As you probably already know, the application for ESTA electronic travel authorisation is done entirely online. All you have to do is fill in a simple form on the internet, filling in your personal details and answering a few simple questions. Although this procedure is very simple, it is necessary to pay attention to all the items in the questionnaire and to answer them reliably and truthfully. In this article, we will explain how to fill in the ESTA form correctly from UK in order to increase your chances of receiving a positive response from the American authorities.
ESTA form from the UK: Key points
- Most private service providers offer ESTA from the UK.
- Filling in the ESTA form in English will help you avoid making mistakes.
- Private ESTA application websites offer help with filling in the form if necessary.
- The ESTA is available in English but also in other languages depending on your needs.
Where can I find the ESTA form for British citizens?
Of course, you must first access the ESTA form online. This is of course available from the official website of the US government and the US Department of Homeland Security. But it is also possible to use a proxy, such as the site we suggest you visit on our page, which will give you access to an English-language form and online help with filling it in.
Before you start filling in the ESTA form, please make sure you have your passport number and a valid e-mail address.
Once you have arrived at the ESTA application site in English, you will be able to access a new form to make an individual application or a form to make a group application. Note that you can also put your application on hold and resume it later.
Before you start filling in the questionnaire, you must first read and accept 2 successive screens concerning the online statements. Make sure you tick the box "Yes, I have read and understood the information and accept the conditions" in order to access the ESTA application form from the UK.
Apply for ESTA from the UK!
First part of the form: Filling in ESTA applicant details from the UK
The very first part of the ESTA form that you will have to fill in concerns your personal information and your civil status. You will be asked to fill in some simple data that you know about, including :
- Your name and surname.
- Your date and place of birth
- Your passport number and its validity dates (From some countries it is possible to download the passport to ensure its reliability).
- Some information about your citizenship and nationality
Once you have entered your personal and passport details, you will also need to enter a valid email address and validate it a second time. Once you have entered your email address twice and validated it, you will have to go to your email address to check that you have received the registration confirmation email. This email contains a 4-digit secret code which is sent to you and which allows you to validate your email address. Please note that this 4-digit code is only valid for 25 minutes. After you have completed the form, you must fill in the information on the screen in order to proceed to the second stage of filling in the ESTA form from the UK.
This first validation step is important because it allows the services in charge of validating your form to guarantee that your email is correct and that you can then receive your ESTA through this channel.
Second part of the form: Filling in the additional personal and identity information
Part 2 of the ESTA form for British citizens will ask you to fill in a new set of information about your identity and personal details. In particular, you will be asked to fill in the following data:
- Your possible pseudonym or other passports
- Your postal address and telephone number
- Information about the presence on social networks
- Information about the identity of your parents
It is of course essential to enter all of this data, as all of this information is mandatory.
Third part of the form: Fill in your travel information
In the third part of the ESTA form, you will find a section on travel information.
In this section, you will need to indicate, among other things, the purpose of your trip to the United States and where exactly you wish to travel. It will also be necessary to provide the name and contact details of your contact person in the USA for the duration of your stay.
Part 4 of the form: Your ESTA eligibility
Finally, we come to the fourth and final part of the ESTA form for British citizens. This is a series of questions that you will be asked to answer with a yes or no.
As you will see, the questions concern different aspects of your private and professional life. For example, you will be asked if you wish to commit a terrorist act on American soil or if you suffer from a highly contagious disease.
It is imperative that you answer all of these questions as honestly as possible so that your application can be accepted by the US authorities.
Apply for ESTA from the UK!
Validation and submission of the ESTA form from the UK
Now that you have completed the ESTA form for British citizens, you can submit your application. You will then be taken to a page entitled Application Submission, where you will be asked to check all the information you have entered. We recommend that you pay particular attention to this check, which is essential if you want to avoid making a mistake after validating the form. Indeed, a simple error may result in your ESTA being refused and you will have to make a new application and pay the regulatory fees a second time.
If you have reviewed all your answers and wish to validate them definitively, you can click on "submit request".
The very last step is to pay the regulatory fee and the processing fee for your ESTA application. You will then be redirected to a secure payment page where you can pay these regulations by credit card. Remember that payment of these fees is essential for processing and sending your application to the American immigration service.
Get a response to your ESTA application:
Once you have completed the ESTA form for British citizens and paid the processing and transfer fee, you will receive an email confirming your application.
Remember that the ESTA application can take up to 72 hours to process. This means that you will receive a definitive answer to your application directly by email within this time.
Once your ESTA has been accepted by the US authorities, you do not need to take any further steps or even print out this authorisation as it will be automatically and electronically attached to your passport.
Once obtained, the ESTA will be valid for 2 years from the date of issue. This means that you can visit the United States as many times as you wish during this two-year period, provided you comply with the ESTA eligibility rules.
Apply for ESTA from the UK!
Adeline HARMANT
As a web writer and globetrotter with a passion for travel and tourism, I have acquired in-depth knowledge of the procedures that are essential for travellers. I help travellers to complete all the formalities required for a successful trip, particularly when it comes to obtaining a visa online. With several years' experience in this field, I'd like to offer you some valuable advice to help you discover the world with complete peace of mind.