Let’s be honest: planning a Disney or Universal holiday is all about the fun stuff – picking hotels, counting down to your first churro, and deciding which park gets rope drop on day one. Unfortunately, before you can hurtle down Space Mountain or sip Butterbeer in Diagon Alley, there’s a small but essential administrative hurdle to clear: the ESTA.
The good news? It’s far less scary than it sounds. The even better news? You can do it in your pyjamas with a cup of tea. Here’s our friendly, nearly no‑nonsense guide to applying for an ESTA, what you’ll need, and how to avoid the common pitfalls.
Also – sorry – this is a LONG article !
First things first: what is an ESTA?
ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation. It’s not a visa, but a pre‑approval system that allows citizens of certain countries – including the UK – to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.
If you’re heading to Florida or California for a holiday (or any leisure trip) lasting up to 90 days, an ESTA is what you need. No embassy visits, no interviews, no awkward passport photos taken in dodgy lighting.
(There’s a caveat here – not everyone will be eligible for the visa waiver programme, and hence ESTA based travel approval. If you have any kind of legal / police history, you need to consider if a tourist visa needs to be the way to go)
An ESTA travel authorisation is valid for 2 years. Which means you can multi-trip on it. A word of note, if you have a group ESTA, future travel will need to be the same group, or a different ESTA is needed.
When should I apply?
Officially, the US authorities recommend applying at least 72 hours before travel. Unofficially (and sensibly), we’d suggest doing it before you book anything else. Your insurance will NOT cover you if you book something and then have travel denied. This may sound scary, but in reality, it just means doing things in the right order to avoid losses and disappointment.
Most applications are approved within minutes, but very occasionally they’re not – and this is one thing you don’t want to be sorting out the night before departure while frantically refreshing your inbox.
Where do I apply?
Only use the official US government ESTA website or app. There are plenty of third‑party sites that will happily “help” you apply… for a much higher fee. These have no added value in my opinion.
The official cost is US$21. (or even $40 depending on when you’re reading this) per person. Anything significantly more than that should set alarm bells ringing.
What you’ll need before you start
Set aside about 20 minutes and have the following to hand:
🛂 Your passport
- It must be a biometric UK passport
- It must be valid for the duration of your stay (the US doesn’t require six months’ validity for UK travellers)
🏠 Your address details
- Your home address in the UK
- The address of your first night’s accommodation in the USA (a Disney or Universal hotel is absolutely fine). Unknown is ok here if you haven’t booked anything yet.
✈️ Travel information
- Airline name
- Flight number (if you have it – not always mandatory, but useful)
📧 A contact email address
This is where your ESTA decision will be sent, so double‑check it’s typed correctly.
💳 A debit or credit card
To pay the US$21 application fee.
The application itself: what will they ask?
The form is split into several sections. None of them are trick questions, but accuracy is key.
Personal details
Name, date of birth, passport number – all exactly as they appear in your passport. This is not the time for nicknames or creative spelling.
Eligibility questions
These are mostly yes/no questions covering things like:
- Serious criminal convictions
- Certain medical conditions
- Previous visa refusals or overstays in the US
Answer honestly. A “yes” doesn’t automatically mean refusal, but a false answer definitely can.
Employment information
You’ll be asked about your current or previous employment. If you’re retired, unemployed, or a student, there are appropriate options – no need to shoehorn yourself into “astronaut” just to fill the box.
Other info
You will also be asked for things like where you will be staying, which, if you haven’t booked yet (see guidance above). Don’t panic, just answer honestly. “Unknown” is a valid answer.
If you use the ESTA website, opinion if divided on whether you will need to provide a selfie, or upload a picture of the passport. (I can’t believe I have to say this, we mean a picture of the part of the passport with your photo and information – I heard of someone taking a picture of the outside of their passport and got confused when it was not applicable). If you use the app, current steering is it will ask you for a selfie as well as the passport picture. They just want to check they match.
After you submit: what happens next?
There are three possible outcomes:
✅ Authorisation Approved
Congratulations! Your ESTA is valid for two years (or until your passport expires, whichever comes first) and allows multiple trips to the USA.
⏳ Authorisation Pending
This usually resolves within a few hours, though it can take up to 72. Step away from the refresh button.
❌ Travel Not Authorised
This doesn’t mean you can never visit the USA – it simply means you’ll need to apply for a visitor visa instead. It’s a long wait, hence we advise, no, strongly advise, don’t book a holiday until you have an ESTA or a visa in hand.
Do I need to print it?
Strictly speaking, no – your ESTA is electronically linked to your passport. That said, we recommend keeping a digital copy and/or a printout just in case. Technology is wonderful… until it isn’t.
Common ESTA mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- Using an unofficial website – costs more, gains nothing
- Typos in passport numbers – triple‑check before submitting
- Leaving it too late – do it early and forget about it
- Assuming children don’t need one – they do, even babies
The bottom line
Yes, the ESTA is a bit of admin. But compared to the paperwork involved in many other countries, it’s refreshingly straightforward – and once it’s done, you can get back to the important business of planning park days, dining reservations, and which ride you’ll head for first.
It may seem an officious process, but the USA has a right to police its border how it sees fit, so if you want that Dole Whip, rollercoaster, and sunset, then we have to roll with it.
Get it sorted early, keep your confirmation handy, and you’ll be cleared for take‑off to the magic. ✨
Safe travels – and we’ll see you on Main Street, U.S.A
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