All visa-exempt foreign citizens are required to register with ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) to travel to the United States. The process is simple, but there are several situations in which an ESTA may be denied or an applicaion refused.
US authorities have the right to refuse an ESTA application in certain circumstances. And they do not have to give a reason for the rejection. However, there are steps that travelers can take to ensure that an ESTA application is not rejected.
On this page, applicants can discover the most common reasons for an ESTA denial and what to do if an ESTA application is turned down. They can also learn about alternatives to traveling to the US without an approved travel authorization.
How can you tell if an ESTA is denied?
Foreign citizens from the 42 countries in the US Visa waiver program must complete an application for the ESTA online. Once they have filled out the form, they submit their request for approval.
Most ESTA applications are quickly processed and approved within 72 hours. The applicant is able to check the status of the request during the processing period. During most of this period, the status of the request will show as “ESTA Application Pending”. This status does not imply a rejection nor approval. A “pending” status means the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requires more time to review the given application.
In such cases, candidates are advised against drawing any conclusions as CBP’s standard policy is to make a decision within 72 hours. However, after 72 hours, the status of the ESTA will normally change to either ‘Approved’ or ‘Denied’. If the latter status is shown, this means that the application has not been successful.
Most common ESTA refusal reasons
Though it is rare that an ESTA is refused, it can happen to some applicants. The U.S. government does not inform applicants the reason why an ESTA was denied.
However, some reasons for an ESTA denial include:
- On a previous visit to the US, the applicant overstayed beyond the time allowed on their visa waiver.
- On a previous visit to the US, the applicant worked without the proper authorization.
- The applicant previously applied for a visa or visa waiver and was denied entry to the United States.
- The answers provided on the ESTA application were incorrect, once cross-checked with the US government systems.
- The applicant provided passport details for a passport reported as lost or stolen, when in fact, the passport was still in the possession of the applicant.
- The applicant engaged in unauthorized employment in the US.
- The applicant has a criminal record and was found to have a conviction history.
- The applicant has been a victim of identity theft.
In most cases, the reason for the denial of the ESTA is simply because the applicant has not provided all of the information necessary to guarantee an approval.
All mandatory fields of the ESTA application must be completed. If an applicant leaves a mandatory field blank, then it is highly likely that the CBP will render the ESTA application invalid.
What to do if an ESTA is denied
If you believe that your ESTA is denied because you have accidentally answered “yes” to the eligibility questions on the application form, then you may be able to overturn the rejection.
If you believe your application has been rejected for this reason, you can contact CBP by email and explain your error. You may also be able to overturn errors such as wrong name-spelling or transposed numbers in this manner.
Can I apply again if an ESTA is refused?
If you cannot overturn an ESTA rejection via the method suggested above, then you can submit a new ESTA application. However, in the rare cases where an ESTA is denied, applicants must wait for 10 consecutive days starting from the day an answer was received to make a new application.
However, if a traveler is denied an ESTA to travel to the United States because of ineligibility and his or her circumstances have not changed, a new ESTA application will not change the ESTA refusal status.
How to reapply if an ESTA application is rejected
If the traveler believes that their rejected ESTA application was due to a simple mistake on the form, then they can apply for the ESTA again 10 days after receiving a refusal.
When completing the new form, it is essential to double-check all the information provided to ensure that it is correct, particularly in the following fields:
- Last name, first name(s)
- Place and country of birth
- Date of birth
- Country of citizenship
- Passport number
If the reason for the ESTA denial or rejection is an invalid passport number, applicants should make another application only after obtaining a new, valid passport.
Dual citizens should also note that they must supply details of their other nationality/passports on the form. Applicants with multiple passports are likely to have their ESTA refused if they do not declare this.
Applicants should note that they will be required to pay the ESTA fee again if submitting a new application. The cost of the ESTA application is not refunded or carried over in the case of rejection.
Should I apply for a US visa if an ESTA is refused?
In some cases, an ESTA is denied because the applicant does not comply with the general ESTA eligibility requirements. They may not be eligible for the Visa Waiver Program because of their nationality, or because their criminal, travel, or health history is an issue.
This does not mean that these travelers cannot visit the United States. It simply means that they may be required to apply for a visa from a US embassy or consulate instead of registering with ESTA. For most foreign visitors, this would be a B1/B2 non-immigrant visa.
What happens if an ESTA is denied at the US border?
Although you might have an approved ESTA, you still may be denied entry to the United States on arrival. Customs and border guards can deny entry at their own discretion.
Even if you present a valid ESTA, It is likely that you will be subject to background checks and further questions about your trip at the border. It is important to answer any questions truthfully to boost your chances of entry.
It is also advisable to carry a printout of the ESTA in the rare case of a failure with the electronic system, as well as any documentation that supports the reason for travel, such as hotel bookings, study program acceptance letters, etc.
You may also want to double check the status of the ESTA before boarding a flight for the US. This will help you to ensure that the ESTA is still valid and avoid denial to the United States at the border if it is not.