American Online Visa Requirements

Certain foreign nationals are allowed by United States to visit the country without having to go through the lengthy process of applying for the United States Visitor Visa. Instead, these foreign nationals can travel to USA by applying for the US Electronic System Travel Authorization or US ESTA which works as a Visa waiver and allows international travelers coming to the country via air (through commercial or chartered flights), land or sea to visit the country with ease and convenience. To be eligible to apply for the ESTA, you must meet the US Visa Requirements. Why not keep on reading to know how to apply for a US visa?

What is the US Online Visa and How does it work?

The US online works as a Visa waiver and allows international travelers coming to the country via air (through commercial or chartered flights), land or sea to visit the country with ease and convenience. To successfully submit the form, do follow the Online US Visa Documentation Guide. 

The ESTA US Visa serves the same purpose as the US Visitor Visa but is much faster and easier to acquire than the Visa which takes a long time and much more hassle than the Canada eTA the result of whose application is often given within minutes. But do keep a track of the American Visa Application Checklist before your application.

Once your ESTA for the United States has been approved it will be linked to your Passport and will be valid for a maximum of two (2) years from the date of issue or a period lesser than that if your Passport expires before two years.

It can be used repeatedly to visit the country for short durations of time, lasting no more than 90 days, although the actual duration will depend on the purpose of your visit and will be decided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials and stamped on your passport.

But first you must be sure that you meet all of the US Visa Requirements for the US ESTA which make you eligible for the ESTA for the United States. Do read the Online US Visa Documentation Guide is important for successful application.

What are the US Visa Requirements? Who are Eligible to Apply?

Since the United States allows only certain foreign nationals to visit the country without a Visa but on the US ESTA. As a part of the US Visa Requirements, you will be eligible for the ESTA US Visa only if you are a citizen of one of the countries that are eligible for the US ESTA. To be eligible for the ESTA US Visa you are required to be:

Citizen of any of these visa-exempt countries:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania (holders of a biometric passport/e-passport issued by Lithuania), Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland (holders of a biometric passport/e-passport issued by Poland), Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (holders of the ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes their personal identification number).

British citizen or British overseas citizen. British overseas territories include Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena or the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Holder of a British National (Overseas) passport issued by the United Kingdom to persons born, naturalized or registered in Hong Kong.

British Subject or holder of a British Subject passport issued by the United Kingdom which gives the holder the right of abode in the United Kingdom.

If your country is not in the list of visa-exempt countries for United States then you might be eligible for the United States Visitor Visa instead.

If you belong to any of the visa-exempt countries, your next step is to know how to apply for a US visa.

What to do if your country is not listed in the US ESTA?

If your country is not in the list of visa-exempt countries for the United States, then you might be eligible for the United States Visitor Visa instead. Before going forward with the application make sure to check the US Visa Requirements, following the Online US Visa Documentation Guide will let you know what you need to obtain the visa.

What are the Essential Passport Requirements for United States ESTA?

The US ESTA will be linked to your passport and the type of passport you have will also determine whether you are eligible for applying for the ESTA for the United States or not. As a rule of the US Visa Requirements only following passport holders can apply for the US ESTA:

• Ordinary Passport Holders issued by countries eligible for the US ESTA.
•  Diplomatic, Official, or Service Passport Holders of eligible countries unless they are exempted from applying at all and can travel without the ESTA.
• Emergency/Temporary Passport Holders of eligible countries.

Note:

The above-mentioned American Visa Application Checklist is important to be maintained before entering the US. You cannot enter the United States even if your ESTA for the United States has been approved if you are not carrying proper documentation with you. 

Your passport is the most important of such documents which you must carry with you when entering the United States and on which the duration of your stay in the United States will be stamped by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer.

The best you can do is go through the Online US Visa Documentation Guide for a hassle-free visa application and entry.

What are the Other Requirements for Application of US ESTA?

Here is the important American Visa Application Checklist, when applying for the US ESTA online you will be required to have the following:

• Passport
• Contact, employment, and travel details
• A debit or credit card to pay the ESTA application fees

Note:

If you meet all of the US Visa Requirements for the US ESTA then you will quite easily be able to obtain the same and visit the USA. However, you should keep in mind that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can deny you entry at the border even if you are an approved US ESTA holder. 

How to apply for a US visa?

Here are the steps to know how to apply for a US visa:

Step 1: Visit the US ESTA site, and click on the link on the visa application link or button

Step 2: Once you click the application form link you will be directed to the form

Step 3: The form contains basic questions, fill the form accurately to avoid any mistakes

Step 4: If you have completed filling the form, review it, if everything is correct pay the processing fees.

Step 5: Get a confirmation mail that your application has been received

Step 6: Wait for final approval, which takes some time to be processed.

Step 7: If approved, receive the visa by your provided email.

If you have ready all the documents as an obligatory part of the US Visa Requirements for ESTA and meet all eligibility conditions for the ESTA for United States, then you should be able to quite easily apply online for the US ESTA whose ESTA Application Form is quite simple and straightforward. Knowing about the Online US Visa Documentation Guide in advance is necessary for smooth application.

If you require any clarifications, you should contact our helpdesk for support and guidance, you will be able to know about the American Visa Application Checklist in detail.

READ MORE: US Visa Online is an automated system that verifies the eligibility of travellers for travelling to the USA under the governance of the Visa Waiver Program. Learn more at US Visa Online.