Your departure for the United States of America is approaching and you still don’t have your ESTA authorization? You’re wondering how far in advance an ESTA application should be made? All your questions regarding ESTA processing times will be answered in this article.
What is the processing time for an ESTA?
ESTA is an electronic travel authorization obtained following an online application. The ESTA authorization is not the responsibility of the American embassy; the application must be made either on the official U.S. government website designed for this purpose or through a private provider. To apply for authorization, you must fill out a form called the ESTA form. This online form takes about twenty minutes to complete.
Once the application form is filled out, ESTA processing times can vary. You may receive a response immediately or it may take up to 72 hours; the status ‘Authorization Pending’ perfectly illustrates this timeframe. It indicates that the final response (approval or denial) will be communicated to you later.
If your authorization request is approved, the ESTA is electronically linked to your passport instantly. You can therefore travel to the USA whenever you wish. Make sure to respect the required conditions for a stay in the United States, or your entry into American territory will be refused.
If your ESTA is denied, either you are not eligible for the Visa Waiver Program, or an error has crept into your form. In case of ineligibility, a visa application is your only option for your trip to the USA. The American visa is obtained from the U.S. embassy. If a typing error is responsible for this refusal, you can make a new application. Be careful to enter the correct passport number and the correct last name if you are a married woman (choose the maiden name or married name according to the information on your valid passport).
How long before your trip to the United States should you apply for an ESTA?
Properly preparing your trip to the USA is the key to a successful stay. When should you apply, considering ESTA authorization timeframes? The U.S. government recommends applying even before purchasing airline or boat tickets to travel to American soil. This is explained in case your ESTA application is denied. The choice is then yours to reconsider your trip to the United States or to apply for a USA visa at the consular services of the American embassy (or U.S. Consulate if applicable).
The American authorities accept applications at any time and do not set a deadline. However, knowing that a response can take 72 hours, it is recommended to apply no later than 3 days before departure.
The ESTA application can only be made with a valid passport that is either an electronic passport or a biometric passport (which contains your fingerprints). Having a passport is mandatory, as your identity card is not sufficient for a stay outside the Schengen area. If you don’t have one, you need to apply for a passport as soon as possible, as this process can sometimes take a month.
Note that the ESTA has a validity period of 2 years (unless otherwise stated due to passport validity). It is therefore not required to apply each time you prepare a trip to the USA. However, make sure that the ESTA is still valid and that your stay falls within the framework of the VWP. An ESTA becomes void if the passport to which it is linked changes. Thus, in case of a new passport (expiration, theft, loss, change of data), you must proceed with a new application. As for your stay in the United States, it is mandatory that it be a tourist stay or a business trip not exceeding the authorized length of stay. ESTA indeed only allows a temporary stay of 90 days maximum. It is also applicable for any stopover to a final destination.
