So you are an Australian citizen who wishes to visit the United States shortly? We have some good news for you! As your country is a member of the ESTA scheme implemented a few years ago you can benefit from the Electronic System of Travel Authorisation for the United States of America. Of course, you will still need to fulfil certain specific conditions in order to obtain the permission of the American authorities and confirm your visit. Here you can learn how to easily complete your online ESTA application.
This website is not affiliated to the American government, you have the possibility of completing the procedure without supplementary fees on the official website.
ESTA application for Australian citizens
The conditions for an ESTA application in Australia:
To complete an online application for travel authorisation to the United States and thereby be exempt from applying for a visa you should of course be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia, but you also need to comply with the following conditions:
- You should be the holder of a valid passport; this validity should cover your entire stay in the United States.
- Your stay in the United States should not exceed 90 days. If it is for longer then you will need to proceed with a traditional visa application through the American Embassy.
- Finally, you need to comply with a certain number of specific criteria concerning moral and good conduct which will be evaluated through a questionnaire then verified as necessary.
If you fulfil these conditions you will obtain your electronic travel authorisation in only a few days.
How to undertake an ESTA application from Australia?
As with the majority of ESTA member countries you can complete your travel application directly online from Australia. By following the link available on this website you will easily access the simple electronic application form that will enable you to start the application procedure easily and rapidly.
Before starting to complete your application form ensure you have your passport close to hand as the passport number will be requested to validate your identity and it will be used for verification purposes when you travel.
You will also be asked a number of questions that you should answer frankly and truthfully as the information transmitted may be verified by the American authorities.
Finally, you need to settle the administration and transmission fees for your application by credit card through a secure server. It is only when these fees have been paid that your application will be transmitted.
How long does it take to obtain ESTA authorisation after applying?
When your ESTA application has been forwarded to the American authorities responsible for immigration you will need to wait a maximum of 72 hours before receiving their response. This response will be sent by email and will indicate if you have the right to enter American territory or not.
Once obtained, your ESTA will be valid for two years and can be used for future visits to the United States. It is therefore important to keep your file reference number in a safe place.
In case of refusal of your ESTA application you have the possibility of completing a normal visa application but it will not definitely be accepted. To undertake a visa application you should contact the American Embassy in Australia.
