Check ESTA status online

Have you applied for an ESTA to enter the United States and want to check the status of your application? We explain how to proceed with the ESTA status check and why you should do this before every trip to the USA.

Checking the status of your ESTA application is crucial to your entry into the United States because the US border officials can only let you into the country with a valid ESTA approval. In order not to get into trouble, you should request your ESTA status well in advance of your departure.

Have you completed an ESTA application for a trip to the USA but still not received a notification of your status after 72 hours? Then log into your ESTA account and check your approval status yourself.

In the ESTA status check, enter your passport number, your date of birth, and your order number. You will then be presented with one of three possible results:

• Authorization approved
• Authorization pending
• Travel not authorized

If you get the message "Authorization approved" in the ESTA status check, you can now travel to the USA without a visa for a maximum of 90 days at a time. Your ESTA approval is valid for two years from the date of confirmation.

If you get the message "Travel not authorized" in the ESTA status check, the US authorities reject your ESTA application. You must now apply for a US visa at the embassy or consulate to enter the US.

If you see the message "Authorization pending" during the ESTA status check, your ESTA application has not yet been processed. Most applications are answered within 72 hours, but in rare cases, the review may take longer.

If your ESTA application is still “pending” after 72 hours, wait a few more hours to be on the safe side and then contact your ESTA agency.

In rare cases, there may be delays in processing an ESTA application, which extends the usual ESTA approval period (maximum 72 hours). The following circumstances can lead to such a delay:

• There are technical problems on the part of the US government.
• You provided unclear information when you submitted your application, and a manual check is planned.
• You entered an incorrect email address.
• You have submitted your application through a service provider who has yet to forward a travel permit already issued.

In the last two cases, you can get certainty by manually logging into your ESTA application. Please always provide a valid email address to which you have unrestricted access when applying for your ESTA.

If you have already been approved for ESTA travel and now want to travel to the USA again, you should re-check the status of your ESTA because it can happen that the US authorities declare already issued travel authorizations invalid.

The reasons for this can, e.g., be misconduct in contact with the US authorities, a violation of US immigration law (e.g., an "overstay" or illegal work in the USA), or simply a name similarity or an error.

In any event, you will be denied entry to the United States if you no longer have a valid travel authorization. It is, therefore, essential to check your ESTA status in good time before re-entering the country.

Do you have further questions about the ESTA status? Then you will surely find what you are looking for in our FAQ section.

When is an ESTA rejected?

Applying for an ESTA authorization to travel to the USA is subject to certain conditions. If you, as a traveler, do not meet the ESTA requirements, your application will most likely be rejected.

ESTA requirements include:

• You are a citizen of one of the countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
• You have a valid passport (e-passport).
• You have never had an ESTA application rejected.
• You only want to use your travel authorization for leisure and business trips to the United States.
• You are not a citizen of Cuba, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria.
• You do not answer “yes” to any ESTA security questions in the application (such as criminal activity or immigration law violations).
• You have not traveled to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen after March 1st, 2011, or been in Cuba since January 12th, 2021.
• Travelers from Hungary need a Hungarian birth certificate for the ESTA application.

Travelers who do not meet the requirements for ESTA approval must apply for a US visa at the embassies or consulates to travel to the USA.

When will the ESTA status be updated?

ESTA status is usually updated within 72 hours. You can check your current status online at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or your trusted ESTA agency.

How much does the ESTA status check cost?

There is no charge for checking your ESTA status.

Can ESTA status be transferred to another person?

The ESTA status is not transferable. Each traveler needs their own ESTA to enter the United States.

Can I apply for a new ESTA if my previous application was denied?

In principle, travelers are permanently excluded from the Visa Waiver Program after the rejection of an ESTA application. You can only submit a new one under particular conditions.

If it was a careless mistake in the application or a technical problem, you can have your application reset by contacting the US authorities.

In most cases, however, such a reset is not possible — especially not if the reasons for the rejection lie in your bio. That is why you usually have to apply for a visa if your ESTA application has been rejected but you still want to travel to the USA.

How long is an approved ESTA valid?

Most ESTA authorizations are valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. You can use the same ESTA for multiple trips to the United States during this period, provided your circumstances and eligibility do not change.

Exceptions apply to travelers from Brunei and Hungary, whose ESTA authorizations are valid for only one year. Travelers from Hungary also need a separate ESTA application for each entry into the United States.

Can I extend my stay in the United States with ESTA?

No, ESTA allows a maximum stay of 90 days per visit to the United States. If you want to stay longer or have another purpose of staying, you must apply for a visa.

Can I use my ESTA for multiple entries into the United States?

Unless you applied for your ESTA with a passport from Hungary, you can enter the United States several times during the validity period with an approved ESTA. However, each entry must meet the requirements of the Visa Waiver Program.