Non-immigrant Visas

ESTA, ESTA Fee, and the Travel Promotion Act of 2009

What are the requirements in order to fill out the ESTA for Greek citizens?

• I have a valid B1/B2 visa.  Do I also need to fill out an ESTA?
• I submitted my ESTA, but I have not received a response or e-mail.  What should I do?
• How can I verify the approval/status of my ESTA?
• What should I present at the airport?
• What is the fee for ESTA?
• How do I pay the ESTA fee?
• What types of privacy protection exist on the website?
• How long are ESTA approvals valid?
• If I have a valid ESTA for which I paid no fee, do I have to re-register now that the new fee has gone into effect?
• Is an ESTA approval like a visa?

What are the ESTA requirements for Greek citizens?

The traveler must:

1. Have a Greek e-passport issued on/after August 27, 2006.
2. Be traveling only for tourist or business purposes that will not include paid work.
3. Only stay in the United States up to 90 days.
4. Possess a return ticket at the time of entry to the United States.
5. Obtain a travel authorization through the ESTA electronic system at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/. (The application for the ESTA should be submitted at least 72 hours before the travel.)
6. Pay an amount of $14.  The electronic application system will prompt the applicant to the pay online using a credit or cash card.  The cash card needs to be either VISA or MASTERCARD.  (All ESTA payments are made online.)   

I have a valid B1/B2 visa.  Do I need to fill out an ESTA too?

No.  You may travel to the United State with your valid visa without any other procedure/s.

I submitted my ESTA but I have not received a response or e-mail.  What should I do?

The system by default is designed to display the approval of your ESTA as a message on your screen: “Your travel authorization has been approved.  You may travel to the United States.”  You will not receive a separate response or e-mail.
Please print this screen/page which includes the ESTA application number as well as the expiration date of the approval.

How can I verify the approval/status of my ESTA?

Please visit the following site https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/, fill out the empty fields under “Update or Check the Status of a Previously Submitted Authorization to Travel to the United States,” and click the “Update or Check Status” button at the bottom of the screen.

What should I present at the airport?

On the day of your travel, you need to present at the airport your valid passport and the printed copy of your approved ESTA.

What is the fee for ESTA?

As of September 8, 2010, a fee of $14 is required by the Travel Promotion Act of 2009. The fee is comprised of two parts:

• Processing Charge – All applicants requesting an electronic travel authorization are charged for the processing of the application.  This part is $4.00.
• Authorization charge – If your application is approved and you receive authorization to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, an additional $10.00 will be charged to your credit card.  If your electronic travel authorization is denied, you are only charged the $4 for the processing of your application.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is not responsible for any additional fees that may be charged by your credit card company for the transaction.

How do I pay the ESTA fee?

At this time, payment is required through the following credit cards:  MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover.  Payments can also be made with a debit card that holds the Visa or MasterCard symbol.  Please check with your bank on the compatibility of your debit card.  We are continuing to explore other payment options.  The ESTA registration form currently in use will walk users through the payment process.

What types of privacy protection exist on the website?

”Pay.gov" uses advanced encryption to protect transactions while applicants are logged in.  When accessing a profile, any account numbers entered will be masked on-screen.

How long are ESTA approvals valid?

Each approved ESTA application will be valid for a period of two years unless the traveler's passport expires sooner.  It allows for multiple visits to the United States within that application.

If I have a valid ESTA for which I paid no fee, do I have to re-register now that the new fee has gone into effect?

No.  The fee is required only for new registrations on or after September 8, 2010.   Existing ESTA registrations remain valid for travel through their expiration date.

Is an ESTA approval like a visa?

An ESTA approval is not a visa under U.S. law, nor does it confer the same benefits as a visa.