Do I need to apply for ESTA if...? Am I a Canadian citizen? No, Canadian citizens travelling on a Canadian passport do not need an ESTA. Am I a Canadian immigrant? If you are a Canadian immigrant and a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) country, and you are entering the United States by land, you do not need the ESTA. If you do not have an ESTA, you will have to fill out a paper I-94W form and go through the manual entry process at a land border crossing. If you have an approved ESTA when you enter the [...]

When do I need US visa? I have a valid visitor's visa (B1/B2) and I am traveling to the U.S. on a short-term business or tourist VWP program? No, you will be traveling on a visitor visa. I do not have a visitor's visa and I am traveling to the U.S. on a VWP program for a short-term business or tourist visit? Yes. I don't have a visitor's visa, but I have another type of visa, such as a student visa (F1), but I am traveling on VWP for short-term business or tourism purposes? Yes.

Do I need to apply for an ESTA on behalf of my children? Yes, accompanied and unaccompanied children (regardless of age) who are citizens or nationals of visa waiver countries must have their own ESTA authorization before traveling to the United States. If you completed the ESTA application for a minor, you can check the second option under "Waiver" (Third parties only). You must understand the terms of the ESTA on behalf of your child or children and truthfully answer questions and statements as their guardian. Children who are written in their parents' passports are not eligible for ESTA. Children must [...]

Do I need to apply for a new ESTA if my current travel authorization will expire while I'm in the United States? No. The ESTA permit must be valid only when you arrive in the United States.

By adding these additional questions, won't ESTA now be the equivalent of an electronic visa? No. The requirements for a non-immigrant visitor visa (B1/B2) are different from and more complicated than the ESTA visa. B1/B2 visa applicants must in most cases have an interview with a U.S. Department of State consular officer, submit biometric information prior to travel, and provide additional biographical information that is not required under ESTA. These requirements do not exist for VWP travelers and will not exist with the addition of the new ESTA questions.

Are there disadvantages to using the Visa Waiver Program? Before taking advantage of the Visa Waiver Program, read the following terms and carefully consider your options: If you are admitted to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, you cannot change or extend your nonimmigrant status. If you are denied admission, you do not have the right to appeal the admissibility decision. If you are found to have violated the conditions of your admission, you also have no right of review or appeal, other than on the basis of an application for asylum, of any removal action arising from an [...]