U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently announced additional improvements to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to streamline the application process for travellers and enhance security.

New features and improvements in 2016

Improved User Interface: the ESTA Application Platform has been redesigned to improve navigation and ease of use.

Faster processing: Back-end optimisations ensure faster processing and approval of applications.

Enhanced security checks: New technologies and algorithms have been implemented to make security checks more efficient and accurate.

Multilingual support: The platform now supports even more languages to facilitate access for travellers worldwide.

Benefits of the new US ESTA features

These improvements bring several benefits for travellers:

Ease of use: simple and intuitive navigation makes the application process easier.

Speed: Faster ESTA application processing means fewer waiting times for travellers.

Security: Enhanced security measures protect both travellers and the USA.

Accessibility: Multilingual support enables more expansive use of the platform.

Eligible countries

The Visa Waiver Programme currently includes 40 countries whose citizens can apply for an ESTA for travel to the USA. This list includes Germany, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Further information on the application process

For travellers wishing to apply for an ESTA, the official US ESTA website provides all the necessary information and the option to complete the ESTA application online.