Do Australian need visa for USA?

Introduction

Occupying a large portion of North America, the USA is a Pandora box full of surprises for all kinds of travelers. From populated large cities to peaceful small towns, breath-taking natural beauty, man-made marvels, fast-paced, exciting, and ever-changing surroundings, the country will leave its vividness to anyone awe-inspired. In 2019, there were about 1.32 million visitors to the United States of America from Australia. This figure peaked with 1,45 million Australian visitors crossing US borders in 2015.

Do Australian need visa for USA?

Australian nationals can apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) under the visa waiver program to travel to the United States. The ESTA allows Australian citizens to visit the United States without a visa for up to 90 days per visit for tourism, business, transit, medical, and short study purposes. In 1996 Australia became part of the Visa Waiver Program. The ESTA has a number of advantages for Australian travelers. The main benefit is that registering with the system means Australian passport holders can visit the USA without having a need to go to a US embassy to obtain a visa, which is a much bigger task with more requirements than the ESTA request.

What is a USA ESTA Travel Authorization?

ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization. ESTA is an online application system developed by the Government of the United States to pre-screen travelers before being allowed to board an airplane or ship bound for the United States. Every person entering the United States under the visa waiver program will be required to hold an approved ESTA commencing on January 12, 2009. Foreign nationals not eligible for ESTA or denied an ESTA will need to apply for a US visa.

How long is an ESTA valid for to visit the USA?

Unless revoked, ESTA is valid for two years from the authorization date or until the expiry of your Australian passport, whichever comes first. An ESTA may also be revoked or overwritten by the applicant when a new ESTA application is resubmitted. Your travel authorization will also automatically terminate when your passport expires with the issuance of the travel authorization before the end of the two-year period.

What is the main difference between a USA ESTA authorization and a USA regular visa?

Approved authorization for travel is not a visa. It does not meet the legal or regulatory requirements to serve in place of a US visa when a U.S. law requires a visa. People holding a valid visa will still be able to travel on that visa to the United States for the purpose for which it has been issued. Individuals traveling on valid U.S. visas must not apply for an ESTA, either. In addition, a non-immigrant or immigrant visa will not be recognized as an ESTA instead. If you hold a valid US visa, you can travel to the U.S. under that visa, and no additional travel authorization is required.

What does an ESTA do for Australian Citizens?

Australian Citizens can visit for the following purpose:

• Tourism in the USA.
• Business activities in the USA.
• Medical Treatment in the USA.
• Transit to one of the USA airports.

The ESTA cannot be used to relocate your residence to the U.S. or undertake any kind of job or paid work in that country.

Do Australian citizens need to apply for an ESTA on behalf of their children?

Yes, accompanied and unaccompanied children (regardless of age) who are Australian nationals are required to have their own ESTA approval before they travel to the United States. The children who are listed on their parents’ passport are not qualified for ESTA. To qualify for ESTA, the children should get their own (unexpired) passport.

What are the passport requirements to travel under the Visa Waiver Program for Australian Citizens?

The passport has to have a digital chip with the passport holder’s digital photograph. This digital chip carries unique passport holder identifiers. There must also be a dedicated readable area in the section Personal Information. This is identified by the two lines of text at the bottom of that page, with numbers and chevrons (< < < <).

When is the best and suitable time to apply for an ESTA?

An application for travel authorization should be submitted weeks or months before the travel date. ESTA applications are accepted at any time prior to traveling to the U.S., and once approved, an authorization will last for a period of 2 years, or the passport expiry date, whichever comes first.

Can Australian travelers apply for an ESTA in order to travel to the US on short notice without previously making arranged travel plans?

Yes, pre-booked or detailed travel plans to the United States are not required to complete the ESTA application for Australian Citizens.

Does an Australian citizen need to bring a printout or digital copy of the travel authorization to the airport?

No. DHS will be able to pass on the ESTA status of a traveler to the carriers. However, DHS recommends that travelers print the travel authorization application response to keep track of their traveler authorization application number and have their ESTA status confirmed.

How can an Australian citizen apply for an ESTA visa to the USA?

It is quite simple to complete the request. Please follow the below steps carefully:

1. Choose the departure and arrival country, select the required visa type, enter your name, and click ‘CLICK TO START.’
2. Verify the visa fee and terms and conditions on the next page.
3. On the third page, enter your basic details in the respective field and upload the necessary documents (you can upload the documents in a later stage also).
4. After that, review and confirm the information of your form, then proceed with the payment. We support all types of cards for payment.
5. You will receive the invoice and a confirmation mail with a link in your registered email id.
6. Click the link and complete the remaining form (you can also upload the document in this stage) and submit it for processing.
7. Once the e-visa is approved, click2visas will send your visa to your email in PDF format.