Travel always brings up one issue or another, from booking hotels to passports. International travel only adds to the long list of things to deal with.

If you are coming into the United States, you will need some extra form of identification to get you in. The ESTA Visa is for a wide variety of countries to do that.

What does it take to apply? What issues might you run into? We have the rundown on the ESTA Visa right here. 

What Is the ESTA Visa and Why It Is Important

The ESTA Visa, or Electronic System for Travel Authorization, is a digital application that allows you to enter the United States for short-term travel. 

The ESTA Visa is one of many Visas that are for various short-term travel across countries. The specifics of the ESTA is that it is a fast and easy way to get a Visa. 

The usual form for getting permission to travel into the United States involved traveling to a US embassy and going through a long application process. The ESTA bypasses this, making travel easier and simpler. 

An ESTA Visa lasts for 2 years and allows for up to 90 days of stay in the United States.

Checking Your Eligibility

There are 38 countries that are eligible for the ESTA Visa. These countries span 4 continents and cover most of the major international powers that be. You can find the full list of countries on the appropriate ESTA Visa website. 

Since the ESTA Visa is for short-term travel, a business trip or tourist vacation are the best reasons for applying.

If you can check off these two big boxes, you should be eligible and ready to go.

Submission Requirements

Before you dive into the application, you need to make sure you know all the requirements for the ESTA Visa application. You will need a lot of information to get through the application process.

Make sure you have the following documents on hand: a legal and valid passport, valid email address or mail address for contacting, an assortment of personal information, and a valid credit card to process the application fee. 

The personal information will cover a long list of items. Double-check this list before applying to ensure you can answer all the questions in one sitting. 

1. Personal Information

This will cover your basic personal information, such as your full name, gender, and date of birth. 

2. Passport Information

Here you will list all the major information on your passport. 

3. Other Citizenship/Nationality

This is to track your nationality. This will be part of the test of your eligibility. If your nationality does not match one of the 38 legal countries, the process may decline you. 

4. GE Membership

This asks for your membership to the Global Entry Program. This will help speed up your travel process.

5. Parents

Your parent names will help double-check your identity. 

6. Contact Information

This is your address and other contact information. This is how they will get a hold of you regarding your application answer.

7. Optional Social Media

If you like, you can also provide social media contact information, but it is not required.

8. Employment Information

Information regarding your current employer. 

9. Travel Information

This is to confirm whether the U.S. is your destination or if you are only using it as a stop to your destination. 

10. U.S. Point of Contact

Assuming you are not using the U.S. as an in-transit destination, you will need a point of contact. This can be your hotel in the U.S. or personal contact if you have one. 

11. Address While in U.S.

The application will need to know where you are staying. Again, this can be your hotel or personal contact.

12. Emergency Contact Information In or Out of U.S.

In case of a problem, you will need to list an emergency contact. 

13. Eligibility Questions

The last part of the application is the most major. It will cover potential diseases, criminal records, refused visas, and other such information. If you have not had trouble with travel in the past, you should be fine. 

News for Wherever You Go

Getting an ESTA Visa doesn’t have to be a pain and with this guide, there won’t be any confusion either. Now you have one less worry on your travels. 

Whether you are traveling abroad or settled right at home, we here at the Florida Independent have plenty of news and guides to keep you informed and ready for anything. Check out our other articles today!