How long is an ESTA valid?
ESTA travel permits are valid for two years. Unless the permission is revoked or your passport loses its validity.
You can enter the USA as often as you like within these two years. The period of validity begins on the date of approval and not on the day of departure. The deadline expires either automatically after two years or when your passport expires, depending on which event occurs first.
If you are granted an ESTA visa, you do not need to submit a new application during the validity period.
Your ESTA must only be valid at the beginning of your trip to the United States. It will have no effect on your departure if your permit expires during your stay in the United States.
For how long does the ESTA apply?
You cannot stay in the USA for two consecutive years with this type of visa. Under the Visa Waiver Program, you may only travel to the United States and stay in the country for a maximum of 90 days at a time. If your stay in the United States is more than 90 days, you must apply for a specific visa at your nearest U. S. Embassy or Consulate.
Avoid staying in the United States for more than 180 days a year if possible, as you may be accused of attempting illegal immigration, together with unpleasant questioning by the US authorities.
Are there any reasons why I need to apply for a new ESTA even though the old one is still valid?
Even if the validity of your visa has not yet expired, in certain cases you may still have to apply for a new visa and wait for approval before entering the United States. This refers to the following changes to the information you have provided in your approved application.
- You got married and changed your surname
- You have a new or additional citizenship
- Your passport has expired in the meantime or expires before departure
- You have changed your gender
- You've been convicted
- You must now answer YES to one of the additional questions about Visa Waiver Program eligibility.
How do I know whether the ESTA approval is still valid?
The expiry date of your travel authorization is displayed in the information screen under "AUTHORIZATION APPROVED".
Before travelling to the USA, you should check how long your visa is still valid. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our trained staff.
What if I misplace the ESTA print out?
You are not sure if your entry permit is still valid, but can't find it? You don't have to worry about it or even change your travel plans in the worst case, just make sure that the permit is still valid.
Use our ->ESTA Status Check and check the validity of your tourist or business visa.
What do I do if my ESTA is no longer valid?
It is imperative that you have a valid visa at the time of entry to the USA. If the validity period of the ESTA has expired or if certain personal information and details have changed in the meantime, you must renew them.
However, renewing the ESTA visa is not to be equated with an extension of legimitations, such as a passport. So this is not a renewal, but a new proposal. This means that you must repeat the same procedure.
The fee for processing the application must also be paid again.
However, the new ESTA application is not necessarily approved simply because the prior travel authorisation has been granted. The Department of Homeland Security will examine each new application equally and individually. If your personal circumstances have changed or the entry conditions to the USA have been tightened, it may well come to a rejection.