How to pay for your ESTA for the United States?

An ESTA authorization offers travelers from countries participating in the VWP visa waiver program the opportunity to travel to the United States via a quick and easy process. This simplified authorization scheme allows millions of travelers around the world to stay in the United States for up to 90 days without first obtaining a U.S. visa. Simply complete the formalities online by clicking on the online form.

Ways to pay for the ESTA

Since September 2010, ESTA applications have been a fully paperless, fee-based process. This means that filling out the mandatory ESTA form, the validation of the application by the US Homeland Security and the sending of the document are all done online, from the Internet. Users afraid to enter their data on the Internet can be reassured: the U.S. government certifies that the Electronic System for Travel Authorization is a reliable tool, designed to guarantee the confidentiality of the information received.

To pay for your official ESTA, you must first complete a questionnaire consisting of 4 sections:

• your civil status and passport: surname, first name, date of birth, nationality, parents’ names, physical and e-mail address, profession, employer’s details, all passport information, etc. ;
• your stay: local address and emergency contact;
• criminal and medical history: a series of questions to be answered with “yes” or “no”;
• validation of the application: you will be asked to pay the application fee for your ESTA authorization.

Since the process is only done on the Internet, you must pay for your ESTA application by credit card.

Is there a free ESTA authorization?

Despite what you may read on the internet, there is no such thing as a free ESTA. Since May 2022, there is a minimum fee of $21, plus an additional fee for additional services, such as assistance.

The $21 collected is used to help fund the ESTA program, established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the promotion of American tourism internationally.

If you wish to pay for your ESTA to travel to the United States, you must pay by credit card. You can use the ESTA form. It must be completed. Once your information has been entered and payment made online, you will receive your authorization to stay within 72 hours.