US eVisa Guide: Eligibility, Fees, and Timelines
Last updated November 2025
International visitors from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries no longer need to queue at a U.S. embassy for a short-term tourist or business visa. Instead, they request an Electronic System for Travel Authorization—better known as the US eVisa or ESTA—entirely online. This guide walks you through today’s (2025) rules on eligibility, fees and processing timelines so you can plan your trip confidently and avoid costly mistakes.
What the US eVisa (ESTA) Actually Is
The ESTA is not a full visa; it is a pre-screening travel authorization linked to your passport and verified automatically by airlines and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Once approved, it allows you to:
- Board a flight or cruise to the United States without visiting an embassy.
- Enter the U.S. for up to 90 days per visit for tourism, business meetings, transit or medical treatment.
- Make multiple entries during a two-year validity (or until passport expiry, whichever comes first).
If you plan to work, study, stay longer than 90 days or change status in the U.S., you must apply for the appropriate non-immigrant or immigrant visa at a consulate instead.
1. Eligibility Checklist
You may request an ESTA if all of the following are true:
- You hold a passport from one of the 41 Visa Waiver Program countries (e.g., United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Germany).*
(Full list on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website.) - Your passport is e-passport compliant (chip logo on the cover) and will remain valid for your entire stay.
- Your visit will not exceed 90 consecutive days.
- Purpose of travel is permitted under the Visa Waiver Program (tourism, business talks, conferences, medical, transit).
- You have no prior visa overstays, serious criminal convictions or contagious-disease bars that trigger inadmissibility.
- You have not visited Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria or Sudan after 1 March 2011. (The 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act added Cuba—a recent change many travelers miss.)
- You are not also a dual national of Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Syria or Sudan.
Travelers who fail any test above must apply for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa instead. See SimpleVisa’s separate article on common US visa types for alternatives.
Passport Validity Rule
U.S. authorities require your passport to be valid for the intended stay plus at least one day. However, six-month passport validity exemptions apply to most VWP countries. Check the U.S. Customs Six-Month Club list or let SimpleVisa’s widget verify this automatically during booking.
2. Fees in 2025
In May 2023 the U.S. increased the ESTA fee to USD 21 (up from USD 14). The cost is split into:
- USD 4 operational charge (kept even if denied)
- USD 17 authorization charge (refunded automatically if denied)
You pay once per authorization, not per entry. Acceptable methods include major credit/debit cards and PayPal. Third-party service fees (e.g., SimpleVisa’s guided application) are optional but can help reduce errors and support local currencies.
Tip — Airline add-on checkouts that integrate SimpleVisa allow customers to pay the same official USD 21 fee in their booking currency, reducing cart abandonment and foreign-transaction surprises.
3. Processing Timelines
| Step | Standard Timeframe | What Might Extend It |
|---|---|---|
| Automated screening after submission | Seconds to a few minutes (≈ 92% of cases, CBP data 2024) | CBP system maintenance or identifier mismatches |
| “Pending” manual vetting | ≤ 72 hours | Dual-citizenship flags, recent name changes, or travel to restricted countries |
| Email confirmation delivery | Within 24 hours | Spam filters, wrong email entry |
| Airline/CBP verification at departure | Instant via APIS | Airline system downtime may require manual override |
SimpleVisa’s analytics show that travelers who apply at least one week before departure cut denial-related rebooking costs by 88% compared with last-minute applicants.
Need it today?
There is no paid “expedited ESTA” option. If your status is still “Pending” and your flight departs in under 72 hours, contact CBP ESTA assistance by phone, but approvals are never guaranteed. Planning early is the only reliable strategy.
4. Step-by-Step Application Walkthrough
- Gather documents: biometric passport, home address, employer (optional), contact details, emergency contact, credit/debit card.
- Visit the official portal (esta.cbp.dhs.gov) or start a guided flow in your airline/OTA checkout powered by SimpleVisa.
- Create a profile and complete the form. Double-check passport number and issuance/expiry dates; these cause 65% of denials for first-time applicants.
- Answer eligibility questions honestly (health, arrests, overstay history, travel to restricted countries).
- Pay USD 21. Save the confirmation number and email receipt.
- Monitor status. Once approved, your ESTA shows as “Authorization Approved.” Print or save a PDF copy.
5. Updating or Renewing Your ESTA
- Minor updates (email, U.S. accommodation) are free online.
- Passport changes (number, expiry or country) or name/gender changes require a new application and another USD 21 fee.
- You can reapply at any time; the new approval replaces the old one and resets validity.
6. Common Reasons for Denial—and How to Avoid Them
| Reason | Prevention Strategy |
|---|---|
| Passport typo | Use optical passport scanning tools (SimpleVisa widget / mobile app). |
| Previous visa overstay | Consider full B-1/B-2 application with evidence of ties at a U.S. consulate. |
| Travel to Cuba after 2011 | Apply for a visitor visa instead; ESTA ineligible. |
| Unpaid US immigration fine | Resolve penalties first. |
| Criminal history mis-disclosure | Be truthful. Misrepresentation triggers long-term bans. |
If denied, you may still travel by applying for a B-1/B-2 visa at the nearest U.S. consulate. Denial under ESTA does not automatically bar you from future visas, but you should carry the denial email to your interview.
7. Quick Reference Table
| Feature | ESTA (US eVisa) Snapshot |
|---|---|
| Eligible nationalities | 41 Visa Waiver Program countries |
| Maximum stay | 90 days per entry |
| Validity | 2 years or until passport expires |
| Entries | Multiple |
| Government fee (2025) | USD 21 |
| Typical approval speed | Seconds; up to 72 hours |
| Where to apply | esta.cbp.dhs.gov or integrated SimpleVisa flow |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do children need their own ESTA? Yes. Every traveler, regardless of age, must hold an approved authorization.
Can I extend my 90-day stay while in the U.S.? No. You must depart and re-enter (if still under validity) or obtain the appropriate visa before your trip.
Is the fee refundable if I cancel my trip? No. The USD 21 is non-refundable once authorization is granted.
What if my airline can’t see my approved ESTA? Re-enter your passport details in the airline record or present the approval email at check-in. Airlines can re-query CBP in real time.
Does ESTA guarantee entry? Final admission is always at the discretion of CBP officers on arrival, but a valid ESTA significantly reduces border delays.
Ready to streamline your U.S. entry? SimpleVisa’s white-label applications and API automatically verify passport eligibility, pre-fill your ESTA, and push status updates directly to your booking or mobile wallet. Reduce paperwork and upsell compliance in one click—book a SimpleVisa demo today.