Travel authorisations / ESTA

ESTA: do you need one?

The US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is required for 42 visa-exempt nationalities before travelling to the USA. The official fee is US$40.62. It is valid for 2 years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner. Apply only at the official site. Facts checked on 23 October 2026.

Check your passport

Your passport

Based on the official eligible-nationality list. Dual nationals, residents and transit passengers can have different rules, so confirm on the official site.

ESTA at a glance

Official fee	US$40.62 (from 16 October 2026 (was 40.27 USD in 2026 and 21 USD before 30 September 2025); 10.62 USD if refused)
Valid for	2 years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner
Each stay	up to 90 days per visit under the Visa Waiver Program
Entries	Multiple
Status	In force for all Visa Waiver Program travellers
For	tourism, business, transit
You need	passport from a Visa Waiver Program country, email address, payment card

Rules to know

Only nationals of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries can use ESTA; everyone else needs a US visa.
British citizens must have the unrestricted right of permanent abode in the UK to qualify.
Taiwan passports qualify only if they include the personal identification number.
Visits are limited to 90 days for tourism or business; you cannot study or work on an ESTA.

Data in the USA from the moment you land

Install a Slashtel travel eSIM before you fly. It connects when you arrive, your own number stays on for calls and bank codes, and the QR code arrives by email in minutes.

See the USA eSIM plans

Nationalities that need a ESTA (42)

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom.

Questions

Who needs a ESTA?

Citizens of 42 countries and territories who can visit the USA without a visa must have a ESTA before they travel, including Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile. United States, Canada citizens do not need one. Other nationalities generally need a visa.

How much does a ESTA cost?

The official fee is US$40.62 (from 16 October 2026 (was 40.27 USD in 2026 and 21 USD before 30 September 2025); 10.62 USD if refused). Apply only on the official site; other websites that charge more are not the government.

How long is a ESTA valid?

2 years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner. Each visit can last up to 90 days per visit under the Visa Waiver Program.

Where do I apply for a ESTA?

Only on the official government site or the official ESTA Mobile app: esta.cbp.dhs.gov/. Slashtel does not sell or process applications.

Will my phone work in the USA?

Your own SIM works if your network roams there, often at a daily charge. A travel eSIM gives you local data from the moment you land while your own number stays on for calls and bank codes.

Sources

Slashtel is not a government agency and does not process applications. Checked 23 October 2026; rules can change, so confirm on the official site.

Other travel authorisations: UK ETA · ETIAS · Canada eTA