ESTA and the Visa Waiver Program: A Traveler's Guide
ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) is the online clearance that citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries need before traveling to the United States for a short stay. It is not a visa. It costs $40, usually takes minutes to complete, and lets you make repeat trips of up to 90 days for tourism or business. This page explains who can use it, what it does and does not allow, what can get it refused, and what happens at the border.
This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Entry rules change; confirm the details with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or a US embassy before you travel.
Who Can Use the Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) covers around 40 countries, including the UK, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Israel, Chile and most of the European Union. Not every EU member takes part, so check the current list on the Department of Homeland Security website.
Two neighbors work differently. Most Canadian citizens need neither a visa nor an ESTA for a visit. Mexican citizens generally need a visa or a Border Crossing Card. Anyone else needs a US visa.
You also need an e-Passport, with the small chip symbol on the cover, issued by a VWP country. Nationality is what counts, not where you live.
How ESTA Works
- Cost: $40 per person, up from $21 since September 30, 2025.
- Validity: 2 years, or until your passport expires if that comes first.
- Trips: multiple entries while valid, each for up to 90 days.
- Timing: apply when you start planning, and at least 72 hours before departure. Many answers come within minutes, but some take longer.
- Who applies: every traveler, including babies and children, needs their own ESTA.
- Transit: you need one even if you are only connecting through a US airport.
- A new passport means a new ESTA. The approval is tied to the passport number, and a name change also requires a new application.
Apply only through the official CBP website or its mobile app. Many lookalike sites charge a markup for the same form. The application asks for your passport details, contact information, employer, and answers to questions about health, crime and past immigration problems.
Social media: in December 2025, CBP proposed requiring five years of social media identifiers from ESTA applicants. The comment period ended in February 2026. As of late October 2026 we could not confirm that the requirement is in force, so expect the form to change and answer whatever it asks truthfully.
What You Can and Cannot Do
| Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Tourism and visiting family or friends | Working for a US employer or being paid from a US source |
| Business meetings, negotiations, conferences | Studying for credit (this requires a student visa) |
| Short recreational courses | Working as foreign media (journalists need an I visa) |
| Medical treatment | Staying over 90 days, extending, or changing status inside the US |
| Transit through the US | Moving to the US long term |
The 90-day limit is strict. A short trip to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean generally does not restart the clock, so a hop across the border will not give you another 90 days. Border officers can also question repeated long stays that look like living in the US, even when each one is under 90 days.
If you want to study, see our guide to studying in the US. If you want to work or settle, look at work options and the green card before you travel, because neither can be arranged from inside the US on an ESTA.
ESTA or Visitor Visa?
| Point | ESTA | B-1/B-2 visa |
|---|---|---|
| Who | VWP nationals only | Most nationalities |
| Fee | $40 | $185 application fee; a further $250 visa integrity fee is set by law, see visas |
| Process | Online form | DS-160 form and usually a consulate interview |
| Usual stay | Up to 90 days, no extension | Often up to 6 months, as set at the border |
| Extension in the US | Not possible | Can be requested |
Even if you hold a VWP passport, a B-2 visa makes sense if you want to stay longer than 90 days or your ESTA has been refused.
Who Is Not Eligible
You generally cannot use ESTA, and must apply for a visa, if any of these apply:
- You have been to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011, or to Cuba on or after January 12, 2021. Limited exceptions exist, for example for official government or military duties.
- You also hold the nationality of Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan or Syria.
- You have ever overstayed under the VWP, or otherwise violated US immigration law.
- You have been deported or removed, or have certain criminal convictions.
Answer the eligibility questions honestly, since a false answer can make you permanently inadmissible. A past visa refusal or an old arrest does not always lead to denial, but it must be disclosed and may push you toward the visa route. If an ESTA is denied, CBP does not generally give the reason, and the practical remedy is a visa application at a US consulate.
At the Border
An approved ESTA only lets you board. A CBP officer makes the actual decision on entry at the airport, land border or seaport. Expect questions about the purpose and length of your trip, where you will stay and when you will leave. The officer takes fingerprints and a photo. It helps to have a return or onward ticket, which the VWP requires, along with your accommodation details.
Your admission is recorded electronically on Form I-94, which you can view on the CBP website. Check the date on it, since that date, not the ESTA expiry, is your legal deadline to leave. Overstaying by even one day ends your access to the VWP, and you will need a visa for every later trip.
CBP can also inspect phones and laptops at the border, including those of foreign visitors. On customs, declare food, plants and animal products on arrival, and report cash or similar instruments of more than $10,000. Undeclared items can bring fines, and an unsure item is safer declared.
Practical Tips
- Check your ESTA status before booking; you can look it up on the official site.
- Make sure the passport you travel with is the one on the ESTA.
- Buy travel health insurance. Medical bills in the US can be very high, and our healthcare guide explains why.
- Carry your return ticket and accommodation details where you can show them quickly.
Frequently asked questions
How much does ESTA cost in 2026?
$40 per application, charged by card on the official site. Other sites may charge more for the same application and are not run by the US government.
How long can I stay on an ESTA?
Up to 90 days per entry, with no extension. The authorization itself usually lasts 2 years, or until your passport expires if sooner.
Do I need a new ESTA if I renew my passport?
Yes. An ESTA is linked to one passport, so a new passport needs a new application and a new fee.
Does an approved ESTA guarantee entry?
No. It only clears you to board. The CBP officer on arrival decides whether to admit you and for how long.
Can I work remotely for my home employer on an ESTA?
The rules do not clearly cover remote work. Occasional email during a holiday is rarely a concern, but a trip whose main purpose is work may be treated as outside the program, so get legal advice before a long working stay.
What happens if my ESTA is denied?
You can apply for a visitor visa at a US embassy or consulate. Applying again for ESTA is unlikely to help unless your situation has changed or you made an error.
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