What is a ESTA visa / visa America and what are the ESTA fees?

ESTA visa stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation. This is an authorisation to travel to the United States. If you have a passport from one of the 39 countries – including most EU countries – that participate in the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), you can apply for an ESTA. An ESTA visa is an electronic visa, which you can apply for easily, quickly and in just a few minutes online via our website. After approval you will receive your ESTA visa by mail. This way, your ESTA application can be processed very quickly and you will not have to deal with paperwork and the physical submission of your passport and documents to apply for your visa.

All travellers (including children) to America are required to apply for their own Visa America or an ESTA visa prior to their trip. You also need to have an ESTA visa when transferring in America. The only exception to this is if the plane stops in America to refuel, whereby you do not leave the plane.

Traveldocs can apply for this ESTA visa for you. We will first review the application before we manually apply for your ESTA visa. In this way you can be sure that the application is completely correct and secure. This way you can travel to the USA without any worries!

Traveldocs charges € 29.95, including VAT, per person per ESTA visa. It usually takes up to 72 hours before we receive a response to your application from the American authorities. In case of an emergency your ESTA application will usually be ready the same day, provided that you have applied for your visa America on working days between 0900 and 1730 hours.

If you would like to know the costs for arranging a regular visa to America (valid for 5 to 10 years), please contact us, as the fees and requirements may differ per person. You can only apply for an ESTA visa via our website.

Requirements ESTA visa application:

• You must be in possession of a return or onward travel ticket for a scheduled flight with an airline or for a departure with a cruise line that is registered for ESTAs,
• You may stay in the USA, Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean islands for a maximum of 90 consecutive days. (Onward) travel between all these countries must take place within the 90-day period,
• No previous violations of United States immigration laws and regulations (e.g., exceeding the 90-day stay),
• You need an automatic readable passport to qualify for an ESTA.

How long is an American visa / ESTA visa valid and how long may I stay in the country?

An ESTA is valid for 2 years. You may stay up to 90 days at a time. The number of entries is not limited, as long as the stay does not exceed 90 days at a time. After 90 days you must leave the country. You can then re-enter the US borders and stay in the country for another 90 consecutive days.

Can everyone apply for an ESTA visa?

No. In some cases the traveller cannot apply for an ESTA. This is if a previous application has been rejected, if criminal charges are registered in the name of the traveller, if you have overstayed your visa in the past or if you are not from one of the countries listed below:

Asia:

• Brunei
• Japan
• Singapore
• Taiwan
• South Korea

Europe:

Almost all Europeans may apply for an ESTA. The following European countries are eligible for an ESTA visa:

• Andorra
• Belgium
• Denmark
• Germany
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Austria
• Poland
• Portugal
• San Marino
• Slovenia
• Slovakia
• Spain
• Czech Republic
• United Kingdom
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Oceania:

• New Zealand
• Australia

South America:

• Chile

Are you from a country that is not listed above? Please contact us for the possibilities.

Rejection of your ESTA visa due to old stamps in your passport

Did you visit one of the countries below on or after 1 March 2011? Or do you have a (second) nationality of one of the countries below? Then your ESTA application will not be accepted!

This applies to the following countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.

Are you planning to visit one of these countries soon and do you wish to travel to America in the future with the same passport or on an ESTA visa? Then it is advisable to ask the immigration officers on arrival not to put the stamp in your passport, but on a separate piece of paper. Your passport will be checked on arrival in America. Have you indicated on your ESTA application that you have not been to one or more of the above countries, but do have these stamps in your passport? If so, you may still be refused entry to the United States and this could have serious consequences for any future trips you make to the United States, whether or not on an ESTA visa.

Other reasons for rejecting your ESTA visa application

The American government is very strict in who it does and does not allow to enter the American borders with an ESTA visa. In addition to having a criminal history or having visited one or more countries in the Middle East, the following reasons may lead to the rejection of your ESTA visa application:

• In the past, you have exceeded the validity or the period of stay of your ESTA visa / regular visa USA;
• You are a resident of a country that is not covered by the Visa Waiver Program (WVP);
• If you have been prosecuted in the past for (serious) criminal offense, such as membership of a terrorist organization, long or short prison sentences or because you committed a criminal offense in America;
• If you have been deported from the United States – or any other country – in the past, for any reason;
• Radical posts on your social media channels, such as Facebook and/or Instagram, may be a reason for rejection. This may be decided on the spot by local immigration officers;
• You are a drug user or addict;
• Having a physical or mental disorder can be a reason for rejection. For example, having an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease), such as Gonorrhoea, Chancroid, Donovanosis or Syphilis, or because you have another infectious disease, such as active tuberculosis, leprosy or Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV);
• You have ever broken the law regarding the possession, use or distribution of illegal drugs;
• Because you have in the past been arrested or convicted for a crime resulting in serious damage to property or serious harm to a person or government;
• Because you have been targeted or involved in terrorist activity, espionage, sabotage or genocide;
• Because you have ever committed fraud or misrepresented yourself or others to obtain a visa or entry to the United States of America, or because you lied on your ESTA application;
• You have in the past, or are currently seeking, employment in America, whether paid or unpaid, without prior government approval. This includes work as an intern or au-pair. In that case, you need to apply for a regular visa;
• The American government has denied you access on your current or old passport in the past, or has withdrawn your application for access at an entry point to the USA.

In short, the American government can think of sufficient reasons to deny you access to America and therefore decide not to grant you an ESTA visa. Are you unsure whether you can apply for an ESTA visa or do one or more of the above points apply to you? Please contact us before submitting your ESTA visa application on our website. Our visa experts will be happy to assist you in finding out what the best course of action is in your situation and what the next steps should be. In some cases, if an ESTA visa is rejected, a regular visa to the United States may still be issued.

What if I am not eligible for an ESTA visa?

If you are not eligible for an ESTA visa, you will have to apply for a regular visa. You have to do this at the American Embassy in Wassenaar or the Consulate in Amsterdam. The address details are:

• Consulate General United States is located at Museumplein 19, 1071 DJ in Amsterdam
• Embassy of the United States in the Netherlands is located at John Adams Park 1, 2244 BZ in Wassenaar

Traveldocs can do the preliminary work for you and schedule an appointment. If you would like to know what you need to do, what costs you will have to pay and what possibilities there are regarding the regular visa, please contact us for tailor-made advice.

What is the difference between an ESTA visa and a regular visa and which of the two should I apply for?

ESTA visa

As described, a ESTA visa is a digital permission to travel to America. Do you have the nationality and passport of a country which is a member of the Visa Waiver Program? Then you can apply for an ESTA visa. Is your ESTA application rejected, or do you belong to one of the categories of people who, for whatever reason, are not eligible for an ESTA visa? Then you have to apply for a regular visa.

Applying for a regular visa

A regular visa is a visa sticker which is placed in your passport by the American Embassy or Consulate. You can apply for this visa if you do not have a passport from a VWP member country, or if you will travel to America for purposes other than tourism or a short business meeting. Think about this:

B1/B2 visa application USA

The most common type of regular visa for America is the B1 and B2 visa for America. This B1/B2 visa for America involves a minimum of 160 USD in consular fees. This amount applies to the visa types: B, C, D, F, M, I, J, TD/TN (NAFTA), T and U.

• Business trip with extended visa validity / duration of stay or for non-Dutch passport holders (B1 or B1/B2 visa);
• Tourist trip with extended visa validity or for non-Dutch passport holders (B2 or B1/B2 visa);
• Medical purposes (B2), for applicants travelling to the USA for medical treatment;

Applying for and processing a B visa America usually takes a few weeks. The approximate time it takes to obtain your B1/B2 visa may vary depending on your application and nationality. We always recommend to submit your application no later than 6 weeks before departure. It is smart to start the application already 3 months before departure. This is because an appointment must also be made at the embassy or consulate for an interview and biometric data, such as fingerprints and a face scan. In some cases, the waiting time for this can be up to several months, depending on the speed and availability of the US government agency concerned. It is therefore wise to apply for your visa to the USA well in advance, so that you do not run out of time and receive your B1 / B2 visa on time.

If you want to know how long it will take before your B1 or B2 visa for America is ready, we recommend you to contact us well in advance via the button at the bottom of the page or via our contact form. We will be happy to help you on your way.

Other regular visa types and costs

Besides the B1/B2 visa, Traveldocs can also assist you in applying for other types of visa for America. Do you belong to one of the categories mentioned below and do you want to apply for a visa? Then please contact us.

• Transit travelers who cannot travel on an ESTA (C1),
• Maritime employees, who need access to the secured areas in the US (B1-TWIC visa),
• Crew members, such as pilots, shipping crew and airline personnel (C1/D),
• Academic (F1 visa) and non-academic (M visa) students who intend to study in the USA for a period of time,
• Highly skilled migrants who intend to do paid work in the US and need to apply for a work visa,
• Applicants who intend to emigrate to the US,
• Travelers who will be employed by a subsidiary / other branch or department of the current employer, but in the U.S. and need to apply for a work visa for this (Intra Company Transfer, L1 visa),
• Spouses/partners of US citizens (K visa),
• Applicants who wish to obtain citizenship in the U.S. / naturalize,
• Media personnel and journalists (I visa),
• Applicants who intend to travel to the US for religious / missionary purposes (R visa),
• Exchange students who will participate in an exchange programme in the USA and need to apply for a visa for this purpose. This also includes the following groups: Interns, working holiday travellers, au-pairs and exchange students (J1 visa),
• Travellers who have to attend a court case in the USA (U visa) and travellers who have been victims of human trafficking (T visa).

Please note that the consular fees differ per type of application! For the H, O, P, Q, R and L visa types America you have to pay 190 USD consular fees. For the E visa type you have to pay 205 USD consular fees. The K visa America costs 265 USD in consular fees.

Applying for a student visa and extra costs

Students (F and M visa types) pay additional fees to the embassy/consulate, the so-called SEVIS fee, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. This fee has to be paid separately to the American government and can in some cases be paid by the school. The cost of the Student Visa America depends on the visa type and is between 350 USD for applicants of the F and M visa types and 220 USD for applicants of the J Visa America. If the applicant participates in a vacation/travel program, au-pair work or a so-called Camp Counselor program, the SEVIS fee may be reduced to 35 USD.

In addition, we charge a mediation fee. Ask us in advance for an exact price calculation for your visa application.

How long is an American visa valid?

Regular visas have various validity periods and periods of stay. Usually this is a visa that is valid for at least 1-5 years. Depending on the type of visa you have chosen the validity may be up to 10 years. The validity of your chosen visa can also be shorter or longer, depending on your nationality or purpose of travel.

Visa United States costs

The costs of a regular visa United States / visa America vary according to the type of visa and the applicant’s nationality. For Dutch passport holders the following consular fees for a visa to the USA can be considered:

• Consular fees for a standard Visitor visa (for tourist and regular business travellers) are 160 USD;
• Consular fees for applicants who are also required to have a visa are 190 USD;
• The cost of the Visa America for investors and specialists is 205 USD;
• Spouses of Americans are required to pay a consular fee of USD 265;
• Work visa applicants have to pay the following costs for the visa America: 345 USD;
• Diplomats and NATO travellers are in most cases not required to pay a consular fee and can apply for their
• visa to the USA free of charge (our intermediary fee is applicable). In some cases, this also applies to applicants who participate in US government-sponsored programs, applicants who perform non-profit/charitable services and applicants for the J visa USA who participate in official US government-sponsored educational and cultural exchanges.
• Other Visa America Costs

In addition to the above-mentioned consular fees for the Visa America, please note that we charge an intermediary fee to apply for your regular visa. These costs as well as the consular fees for the visa America vary per type of application.

• Our mediation fee varies per regular visa type America and amounts to between €100 and €400 excluding VAT.

Do you want to know what the costs are for your visa? Please contact us by clicking on the button below and fill in the contact form. It is important that you clearly explain your purpose of travel, type of nationality and the duration of your stay. If you have any supporting documents for your application, please let us know.

Apply for your ESTA quickly and easily

Traveldocs can help you by taking the procedure out of your hands and apply for your ESTA visa quickly and easily! Place your order on the website and we will start working for you immediately.

Do you want to apply for a visa for another destination? Then take a look at our general other destinations or our main visa page.

Directly arrange your visa America holiday

Are you planning a holiday to America? Then arrange your USA holiday visa today! If you arrange your visa in time, you can enjoy your holiday without worries.

Are you planning to visit other countries besides America?

Then take a look at the following mandatory visa pages, so you have all the documents you need in time to be able to travel with peace of mind.

• Apply for a visa Suriname
• Apply for a visa Cuba
• Apply for a Canada eTA visa
• Apply for a visa Curacao

Why book your USA visa at Traveldocs?

At Traveldocs you can apply for a United States visa very easily and quickly. We guarantee a professional, correct, fast and reliable service. This allows you to travel with an easy mind.

Our experienced experts check your visa application before it is submitted to the U.S. government. Only in this way are you 100% certain that your application is correct and secure.

Traveldocs makes the procedure easier for you, so no more complicated website procedures.

We will keep you informed about the status of your ESTA application via email or telephone. You will also be able to track your application at all times via the Tracking function on our website.

Traveldocs is a Dutch company with years of experience and the right connections to correctly handle your documents. We work together with various tour operators, top clubs, large (international) companies and NGOs. Your documents are in safe hands with us at all times.

Apply directly for your United States visa

Do you want to apply for your United States visa directly? Then go directly to the online application form. Want to know more about the visa and the procedure? Please read our FAQ United States page, or contact us via the online contact form.