{"id":22559,"date":"2019-04-15T15:41:07","date_gmt":"2019-04-15T14:41:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zestcarrental.com\/blog\/?p=22559"},"modified":"2021-06-30T15:12:05","modified_gmt":"2021-06-30T14:12:05","slug":"esta-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zestcarrental.com\/blog\/esta-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting the USA? Here’s The ESTA Guide You Need"},"content":{"rendered":"
Quick Links<\/h6>\n

ESTA To Do List<\/a> | Jargon Buster<\/a> | Common Questions<\/a> | Useful Links & More Info<\/a> | Infographic<\/a><\/p>\n

Are you travelling to the USA anytime soon? If you are, you should know about ESTA. In a nutshell, ESTA is the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation. It’s a simple online process that lets you know in advance whether you’re eligible to travel to the USA without a Visa under the Visa Waiver Program. An approved ESTA is required\u00a0for most cases of travelling into the USA via plane or ship.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sound complicated? Not to worry, here’s everything you need to know about ESTA and travelling to the USA.
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ESTA application to do list<\/h3>\n
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  1. Apply online for your ESTA via the official ESTA site, here<\/a>. Do this up to 72 hours before you travel. If it’s already closer to travel time than that, do it right away.<\/li>\n
  2. Once applied, make a note of your application number so you can check back or update any information.<\/li>\n
  3. Pay the ESTA fees. This is $14 for a successful application but only $4 if you’re rejected.<\/li>\n
  4. Check your application status, you can do this on the official site under the “Check Existing Application” button. It can take up to 72 hours for a decision to be made but it seems that most are made very quickly and sometimes instantly.<\/li>\n
  5. Make a note of\u00a0 your reference number and if your airline requires the printed page, print out the successful application page.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    ESTA Jargon Buster<\/h3>\n

    ESTA<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Simply stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation. It’s simply the process of applying to see if you’re eligible to travel to the USA without having to get a Visa which is a much longer process. This is known as travelling under the Visa Waiver Program.<\/p>\n

    Visa Waiver Program<\/strong><\/p>\n

    This is simply the system by which people can travel to the USA without a Visa. Getting a Visa is a much longer process and for the sake of a two week holiday to Florida, is overkill most of the time. This is where ESTA comes in handy. This is the full list of countries in the Visa Waiver Program..<\/a><\/p>\n

    I-94W Form<\/strong><\/p>\n

    This a green piece of paper that before ESTA, you had to fill out on the plane as you neared the USA. This no longer required and has for the most part been replaced by the ESTA system. With the I-94W form, travellers would only find out if they’re eligible to enter the States without a Visa once they’ve already landed, which can mean a wasted trip and lots of money down the drain. With ESTA, travellers know quickly and well in advance. The only time you might still need the I-94W form, is when entering the states via a land border with Mexico or Canada without an approved ESTA.<\/p>\n

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    ESTA Common Questions<\/h3>\n

    Do I need an ESTA?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Ask yourself these questions:<\/p>\n