ESTA Visa for Australians Citizens

What Is an ESTA for Australian Citizens and What Does It Do?

Is an electronic travel authorization system that permits holders to travel to the United States of America without a visa.

The US ESTA is available to Australian nationals if their visit to the States meets certain criteria.

The purpose of the visit must be for one of the following:

Tourism
Business
Transit

Citizens of Australia may use the ESTA to enter the USA for stays of up to 90 days at a time.

Once registered, the ESTA is valid for 2 years or until the individual’s passport expires, whichever comes first. If your passport will expire in less than two years, you will receive an ESTA valid until the passport’s expiration date.

The holder of an approved ESTA can then use it to enter the United States on multiple occasions within this period. There is no set requirement for how long you must wait between your visits to the U.S., but you must have a reasonable amount of time between your visits. You need to show that Australia remains your country of residence and you intend to return there after your short trip to the U.S.

Australian visitors must register their details with the system prior to embarking on the journey to the USA. We recommended applying as soon as you finalize your travel plans to the US. However, you can still request an ESTA up to 72 hours before your departure.

Is an ESTA Obligatory for Australian Citizens?

Is a travel requirement for Australian citizens visiting the US if they plan to arrive by air or sea. If an Australian passport holder arrives at an American border crossing without an ESTA, they will be refused entry to the country.

Do not forget to apply for an ESTA for the US if planning a trip from Australia.

The ESTA is not a requirement for nationals of Australia who plan to move to the United States. In order to live and/or work in the country, the relevant type(s) of US visas are required instead.

How Can I Apply for the US Visa Waiver from Australia?

Citizens of Australia can apply for the US ESTA online. There is a simple application form, which takes a matter of minutes to complete, and can be done from the traveler’s home or office.

The Australian applicant must enter the following information:

Basic personal data, including home address
Passport information
Phone number
Emergency contact phone and address (optional)

There are also a few questions to answer that pertain to health, travel history, and general security.

ESTA Requirements for Australian Citizens to Travel to the United States

The following items are requirements for Australian citizens completing the US ESTA application:

Valid Australian passport
Payment method (credit or debit card) to cover the ESTA fee
Active email address

All of these must be provided to obtain the ESTA.

When traveling to the USA visitors from Australia must carry the passport that was used to complete the application.

If the registered passport is lost, damaged, stolen, or rendered invalid, the Australian traveler must reapply for the ESTA and register the details of their new passport.

How Will I Receive my US ESTA in Australia?

Once the application is completed and submitted, the approved ESTA will be sent to the Australian traveler by email.

The confirmation of ESTA registration will be delivered to the email address provided by the applicant from Australia within the next few business days.

When do I need to apply for a new ESTA?

You need to apply for a new ESTA if:

You have a new passport,
You change your name (first and/or last)
You change your sex
Your country of citizenship changes
Certain circumstances change that affect any of the questions you answered on the previous ESTA application, e.g., if you are convicted of a crime of moral turpitude or if you develop a contagious disease, or if you had a visa denied. Such a change may require you to get a visa to travel to the U.S. You must re-apply for ESTA authorization and you must answer the questions about the change in circumstances or you may be denied entry upon arrival in the United States.

ESTA Benefits for Australians

The ESTA has several advantages for travelers from Australia.

The principal benefit is that registering with the system means that Australian passport holders can visit the USA without having to go to a US embassy to apply for a visa. Embassy applications imply a much longer process with more requirements than the ESTA application.

Overall, applying for the ESTA from Australia is a much quicker and easier process than traditional US visa applications thanks to a streamlined automated system.

Do I need to apply for a new ESTA if my current authorization will expire while I am in the U.S.?

No, your ESTA needs only to be valid upon arrival in the United States.

What is the difference between ESTA authorization and a visa?

Australian citizens do not require a visa if they plan to travel to the U.S. for a short period of time not to exceed 90 days for pleasure or temporary business purposes (e.g., attending conferences or consulting with business associates). If an Australian citizen is planning to work, study in the U.S., or stay for a longer duration, a visa is required. If you have a valid visa to the U.S., you are not required to apply for ESTA authorization.

The ESTA was implemented to increase security by running checks on travelers from countries in the Visa Waiver Program. Before its introduction, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) could screen arrivals with a visa, but the ability to perform background checks on visa-exempt travelers was limited.

Thanks to the ESTA, visitors from Visa Waiver countries, like Australia, can continue to enjoy visa exemption for the USA, but the added screening helps CBP to prevent security risks and makes traveling to the United States safer.

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