What is ESTA? About Visa Waiver Program

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About the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)

About the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)

What is ESTA (Electric System for Travel Authorization)?

ESTA(Electric System for Travel Authorization) is part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), and an immigration system required for short-term travel to the U.S. Those who wish to travel to the U.S. are required to apply for ESTA in advance and answer questions for eligibility. Japanese nationals do not need a visa to travel to the U.S. for general sightseeing or short-term business purposes, but they must apply for ESTA. It is required for anyone regardless of age who wishes to stay in the U.S. for 90 days or less. However, if the purpose of your visit to the U.S. is to work or study, you are not eligible to apply for ESTA, but must apply for a visa. In addition, those who intend to reside permanently in the U.S. are not eligible to apply for ESTA, therefore consider applying for a visa that will allow you to stay in the U.S. for an extended period of time.

ESTA expiration date and application period

Once you have applied for ESTA, it is valid for two years, and you may travel to the U.S. as many times as you wish within the validity period of your ESTA. However, please note that if your passport is valid for less than two years, your ESTA expires on the same day as your passport expires. If you have a valid passport, you can apply for ESTA at any time though if your passport will expire in the next six months or so, we recommend that you renew your passport before applying for ESTA. If your passport is valid until the day you plan to return from the U.S., you are allowed to travel to the U.S. via ESTA though check the expiration date of your passport before traveling to the U.S. since some countries may not allow entry if the passport expiration date is not sufficient to prevent overstaying. ESTA application is available online 24/7, and you can apply anytime though travel authorization is not granted immediately after an application is submitted. It may take up to three days from the time of application to the notification of travel authorization, so that we recommend you apply for ESTA soon after making your travel plans to the U.S. There are some conditions that must be met in order to travel to the U.S. with ESTA. As mentioned above, the period of stay in the U.S. under ESTA is limited to 90 days, and those who wish to stay longer than that must obtain a visa. In addition, it is expected that those who are mentioned below will not be eligible to apply for ESTA: those who have overstayed in the U.S. in the past, those who have a serious criminal record, those who have a contagious disease as defined by the U.S., and those who have a serious illness requiring urgent medical treatment. If applicable, please consider applying for a visa when you travel to the U.S.

Although visa acquisition is usually required for travel to the U.S., citizens of VWP participating countries are exempt from visa requirements for stays of 90 days or less in the U.S. for short-term business or sightseeing by obtaining an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). It can be applied for online, and in most cases, a “travel authorization” can be obtained within a few hours. It is also required for transit flights within the U.S. and is recommended to apply at least three days prior to departure. It is available to citizens of all VWP countries, but those with a serious criminal record or a history of overstaying may be denied travel authorization. Please note that those who answer “yes” to even one of the nine questions in the ESTA application will not be eligible.

  • ESTA certification is valid for two years from the date of acquisition though if your passport expires within two years, ESTA will also expire on the expiration date of your passport. If your passport is reissued, you will need to re-apply for ESTA with a new passport number.
  • You will be notified of the results of your authorization after ESTA application is submitted online to the DHS (U.S. Department of Homeland Security) for a review period of up to 72 hours. DHS strongly recommends that you submit your application at least 3 days prior to departure.
  • According to DHS (U.S. Department of Homeland Security) regulations, you may be denied travel authorization after applying for ESTA. Prepare early if you wish to travel to the U.S. under such circumstances since you will be required to obtain a visa from the U.S. Embassy, submit the designated documents, and interview with a consular officer. For more information on visa requirements, please refer to the DHS (U.S. Department of Homeland Security) or the U.S. Embassy website.

Detailed information about ESTA

Normally, a visa is required for travel to the United States. However, travelers who are citizens of countries participating in the visa waiver program are exempted from visa application procedures and may travel to the U.S. using the simplified Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) if they satisfy certain conditions (for example, they must be traveling for purposes of business or sightseeing on a short-term basis, staying in the U.S. for no longer than 90 days). ESTA authorization is also required when changing to connecting flights in the U.S. Travelers visiting the U.S. for reasons other than those above, such as employment or studying abroad, must first obtain the appropriate visas. In addition, some citizens of countries participating in the visa waiver program such as those with criminal records or certain communicable diseases may not be able to use the visa waiver program.

  • In principle, ESTA authorization is valid for two years from the date of authorization. However, if your passport expires during this period of two years, then your ESTA authorization will expire at the same time as your passport. Also, if you have been issued a new passport during this period, you will need to obtain authorization again using your new passport number.
  • After you submit an online application to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), you will be notified of the results of authorization following a screening period of up to 72 hours. For this reason, applying for ESTA at least 72 hours before boarding your flight is recommended.
  • ESTA authorization may be refused based on DHS rules. If ESTA authorization has been refused, you must obtain a visa from a U.S. embassy in order to travel to the U.S. Note that obtaining a visa is a time-consuming process. For more information and details, please go to the official website of the DHS, and/or the U.S. embassy.

Countries participating in the visa waiver program

Great Britain, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Malta, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Taiwan, Poland, Croatia, Israel

ESTA Application Requirements

  • Purpose of travel to the U.S. must be for general tourism or short-term business
  • The duration of stay in the U.S. must be less than 90 days (except for work or study)
  • The applicant must be a citizen of countries participating in the VWP and possess a passport with a valid IC chip
  • Have no serious criminal record in the past, and must not be suffering from contagious diseases or illnesses as defined by the U.S.
  • Have no intention to stay in the U.S. for a long period of time and return to their home country after completing the purpose of their visit

Required Documents and Application Process for ESTA

You will need your passport and credit card to apply for ESTA. The passport information on the application form must be the ESTA applicant’s own information. Even when minors applying for ESTA, it is required to enter their own passport information, not that of a parent or guardian. Make sure that your passport is valid and has an IC chip when applying.
ESTA can be applied through our ESTA Online Center website. For the application procedure, please refer to “【Example of Application】Details of how to apply for ESTA “. For payment, it can only be made by credit card (Visa, Master Card, JCB, American Express). If the applicant does not have a credit card, payment can be made with a credit card other than his/her own.

VWP
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About the visa waiver program (VWP)

Travelers eligible to use the VWP

Travelers who satisfy the following conditions, and are visiting the United States (any of the 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii), or entering for transit in the United States on the way to other countries:

  • Those possessing valid passports that comply with the restrictions on usable passports below
  • Those who have obtained ESTA authorization
  • Those visiting the U.S. for a short-term period not to exceed 90 days, for purposes such as sightseeing, visiting friends, or business, and who will not engage in activities for compensation during their stay
  • Those with return (or continuing when changing flights in the U.S.) air tickets or sea tickets
  • Those who are citizens of VWP participating countries

Restrictions on usable passports

Travelers eligible to use the visa waiver program must have valid machine-readable passports. Their passports must satisfy the following conditions, depending on the dates they were issued.

  • Machine-readable passports issued on or after October 26, 2006 must be E-passports (IC passports).
  • Machine-readable passports issued during the period of October 26, 2005 – October 25, 2006 must have digital photographs on their photo ID pages.
  • Passports issued prior to October 26, 2005 must be machine-readable passports.
  • Citizens of Greece, Malta, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, South Korea, and Slovakia must be carrying E-passports (IC passports), regardless of their date of issue.

Prior notes

ESTA authorization may be refused in cases such as when the traveler has had a visa cancelled in the past, has a history of arrest (regardless of whether or not the person was convicted), has a criminal record, has certain communicable diseases, has been refused entry to the U.S. in the past, has been deported, or has overstayed his or her time under the visa waiver program in the past. In these cases, the traveler must obtain a visa to visit the U.S.

Travelers who have not been arrested for minor infractions or who were not prosecuted or convicted may be able to use the visa waiver program. In a case in which a traveler has been charged with a traffic violation in the U.S. and failed to pay the fine or failed to appear when summoned to court, an arrest warrant may have been issued, and the person may not be able to pass immigration screening. Travelers in such cases must first resolve the issue and then apply for ESTA authorization or for a visa before traveling to the U.S.

ESTA application service

ESTA application service

The ESTA Online Center provides its customers with full support for complex ESTA application procedures, 24 hours/day, 365 days/year.
Its expert staff provide thorough advice for those unaccustomed with traveling to the U.S. or uncertain about completing the application procedures themselves. Using the application service on this site offers the following advantages and added value compared with applying directly by oneself.

  • Compatibility with all devices (PCs, smartphones, tablets)
  • Support provided 24 hours/day, 365 days/year
  • Ability to retry the application if the CBP site is undergoing maintenance
  • Support for resolving irregularities or errors in application procedures
  • Responding to your questions free of charge, an unlimited number of times.
  • Results of application provided by email
  • The ability to check on application and payment status
  • Correction of errors in registration information, free of charge

Application service charges

U.S. Department of Homeland Security application fee ($21) + application service charge = 8,690 JPY (including tax)
Payment available by credit card.
After you enter your application information, the credit-card payment page will appear. Enter the necessary information to the form on that page.

Credit cards accepted

VISA
Master Card
JCB
American Express
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UPDATE : 2024/01/17