Apply for ESTA visa waiver - Electronic System for Travel Authorization

You can follow the instructions on our website in the Application section. You can apply for it only if you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen through the Visa Waiver Program.

You do not need a visa for short visits to the United States since you are an Australian citizen. Australia is a Visa Waiver Program country and being a citizen of it should only require you to apply for online travel authorization before traveling. There is a fee for this. It’s quite an easy process as you only need a few things: provide your passport details and answer the questions. The columns for the telephone number, e-mail address, flight details and address details are optional and can be left blank when you apply. In this case, you can have it ready for travel in advance. It is valid for two years or until the expiration of your passport, whichever of the two comes first. 

With regards to the online authorization which is needed prior to traveling to the United States on the Visa Waiver Program, then yes. You may do so through travel agents. In the same time, it is recommended to apply online since it saves you time and money. If you have a friend that has no internet connection, you can also apply for him/her.
If you are not qualified to travel under the visa waiver program [for instance, having a criminal record] you may still apply for a tourist visa through the embassy.

Q: Is it true that Australia has a Visa-Free provision for its citizens who want to visit USA? How long am I allowed to stay there?

Since you are a citizen of Australia, you are allowed to visit the United States without a visa for up to 90 days.

This can be done under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) wherein you have to make an online registration prior to traveling. There’s no charge for this.

You should also print the confirmation and take it with you. You should also bring copies of your return airline ticket and hotel reservations.

Australian citizens can apply for a US visa since they are a member country of the Visa Waiver Program. This VWP allows the citizens of the member countries to visit the United States for a period of 90 days without even without even applying for US Visas in the first place. Since Australia is an active member of it, citizens are not required to apply for a US Visa in order to travel to the United States for business or tourism purpose. They can get all the necessary authorization from the US by applying for Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Australians who are planning to enter the US via this new travel authorization program, will be screen by the United States Immigration Officials at the entry port and they are required to get enrolled in the US-VISIT program, a pet program launched by the Department of Homeland Security.

You are required to apply for authorization at least 72 hours before your travel to the USA if you do not have a B-2 Visa. Without any of these two, you won’t be allowed to board on the plane.
There’s a possibility that you may or may not be caught if you lie about your application. If you get approval to travel to the USA you will be allowed to board the airplane.

Afterwards, you will be brought to the US immigration and the CBP officer will assess you. You may make it through without any problems but if the immigration founds something that makes you inadmissible, you will be held in a holding facility as you wait for your flight back.

Q: How Long Can I Stay In The Us On A Tourist Visa?FF
A: Candidates entering the United States with a B-2 Tourist Visa can stay up to 6 months whereas candidates entering the US on a Visa Waiver program can stay up to 90 days.

Q: How Long Does It Take To Get a Travel Authorization?
A: ESTA approval is instantaneous. Once the form gets submitted, it barely takes more than 4 seconds to get details verified against US law enforcement databases. However, in some cases, candidates might have to wait for at least 72 hours before the decision can be made.

Q: How To Get Visa To America?
A: Candidates applying for non-immigrant Visa program should fill out the Form DS-160 properly and then submit the form online. A small fee needs to be paid by the candidate before the form can be processed. Once the payment is made, a payment confirmation page will appear in the same tab. Candidate will then have to take a print out of that page. In the next stage of the Visa application process, candidate will have to select a day to schedule an appointment with the USA embassy located in the United States. Candidate have to meet a U.S department personnel in person for this interview. If the candidate manages to pass the interview with a flying color, he/she will receive the Visa in the next 6 working days. US Visa Application has been simplified and streamlined in the past few years successfully. First, a candidate must fill out the all-important Form DS-160 form and submit it online. A small fee needs to be paid so that the form can be processed. Candidate must not forget to take a print out of the confirmation page. Then the candidate needs to schedule an appointment with the U.S Embassy. If the interview goes well, it would not take more than 6 days to get the visa issued by the US government authority and CBP.gov

Q: How Long Can I Stay in The Us on A Tourist Visa?
A: On a Tourist Visa, a person can stay up to 6 months in the USA and some cases, it can be extended. However, a person who has entered the US on a Visa Waver program can stay up to 90 days. However, one should not confuse Tourist visa with immigrant visas. It is valid for a period of 6 months. However, a person who is planning to enter the US under the Visa Waver Program can stay in the US for 6 months.

Q: How To Apply For A Travel Visa?
A: First thing first, a candidate must fill out the Application form and then pay the visa application fee.
If the candidate managed to provide proper answers to queries asked by the authority, the Official ESTA USA (United States of America) Visa application will be approved if you want to apply for ESTA from Australia.