It usually takes 3 days for an ESTA application to be approved. However, if you need an ESTA urgently, you can make use of the express delivery. Your application will then be processed in 60 minutes on average. However, the delivery time can never be guaranteed, so it is advisable to apply for the ESTA well before departure.
I am in urgent need of an ESTA
When are you going to need your ESTA?
The US government has made agreements with all airlines offering scheduled flights to the USA. According to these agreements, airlines must check whether each traveller holds a valid visa or ESTA at check-in. Therefore, you must hold an ESTA already at the airport of departure. You may check in, drop off your baggage and pass the security checks only with a valid ESTA. Furthermore, you will be allowed to check in online only after your ESTA application is approved.
Trouble checking in? Take action immediately!
It happens very frequently that travellers have trouble checking in for their flights to the USA due to problems with their ESTA. The most common cause of trouble is travellers providing incorrect passport details in the ESTA application form. One incorrect letter (or number) is enough to invalidate an ESTA. Under this circumstance, the airline will not be able to find an ESTA linked to the correct passport number. Proving that your ESTA application was indeed approved is not a solution in this case, because an ESTA granted on the basis of incorrect data is simply invalid.
Since the data linked to an already granted ESTA may not be corrected or changed, the only way to check in under this circumstance is to apply for a new ESTA (with urgency if necessary). A risk analysis will then be performed based on the new (correct) passport details, and the ESTA may or may not be granted. Since you may only check in after the application is approved with the correct data, it is important to take action immediately if you fail to check in. Don’t wait until you get to the airport, submit a new application immediately.
Note: do not submit an urgent application if your previous application is still pending
Never submit an urgent application if you already have a pending ESTA application, even if you submitted it through another website. Submitting an urgent application alongside a regular application will not accelerate the process, but could actually cause (further) delays.
Differences between a regular and an urgent application
Urgent ESTA applications may be submitted through the online application form in English. To do so, you just need to tick the option “Urgent delivery”. If you choose to do so, your application will be placed first in the queue at e-Visa.co.uk, so that it will be the first to be checked and submitted to the US immigration service. You may submit an urgent application 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including nights, weekends and holidays. However, urgent applications are subject to a surcharge of £17.50 per person. For further information, read the page about the cost of your ESTA.
Once your application has been forwarded to the US immigration service, e-Visa.co.uk has no influence on the processing time, which for rush applications is roughly 60 minutes. Since there is always a small chance of spot checks and technical failures, your ESTA is not guaranteed to be granted in 60 minutes.
Apply for your ESTA in advance
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection strongly advises travellers to always apply for the ESTA long before departure. In other words, if your plan is to visit America in the next two years, it is wise to submit an ESTA application immediately, even if you do not know the exact dates and location of your stay in the United States. By applying for your ESTA in advance, you will not have to submit an urgent application later on.
Urgent ESTA application: fill in the application form carefully
Applying for an ESTA is a quick process. Once you have the necessary information at hand, it only takes 5 minutes to fill in the application form. However, this should be done carefully, as a single mistake could result in an unpleasant situation. In fact, if you answer even one question incorrectly, your ESTA application could be rejected, or you might be granted an invalid ESTA. Always pay close attention when filling in the form, as a valid travel authorisation is necessary to travel to the United States.
How do I get the ESTA?
As soon as your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation via e-mail and SMS. You do not need to print it out. Moreover, you do not have to show your ESTA at passport control or when boarding your plane to the USA. At the time of check-in (online or at the gate)
e-Visa.co.uk is a commercial and professional visa agency, and supports travellers in obtaining, among others, the ESTA USA. e-Visa.co.uk is an official partner of the International Air Transport Association, IATA, with membership number 57231226, acts as an intermediary, is no law firm, nor does it employ lawyers, does not provide legal advice, and is in no way part of any government. You can also apply for a ESTA directly with the immigration service (21 USD per ESTA, via esta.cbp.dhs.gov). However, not with our level of support. If you submit your application via e-Visa.co.uk, our support centre is available to you 24/7. In addition, we manually check your application and all the documents you provide before submitting it to the immigration authorities on your behalf. If we suspect any errors or omissions while doing so, we will personally contact you to ensure that your application can still be processed quickly and correctly. To use our services, you pay us 21 USD in consular fees, which we pay to the immigration service on your behalf, as well as £33.30 in service fees as compensation for our services, including VAT. Our services have saved many travellers from major problems during their trip. Should an application be rejected despite our support and verification, we will refund the full purchase price (unless an application for a previous USA ESTA was rejected for the same traveller). Read more about our services here.