Checking Your ESTA Status

Prior to submitting an electronic travel authorization application with the required payment information, you can update all application data fields except the passport number and passport issuing country. Once an application is complete and submitted with all the required payment information, you can still update any one of the following fields:

• Email address
• Address in the U.S.

To retrieve an Individual Application, select “Check Individual Status” under “Check ESTA Status” from the global navigation menu, or from Home page. If you do not know your application number, select “I Do Not Know the Application Number” and enter your family name, first (given) name, and passport issuing country, in addition to your passport number and date of birth.

DHS has carefully developed the ESTA program to ensure that only those individuals who are ineligible to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program or those whose travel would pose a law enforcement or security risk are refused a travel authorization. While the ESTA Web site provides a link to the DHS Travel Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP) Web site, there are no guarantees that a request for redress through DHS TRIP will resolve the Visa Waiver Program ineligibility that caused an applicant s ESTA application to be denied.

Please note that Embassies and Consulates are not able to provide details about ESTA denials or resolve the issue that caused the ESTA denial. Embassies and Consulates will be able to process an application for a non-immigrant visa that, if approved, will be the only way that a traveler whose ESTA application has been denied would be authorized to travel to the United States.

When you apply for ESTA, in order to get your authorization status, (and proof that your application was successfully submitted) you must click “Pay Now”. You can receive a notification that your procedure is pending and once completed, you will receive a notification by email attaching your respective ESTA.

If you received approval and did not print out or write down your application number, which is needed in order to update your application or check your status,you may retrieve the application number. You will then need to enter the applicant s name, date of birth, passport number and passport issuing country.

In most cases, the ESTA will return an Application Status immediately. In cases where more time is needed to process an electronic travel authorization application, an answer will usually be returned within 72 hours. Information will be provided to check the application status if you receive a pending response. The three possible responses are:

• Authorization Approved.Your travel authorization has been approved and you are authorized to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. A travel authorization does not guarantee admission to the United States as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer at a port of entry will have the final determination.
• Travel Not Authorized. You are not authorized to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. You may apply for a visa from the Department of State for your travel. Please visit the U.S. Department of State Web site  for additional information about applying for a visa. This response does not deny entry into the United States. This response only prohibits you from traveling to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. The system also displays a payment receipt notice showing the amount of your payment for the processing of the ESTA application.
• Authorization Pending. Your travel authorization is under review because an immediate determination could not be made for your application. This response does not indicate negative findings. A determination will usually be made within 72 hours.