Guide

The ESTA: what Visa Waiver travellers need before flying to the US

Citizens of the countries in the US Visa Waiver Program, including British citizens, can visit the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, but only with an approved ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). Without one, the airline can refuse to board you. This guide covers who needs an ESTA, what it costs from October 2026, how long it lasts, and what changes when you connect through the US or have travelled to certain countries.

Last verified 21 October 2026Source: US Customs and Border Protection: ESTA

Who needs an ESTA

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) lets citizens of designated countries travel to the United States for business or tourism for stays of 90 days or less without first getting a visa. CBP describes the program as covering 42 countries. The Department of Homeland Security's list includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, most European Union countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Israel, Chile and Qatar, among others.

British travellers: the UK entry covers British citizens with the unrestricted right of permanent abode in the UK. DHS notes that it does not cover British overseas citizens, British dependent territories' citizens or citizens of Commonwealth countries, who need to check their own requirements.
Canadians: Canada is not a Visa Waiver Program country and Canadian citizens visiting the US do not use ESTA. For a flight, carry a valid passport; CBP's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative page lists the other documents Canadians can use.
US citizens do not need an ESTA to enter the United States.
People with a valid US visa travel on the visa and do not need an ESTA.

You also need an e-Passport, the passport with an embedded electronic chip and the chip symbol on the cover. CBP says all VWP travellers must have one; without it, you need a visa.

What it costs

The ESTA fee is set in law and is now adjusted for inflation each year. A Federal Register notice published on 1 October 2026 says CBP began charging the fiscal year 2027 amounts on 16 October 2026:

ESTA fees from 16 October 2026 (Federal Register, 1 October 2026).
Outcome	Fee
Application approved (travel authorization issued)	$40.62
Application denied	$10.62

Because the amount is reviewed every year, check the figure shown on the official site when you pay. Apply only at the official ESTA website, esta.cbp.dhs.gov, which CBP links to from its ESTA page. CBP's own FAQ says private services do not speed up approval and are not endorsed by or affiliated with the US government.

When to apply, and how long it lasts

CBP says you can apply at any time before travel and recommends applying as soon as you start planning, or before you buy your tickets. That advice is worth following: if the ESTA is refused, the alternative is a visa interview at a US embassy or consulate, which takes more time to arrange.

Validity: an approval is typically valid for two years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner. CBP shows the validity dates when it approves you.
Multiple trips: one approval covers repeated visits during that period, but each stay is still limited to 90 days.
When you must reapply: if you get a new passport, change your name, change your country of citizenship, or if the honest answer to any of the yes or no eligibility questions has changed. A new fee applies each time.
Which passport: CBP says you need an approved ESTA for the passport you plan to travel on. If you hold two passports, apply with the one you will use.

The airline is told your ESTA status electronically, so you do not need to show a printout, but CBP recommends keeping a copy of your application number. Remember that an ESTA is permission to travel, not a guarantee of entry: the CBP officer at the airport decides whether to admit you.

Connecting through the United States

This catches out travellers heading to Mexico, the Caribbean or Latin America via a US airport. CBP's FAQ confirms that VWP citizens need either an ESTA or a visa to transit the United States, even if they are only changing planes on the way to another country. When you apply, write "In Transit" and your final destination in the address fields. CBP also says all VWP travellers arriving by air or sea need an approved ESTA regardless of where their journey started.

If you are flying into the US and then on to another US city, read our guide to booking US flights from the UK or Canada on allowing time for immigration and re-checking bags.

Travel history that rules out an ESTA

Under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, CBP says you are not eligible to travel under the VWP, with limited exceptions, if you:

have been in Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen at any time on or after 1 March 2011;
are also a national of Iraq, Syria, Iran, North Korea or Sudan; or
have visited Cuba on or after 12 January 2021, when Cuba was designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism, according to CBP.

There are exceptions for military service or official government duties on behalf of a VWP country. Being ineligible for an ESTA is not a ban on visiting the US: you apply for a visa instead. The same applies if an ESTA is denied. CBP says embassies cannot explain or overturn an ESTA denial, but they can process a visa application.

A short checklist before you book

Confirm you hold a VWP-country passport with the chip symbol.
Apply on the official site and pay the fee shown there.
Check the name on your flight booking matches the passport exactly; see name corrections on airline tickets.
If you renewed your passport since your last trip, apply again.
Keep your application number with your travel documents.
If you will continue on a US domestic flight, check the bag charges on that leg; our baggage fees comparison covers the main US airlines.

Common questions

How much does an ESTA cost?

From 16 October 2026 the fee is $40.62 for an approved application and $10.62 if the application is denied, according to the Federal Register notice published on 1 October 2026. The amount is adjusted for inflation each year.

Do UK citizens need an ESTA to visit the USA?

British citizens with the right of permanent abode in the UK can visit for up to 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program, and they need an approved ESTA before travelling by air or sea, unless they hold a valid US visa.

How long is an ESTA valid?

CBP says approvals are typically valid for two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. A new passport, a name change or a change in your answers means you must apply again.

Do I need an ESTA if I am only connecting in the US?

Yes. CBP says Visa Waiver Program citizens need an ESTA or a visa to transit the United States. Enter In Transit and your final destination in the address section.

What happens if my ESTA is denied?

You cannot travel under the Visa Waiver Program on that application. CBP says the route is to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at a US embassy or consulate.

Written by the Trailisse reservations team

Taken from CBP's ESTA, Visa Waiver Program and VWP Improvement Act pages, the DHS list of program countries and the Federal Register fee notice of 1 October 2026, checked on the date shown above. Corrections welcome. See our editorial policy.

Sources

General information, not immigration advice. Trailisse is an independent travel agency and is not affiliated with CBP or the US government; we do not file ESTA applications. Your nationality and travel history decide what you need.