ESTA Status

Have you successfully completed and submitted your ESTA Visa application or are you planning to travel to the USA again and don’t know if your ESTA is still valid? Your ESTA status will answer all these questions!

There are three different messages that can be displayed when you check the status of your ESTA. The different ESTA application responses and their meanings are:

Most ESTA authorizations are valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Entry and exit are possible during this time without a new registration, provided the requirements for visa-free entry are still met.

Exceptions apply to travelers from Brunei and Hungary. For them, ESTA permits will be issued with a term of only one year instead of the regular two years. In addition, US visitors from Hungary must submit a new ESTA application for each entry into the US.

For all other ESTA travelers, a new ESTA application must be submitted only when:

• you get a new passport
• your name changes due to marriage, divorce, adoption, etc.
• your sex changes
• your citizenship changes
• your answers to the security questions change

If you move within your country, your ESTA is still valid. Before traveling to the USA, you should always make sure that your ESTA is still valid.

Most ESTA permits are valid for 2 years and allow multiple stays in the US of up to 90 days each!

As soon as you get a new passport, your previous ESTA becomes invalid because your travel authorization is directly linked to your passport. Therefore, a new passport means that you must apply for a new ESTA.

ESTA is directly linked to your passport. As soon as you get a new passport, you have to apply for a new ESTA.

A person's circumstances can change very quickly, so most ESTA certificates are only valid for a period of 2 years. For example, as soon as you get married, you will need a new ESTA. Also, it is possible that your data will change in such a way that a subsequent ESTA would be denied (e.g., due to illness, criminal acts, or travel to countries classified as critical). The specified validity period allows the US authorities to verify that the applicant continues to meet the requirements for travel authorization.

An ESTA allows you to stay in the US for up to 90 days on each trip. However, the length of your stay in the USA is determined by the border officer. This means that they decide if you can stay for the full 90 days or if they give you fewer days. By the way: It is important that you have a return flight ending in a country other than Mexico, Canada, or a country in the Caribbean.

If the validity of your ESTA expires during your USA trip, you do not need to submit a new application. The ESTA permit only needs to be valid upon entry, not for the entire period of your stay.

However, after arriving in the US, be sure to check the allowed length of stay on your entry stamp and in the digital I-94 entry form. The US border official may not grant you the regular stay period of 90 days but adjust the entry permit to the validity of your ESTA.

If you notice a mistake in the date, have it corrected at the airport. Should you not observe the departure date and stay longer in the USA, it is an "overstay" - a violation of US immigration law, which can have severe consequences.

Even if your ESTA does not necessarily have to be valid for your entire stay in the USA, your passport must not expire during your stay! If you are a citizen of a country that belongs to the "Six Months Club" - such as Germany e.g. - your passport must be valid for at least the duration of your stay including the day of departure.

No, you cannot renew an ESTA. An authorized ESTA is only ever valid for two years. As soon as your ESTA is invalid, you must apply for a new one. You do not have to apply for a new ESTA if you move within your country or travel to the USA again.

You can also reapply for your current ESTA before it expires. Once you are then granted the new travel authorization, the old ESTA is invalid, and you may only use the new one.

No, the maximum number of days you can stay in the USA with an ESTA is 90, and it cannot be extended. If you don't depart from the USA on time, you will be staying in the USA illegally. This can have consequences on future trips to America. If you want to stay longer than 90 days, then you must apply for an appropriate visa (e.g., B1 or B2 visa) beforehand.

Those who want to stay in the USA for longer than 90 days must apply for an appropriate US visa!

Only in exceptional cases does U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grant a longer stay in the USA with ESTA. These include unforeseen situations such as flight cancellations due to severe weather or strikes, or serious medical circumstances that make it impossible to return and leave the US within 90 days. In such cases, you must provide USCIS with appropriate evidence to obtain a decision.

Even if you have a valid ESTA, you may be denied entry to the US. The US border official always has the final say. They decide whether and for how long you are allowed to travel to the United States. The border agent does not have to justify his decision to you. Follow all rules for entering the USA to minimize the risk of rejection at the border.