All USA travel needs ESTA How to pay no more than $14 fee

Everyone from the UK going to the USA by air or sea, even those just passing through, must fill out the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in advance or they'll be turned back.

This is a full guide on what the ESTA is, how to get it, how long it lasts for, what to be wary of and how to avoid paying more than the official $14 per person fee. And as it's now been over two years since the scheme became compulsory, urgently check yours to see if you need a new one.

The five key things you ought to know

You MUST complete the ESTA, even if passing through.

Everyone going to the States by air or sea needs to fill out an ESTA form; there are no excuses. If you haven't, even if you're only meant to be in transit, you may be denied boarding or can even be sent straight back home (see who should complete the ESTA for more info).

You can only fill it out online.

You must fill out the ESTA application online, which means those without web access will need to find a friend, relative or colleague to do it for them. Once you've done it, ensure you keep a note of your reference number somewhere safe. Better still, print the authorisation page (see how to complete the ESTA).

It costs $14, but ensure you pay the cheapest way.

All accepted applications have a fee of $14 each ($4 if you're rejected); that's $56 (around £30) for a family of four. Yet ensure you pay with the right piece of plastic to avoid being charged a foreign exchange 'load' fee on top by your bank. See pay with the right card for more info.

Watch out for fake ESTA sites.

When Googling ESTA, be warned you may be directed to sites that pretend to be the official webpage and charge you an additional fee to process your application - they're just money making scams.

To renew, just do a new application.

If you already have ESTA but need a new one (for example, if you've lost your passport or your existing authorisation has expired), the only way is simply to complete a new application and get a new reference number.

What's ESTA?

ESTA is a web-based system that tells you in advance whether you're eligible to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Essentially, its aim is to modernise the old system of filling out a green I-94W piece of paper (commonly thought of as the Visa Waiver form) on a plane into the US as, with that method, you'd only find out on arrival if US security decided you didn't fit under the VWP, based on what you put on the form and any further questions asked.

Yet now travellers know in advance whether they qualify to travel or not, so can minimise the possible loss of plane fares, hotels and more, by completing the ESTA before making bookings.

But ESTA approval doesn't guarantee you entry

It's important to understand that successfully applying for ESTA doesn't mean you're automatically allowed to enter the USA, it just establishes that you're 'eligible to travel'.

Only a US Customs and Border Protection officer at the point of entry can decide whether you're actually allowed in or not, and may decide, afterall, that you don't fit the VWP criteria. It's completely at their discretion.

Yet although this sounds scary there are very few horror stories of being denied entry (unless you failed to declare a criminal record), especially since the ESTA was introduced.

Pay the $14 fee with the right plastic

ESTA applications have a $14 fee attached to them - that's a hefty $56 for a family of four.

Four dollars covers the ESTA administration and, rather bizarrely, $10 goes to a fund to promote US tourism – ironic as perhaps a better way would be not to charge people to enter the country.

Do note this isn’t a visa charge for entry, it’s a charge for getting permission to attempt to enter the country, and most US visitors to the UK don’t have to pay anything.

Avoid foreign exchange card fees

The system only accepts payment via MasterCard, Visa and American Express. If your ESTA's rejected, you'll still be charged $4 (the admin fee) for applying.

Yet most of these types of plastic contain hidden charges, such as adding a 'load' on to the exchange rate when spending, and even charging interest from the moment you make a transaction.

You can beat this by using a specialist foreign spending card that won't penalise you. For all the current top cards, see the Cheap Travel Money guide.

How to apply for ESTA

Just before booking flights or accommodation, the very first thing to do is to apply for your permit to travel, just in case you're rejected (so you don't lose the flight or hotel money) or forget nearer the time of the journey.

Simply visit the US Department of Homeland Security’s special ESTA webpage. The instructions are available in a choice of languages but your responses must be in English.

It’s far from a slick website so pay careful attention as you complete each page, though it should only take around five minutes.

You’ll be asked for your UK contact details, including passport number and expiry, plus flight details (departure airport and flight number) and where you'll be spending your first night in the States. Though the latter two points can be added or amended at a later time. A full list of what you'll need to provide and questions you'll be asked is on the US Department of Home Security website.

You may be told within seconds if your application has been accepted or rejected. Or you may be asked to check your application status later, as a decision can take up to 72 hours.

An ESTA lasts for two years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Once it runs out you'll need to reapply for a new one. See the ESTA feedback thread for past application experiences.

Ensure you print the page or note the reference number

Although you don’t need to present the reference number at Border Protection when you land on US soil, it's a good idea to print it out as you'll need it to check your ESTA's status or update it (you may need to change the address of where you’re spending your first night, or your flight details). Rather frustratingly, it isn't emailed to you.

However, if you do lose it, do note it's now possible to get it back on the ESTA website. Click 'Retrieve my application number' and enter your name, passport number and date of birth. This is also a handy way to check if you're still covered by a previous ESTA, as the site will also tell you when your ESTA expires.

You can ONLY apply online

The US has decided this authorisation can only be given via online application.

When we asked the US Embassy how people offline could register, the reply was: “Thank you for your question. For those who don’t have access to the internet, it’s best to contact a friend, family member, colleague or travel agent who is online. Any of those folks are able to fill out the ESTA form on behalf of the traveller.”

So if you know someone without internet access, please help them register if they’re making a trip to the States.

It does seem bizarre that the US is effectively saying you need the internet to visit, and it’d be awful for, perhaps, an older non-web user not hearing about this and being unprepared if they need to make an emergency trip.

Avoid bogus websites

Watch out for websites demanding a fee for the ESTA. Search on the internet for ‘ESTA’ and you’ll discover many that claim to submit an application on your behalf.

Yet not only will you be paying money unnecessarily, you can't be certain it'll be a legit submission and acceptance, so you may still get turned away when you get to the US.

The US Department for Homeland Security says it can’t stop this, however it has now trademarked its logo so only if you see this will it be legit (though the scam websites do have very good imitations). The easiest thing to remember is, use the link in this guide and it's the official route.

The official logo, sourced by ESTA

You can't 'renew' it, you must reapply

All ESTAs have an end date; either two years from being granted or when your passport expires, whichever is sooner. If yours runs out, or you need a new one if you get a new passport, simply reapply in exactly the same way you did the first time.

This'll give you a new reference number plus expiry date and your old ESTA will automatically cease to be valid.

As it's been over two years since ESTA was made compulsory, if you remember being one of the first to get it, check yours hasn't expired.

Don't risk travelling without it

If you haven't completed the ESTA before travelling, or you did but were declined, you may not be allowed to board your outbound flight. Or if you think you've been lucky enough to make it across the Atlantic, think again.

Unless US Border Protection encounters a serious computer malfunction, you're guaranteed to be turned away and sent back home. At your expense. And this includes everyone: babies, children and the elderly, if they don't have authorisation.

But it's worth remembering that anyone can apply for ESTA on your behalf and, although the Department of Homeland Security recommends giving at least 72 hours for a decision to be made, often it only takes seconds.

But of course, if you're rejected, you'll lose the cost of your flights and any associated expenses such as hotel bookings and car hire (if they're non-refundable) as insurance providers will almost certainly not cover you for this.

Other things to consider