Apply for ESTA
Check U.S. Visa Waiver Program eligibility and get ESTA approval before travel.
Prepare your application
Check VWP eligibility before applying and wait for approval before travel. Keep your application number to check status. A new application is required after changing passport details, citizenship or date of birth.
Submit through the official channel
Use the official ESTA service. Check the current instructions and total government charges before paying.
Review the decision before departure
Check the passport details, dates and entry conditions on the permission you receive.
Getting started [1]
- 1
Prepare your application
Check VWP eligibility before applying and wait for approval before travel. Keep your application number to check status. A new application is required after changing passport details, citizenship or date of birth.
- 2
Submit through the official channel
Use the official ESTA service. Check the current instructions and total government charges before paying.
- 3
Review the decision before departure
Check the passport details, dates and entry conditions on the permission you receive.
Already applied
- 1
Keep your reference
Save your application reference, payment receipt and the email address used to apply.
- 2
Follow up through your application channel
Check the official application service or responsible mission for a decision and any requests for information.
- 3
Wait for the decision
A submitted application or payment receipt does not establish that a visa or authorisation has been granted.
Have approval
- 1
Compare it with your passport
Check your name, passport number and the passport you will actually use to travel.
- 2
Check dates and entries
Read the validity dates, permitted stay and number of entries. These are separate conditions.
- 3
Prepare for the journey
Follow the official instructions for carrying or displaying your permission, and complete the entry checklist below.
Check your stay and passport validity
Enter your arrival and departure dates to count your stay and check how long your passport must stay valid.
Travel preparation checklist
Check each item’s requirement level and the conditions that apply.
Your circumstances may require additional documents. Ticks track preparation, not eligibility or admission.
Fees, processing time, and permission validity
Plan your budget and travel dates with the published fees and timing guidance.
What it costs
- Travel authorisation fee
- USD 40.62
From 16 October 2026, the ESTA fee is USD 40.62 for an approved travel authorization and USD 10.62 if CBP denies the application.
Read the official fee guidance [6]Published government charges. Check the official service for the final total before you pay.
Most ESTA decisions arrive within 72 hours, but some take longer. CBP recommends applying when you book travel. An Authorization Pending status means no immediate decision was possible and is not a denial; check your application status online. For air or sea travel, approval is required before boarding; for land entry, before applying for admission.
2 years
Or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
Validity is separate from how long you can stay on each visit.
United States arrival steps
Check the timing and conditions for each arrival step.
Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record)
If you are a nonimmigrant who is not exempt, CBP generally issues an I-94 as evidence of your admission terms. It is usually issued electronically during air or sea admission. At a land border, apply at the port or online up to seven days before arrival only if you are required to have one; a provisional online record does not guarantee admission. Exemptions include U.S. citizens, returning permanent residents, immigrant-visa holders and most Canadian visitors or transit passengers. If you entered on a visa, the CBP-set admitted-until date or D/S on your admission stamp or paper I-94 controls your authorized stay; your visa's expiration date does not set how long you may stay.
Arrival guidanceOfficial reference [2]Entry conditions and exceptions
Check whether these rules affect your eligibility, application, or arrival.
Travel history or dual nationality can change ESTA eligibility
VWP travelers generally need a visa if they were in North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen on or after 1 March 2011, or Cuba on or after 12 January 2021. Dual nationals of Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria are also generally ineligible. Limited diplomatic or military-service exceptions and statutory DHS waivers may apply. Check current eligibility before travel.
Official guidance [5]A short side trip does not restart the 90 days
After a short trip to Canada, Mexico or a nearby island, VWP travelers may generally seek readmission only for the remainder of the original admission period. The side trip counts toward the 90-day maximum, and readmission is not guaranteed.
Official guidance [5]A prior U.S. visa refusal can affect ESTA
A recent U.S. visa refusal for any reason could lead to ESTA denial, additional review at the port of entry or refusal of admission. If you are unsure whether you qualify for VWP travel, check your eligibility or apply for a visa.
Official guidance [5]A Visa Waiver Program visit cannot normally be extended
You cannot extend a Visa Waiver Program admission or change to another immigration status. Depart by the admit-until date CBP gives you. If an emergency prevents departure, contact USCIS promptly: a responsible official may grant a discretionary satisfactory-departure period of up to 30 days.
Official guidance [5]Before and during your visit to United States
Keep your ESTA application number
Save the application number with your travel records so you can return to the official service to check the decision.
United States travel essentials
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Currency
- USD
- Calling code
- +1
United States entry questions
Do Irish citizens need a visa for the United States?
For tourism in the United States, ordinary passport holders from Ireland need ESTA approval before travel to use the Visa Waiver Program. The stay limit is up to 90 days.
How long can I stay in the United States?
The short-visit limit is up to 90 days. Your actual permission can be shorter; check the dates and conditions you receive.
How much passport validity do I need?
Valid for your entire stay.
How much is the government fee?
USD 40.62 per person.
How long does a decision take?
Most ESTA decisions arrive within 72 hours, but some take longer. CBP recommends applying when you book travel. An Authorization Pending status means no immediate decision was possible and is not a denial; check your application status online. For air or sea travel, approval is required before boarding; for land entry, before applying for admission.
How long is the authorisation valid?
2 years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. This is different from the permitted length of each visit.
Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record): what do I need to do?
Required only when the stated conditions apply. If you are a nonimmigrant who is not exempt, CBP generally issues an I-94 as evidence of your admission terms. It is usually issued electronically during air or sea admission. At a land border, apply at the port or online up to seven days before arrival only if you are required to have one; a provisional online record does not guarantee admission. Exemptions include U.S. citizens, returning permanent residents, immigrant-visa holders and most Canadian visitors or transit passengers. If you entered on a visa, the CBP-set admitted-until date or D/S on your admission stamp or paper I-94 controls your authorized stay; your visa's expiration date does not set how long you may stay.
Can I extend my stay in the United States?
You cannot extend a Visa Waiver Program admission or change to another immigration status. Depart by the admit-until date CBP gives you. If an emergency prevents departure, contact USCIS promptly: a responsible official may grant a discretionary satisfactory-departure period of up to 30 days.
What fees apply for a United States visitor visa?
From 16 October 2026, the ESTA fee is USD 40.62 for an approved travel authorization and USD 10.62 if CBP denies the application.
What if I’m going to work, study or stay longer?
This guide is for a short tourist visit on an ordinary passport. It does not establish eligibility for employment, study or residence. Use the destination’s official guidance for your actual purpose.
Does my country of residence change the answer?
Passport nationality and legal residence are different. This page starts with your passport. Residence can change where you apply and which application channel is available; an existing visa or residence permit may also create an exception. Check the official eligibility guidance for your circumstances.
Official visa and entry guidance
Confirm United States’s requirements directly with government authorities.
Open the official ESTA service
Check VWP eligibility before applying and wait for approval before travel. Keep your application number to check status. A new application is required after changing passport details, citizenship or date of birth.
Open Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record)
Check current processing guidance
Check U.S. visitor visa guidance
Visitor visa categories, application steps and links to the Visa Waiver Program.
Open the official ESTA service
· U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionCheck VWP eligibility before applying and wait for approval before travel. Keep your application number to check status. A new application is required after changing passport details, citizenship or date of birth.
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/- https://www.usa.gov/arrival-departure-record
Open Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record)
· USAGov, U.S. General Services Administration - https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1445?language=en_US
Check current processing guidance
· U.S. Customs and Border Protection Check U.S. visitor visa guidance
· U.S. Department of StateVisitor visa categories, application steps and links to the Visa Waiver Program.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html- https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visa-waiver-program.html
Visa Waiver Program eligibility and conditions
· U.S. Department of State - https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-10-01/html/2026-20185.htm
FY 2027 DHS immigration-fee notice for ESTA, I-94 and EVUS
· U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Who this guide covers
Short tourist visits to United States with an ordinary Ireland passport. Residence, travel documents, and purpose can affect the rules. Confirm the official guidance before travel; border authorities decide admission and your permitted stay.
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