On this page below you will find all the information you need for your visa application

An ESTA is valid for up to two years after it has been granted. An unlimited number of trips to America can be made during that period. Each stay may last a maximum of 90 days. The validity of an ESTA can expire earlier for various reasons. An expired or expired ESTA cannot be renewed or corrected. However, a new application can be submitted.

In which cases is an ESTA valid for less than two years?

The validity of an ESTA will expire within two years after it has been granted if:

• Traveling with a different passport than the one with which the ESTA application was submitted
• The ESTA application form is incomplete or incorrectly completed.
• Certain information in the completed ESTA form is no longer up to date *
• The traveler spends more than 90 consecutive days in the United States.
• The traveler has not complied with the conditions of travel with an ESTA.
  * Read at the bottom of this page in which cases a changed situation results in an invalid ESTA and in which cases the ESTA remains valid.

Length of stay per trip: a maximum of 90 consecutive days

Within the validity period of two years, an unlimited number of trips to America can be made. Each stay in the United States can be up to 90 days. An ESTA is only valid when used for business or tourism reasons. This also includes making a switch in America or visiting friends or family.

Interim stay in Canada, Mexico, or a Caribbean island

If in the meantime or after a trip to America is traveled on to Mexico, Canada, or a Caribbean island, that stay will be counted in the validity period of 90 days.

Validity of document
For example, an interim stay in Mexico: a traveler arrives in America with an ESTA, stays there for 60 days, then travels to Mexico and stays there for 20 days. From Mexico, the traveler returns to the United States. The traveler might stay in the USA for another 10 days, so not again for 90 days if the traveler had traveled back to, for example, Europe. In the meantime, the second stay in America could have lasted again for 90 days.

The minimum period between two trips to America with an ESTA

Travelers are not intended to travel out of America for a short time and then return, just to reset/extend the 90 day validity period. There is no official minimum time period between trips to America with an ESTA. Still, when entering the United States, U.S. Customs & Border Protection assess the situation. If it is suspected that a traveler has left America prematurely for the sole purpose of circumventing the maximum validity period of 90 days, the ESTA will be declared invalid. Travelers who want to stay in America often and for a long time can apply for a visa, for which these rules do not apply.

A valid ESTA is linked to one passport.

An ESTA is inextricably linked to the passport, the details of which are entered in the application form. Therefore, it is impossible to travel to America with a different passport without applying for a completely new ESTA. Once a passport has expired, the validity of the associated ESTA travel authorization also expires. Were not all passport data correct when applying for an ESTA? Then the validity expires.

Has the passport (almost) expired? Always apply for a new passport first and then a new ESTA. The passport number of the new passport must be entered in the ESTA application form. Most local authorities offer an urgent procedure to get a new passport faster. An ESTA can also be applied for urgently. An urgent application is approved after an hour on average.

Other reasons that may cause the validity of an ESTA to expire

In addition to the maximum stay in America and the passport’s validity, some other things are important for an ESTA’s validity.

Entered data is incorrect or incomplete.

If the ESTA application form, knowingly or unknowingly, is not completed correctly or completely, an ESTA may be granted but not valid. The immigration service does not have all the data of all travelers globally, so it can sometimes not recognize entry errors. For example, a wrongly entered date of birth will not result in the application being rejected. In that case, an ESTA will be awarded, but it will not be valid. It happens that travelers only notice this when they check-in. The airline will then indicate that no valid ESTA exists based on the correct passport details. The fact that approval has taken place based on incorrect data cannot be checked by the airline and irrelevant. This problem can only be solved by submitting a new application for an ESTA.

Entered data is no longer up to date

If the traveler’s situation has changed, as a result of which the information entered when applying for the ESTA is no longer up to date, this may result in an invalid ESTA. The validity expires immediately if a traveler:

• Put a new passport into use
• Assumes a new first or last name
• Changes nationality or gender
• Move to another country
• I can no longer answer all security questions with “no.”

An ESTA remains valid if the traveler:

• Moves, but within the same country
• Has a changed point of contact or contact person
• The travel date or residence address in America changes
• Want to travel to the United States for a different purpose *
  * For a valid ESTA, the new travel purpose must also meet the conditions for traveling with an ESTA.

To travel to America with an ESTA, all conditions on this page must be met. Dutch and Belgian business travelers and tourists usually meet all ESTA conditions, but it is wise to carefully read this page.

Conditions regarding the destination
The following travel destinations do meet the conditions of an ESTA:

• Tourism (on vacation to America)
• Visiting friends or family
• Visiting customers or suppliers
• Undergoing medical treatment
• Attending business meetings, negotiations, and conferences

The following travel destinations do not meet the requirements of an ESTA:

• Entering employment with a US employer
• Undergoing training in the United States
• Investing in or establishing an American company
• Carrying out journalistic activities

Working in America with an ESTA is allowed, as long as the traveler does not enter an American organization’s employment. However, a traveler may be paid for the work in America if the paying employer is located outside the United States. The work is then seen as a “business trip” and thus meets ESTA conditions.

• For technical support, such as technicians, you must apply for a (B1) visa.
• Crew personnel must apply for a (D) visa.

Conditions regarding travel planning
The following ESTA conditions pertain to the planning of the trip to America:

• The traveler must have a passport that is valid for the entire stay in America.
• A maximum stay of 90 days starts from arrival in the United States; they stay in the US and Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean islands.
• A ticket for the onward or return journey must already have been booked at the arrival time in America.
• Travelers traveling with an ESTA cannot apply for a visa, extension, or residence permit upon arrival in America.
• Applying for an ESTA does not suffice if you are traveling on a private plane or own ship.
• Applying for an ESTA with an emergency passport is only possible if the emergency passport contains a digital chip.

Terms of the ESTA and Visa Waiver Program
Terms of the ESTA, part of the Visa Waiver Program

Conditions regarding the background of the traveler

To be eligible for an ESTA, the traveler must have the Netherlands, Belgium, or one of the other country’s nationality. In the following cases, the conditions for traveling with an ESTA are not met, and a visa is required to still travel to the United States of America.

• The traveler has been in or after 2011 in Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, North Korea, or Yemen, or has ever held the nationality of one of these countries
• The traveler has such a contagious disease or mental disorder that he/she poses a risk to the immediate environment
• The traveler has ever been arrested or convicted of a crime resulting in serious damage or injury *
• The traveler has ever broken any law regarding the possession, distribution, or use of drugs
• The traveler has not previously adhered to a condition of an ESTA or visa for America
  * A fine for a traffic violation is not covered unless it resulted in serious damage or injury.

Conditions regarding the statement of approval
Travelers who travel to the United States based on an ESTA must declare on the ESTA form that:

they agree that U.S. Customs & Border Protection will collect biometric data on arrival, including fingerprints
they do not pose a threat to public health, public order, and law enforcement in the USA
they do not participate or have taken part in sabotage, espionage, terrorism, and/or genocide
they are aware that the granting of an ESTA does not provide a guarantee of entry into the USA; if the immigration service on arrival in America believes that a traveler is a threat to security or public order, he can still be refused entry
Exceptions to the regular conditions
Travelers who hold a valid US or Canadian passport, visa, or US residence permit are excluded from the above ESTA requirements. For travelers who enter the United States not by ship or plane, but by land, an ESTA application is not mandatory but recommended to pass through passport control faster. They must also meet all the conditions on this page during their stay in the United States of America. Travelers who do not have a passport issued by a country participating in the Visa Waiver Program, but have a residence permit in one of the participating countries, do not meet the ESTA requirements and are only allowed to travel with a visa.

Travelers who do not meet the conditions
Do you not meet all the conditions for traveling with an ESTA? Then you may not use the ESTA form on this website. To still be able to travel to America, an American visa is required.

Transferring to America is only allowed if you have an ESTA, visa, or US passport. When you check in on your flight to America, your passport number will be used to check whether you meet this requirement.

ESTA: easier than a visa

An ESTA is easier to apply for than a visa. To apply for a visa, you must make an appointment at a US consulate. The costs of a visa are also higher. The application process for an ESTA, on the other hand, is simple and fast online. An ESTA is, therefore, the obvious choice for a switch in America.

An ESTA is valid for multiple transfers.

The validity period of an ESTA is 2 years unless the passport with which it was applied for loses its validity earlier. It is, therefore, possible to use an ESTA multiple times for a transfer in America. Only one arrival date needs to be entered in the application form. Nevertheless, it is not necessary or even impossible to communicate additional or changed arrival dates. Only after the ESTA or the passport to which the ESTA is associated has expired should a new application be submitted to travel to America again for a transfer or other purpose.

Transfer and ESTA in America Many travelers who fly from Europe to the American continent make a transfer in America. (USA)

An ESTA for transfer is also valid for another travel purpose.

The application form asks if you are only traveling to America for a transfer. If you answer in the affirmative, you do not need to enter a city in America. Nevertheless, after approval, you will receive the same travel authorization as if you had indicated that you would stay in America. Therefore, even with an ESTA specifically applied for a wire transfer, you are allowed to stay in the United States of America for 90 consecutive days for a vacation or business trip. However, every trip must meet the conditions for using an ESTA.

Can I leave the airport during my transfer?

Based on the above, it can be concluded that it is also permitted to leave the airport prematurely during the transfer in America. The ESTA is valid for a maximum stay of 90 days. However, keep in mind that your airline and the airport you are transferring to may also have restrictions. If you want to be sure that it is possible to leave the airport in the meantime, it is wise to check this with the airline.

An ESTA is also required for a transit flight through America.

Sometimes confusion arises between a transfer and a transit flight. A transfer means: you get off the plane in America and continue your journey on another plane. A transit flight means: you land in America, wait on or off the plane and then fly in the same plane to your final destination. An ESTA, visa, or US passport is required for both a transfer and a transit flight.