize, medical reasons, medicine and alcohol problems or other reasons. However, once the travelers have passed through CBP, they have officially arrived in the United States. Welcome to America! We hope you enjoy your stay!