Almost every refused ESTA fails on a detail the traveller could have checked. Here are the errors we see most often, and how to avoid each one.
1. The name does not match the passport
Enter your names exactly as the passport prints them. Not the version you use socially. Not the version without the accent.
If your passport shows two given names, enter both. A hyphenated surname keeps its hyphen. If you have no given name at all, enter FNU.
2. A single wrong character in the passport number
This is the single most common cause of a rejected application. Passport numbers mix letters and digits, and the two easiest confusions are 0 and O, then 1 and I.
Type the number, then read it back off the passport character by character. Do not copy it from an old booking.
3. Answering the eligibility questions too fast
Nine questions ask about health, criminal history, drugs, terrorism, fraud, work, visa refusals, overstays and travel to restricted countries. They are long and they are worded densely.
Read each one to the end. Two traps in particular:
- The travel question covers North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen since 1 March 2011, plus Cuba since 12 January 2021. A holiday counts. A layover in the airport does not.
- The employment question asks whether you are seeking work in the US. Attending meetings is not seeking work. Say no if you are travelling for business meetings.
4. Hiding something
If you have a conviction, a previous refusal, or a restricted-country trip, say so. An honest yes may still lead to a refusal, and you then apply for a visa. A dishonest no is a false statement to the US government, and it follows you for years.
5. Using the wrong passport
Apply with the passport you will actually travel on. Dual nationals often apply with one and fly with the other. The airline finds no authorisation and refuses boarding.
And if you hold a second nationality from Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan or Syria, you are outside the programme whichever passport you carry. See the full requirements.
6. Applying the day before you fly
Most decisions arrive in minutes. Some take 72 hours. If yours is refused, the alternative is a consular visa appointment, and those take weeks or months. Apply as soon as your trip is set.
7. Assuming an old ESTA still works
A new passport voids the old authorisation. So does a change of name, gender or citizenship. Check before you book, not at the airport. Details in our guide to ESTA validity.
8. Mixing up your email address
Your approval arrives by email. A typo there means you never see it. Enter it twice, carefully, and check your spam folder afterwards.
A two-minute check before you submit
- Names match the passport, character for character.
- Passport number read back off the document.
- Issue and expiry dates correct.
- Each eligibility question read to the end.
- Email address correct and reachable.
- The passport you entered is the one you will fly on.
Frequently asked questions
I made a typo. Can I correct it?
Only the email address and some travel details can be edited after submission. A wrong passport number or name means a new application and a new fee.
What happens if I am refused?
You apply for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa at a US embassy. Our guide on ESTA refusals explains the process.
Does one refusal block me forever?
It closes the Visa Waiver Program route in practice. It does not block a visa application, where you can explain the circumstances to a consular officer.
Let us check it for you
We review every application for exactly these errors before it goes to the US authorities.
USA ESTA Portal is a private, independent service and is not affiliated with the government of the United States.
Read next: how long an ESTA takes to come back.
