Traveling to the US: What does an ESTA qualify you for?

March 3, 2020 Uday Tank

Without a glimmer of doubt, a trip to the United States of America can certainly be categorized as a life-long dream for many people. Whether for business or tourism purposes, lots of people jump at the opportunity to visit the US at least once in their life. And quite rightly so, isn’t a trip to one of the world’s brightest destinations worth dying for?

Unfortunately, we cannot say the same about the country’s immigration systems. Renowned as one of the most notoriously intimidating traveling systems around, it takes a man of extra motivation to get approved for a US visa. Such is the difficulty that comes with getting into the US, especially when you’re a first-time visitor.

But wait a moment, before you give up hope on all the US immigration systems, have you heard about the ESTA visa for the USA? The ESTA (which stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization) is designed to help determine the eligibility of visitors who want to travel to the US from countries that belong to the Visa Waiver Program. The program allows visitors from these countries (38 of them) to travel to any location within the US without difficulty.

With that said, you might be interested in knowing just how long an ESTA visa remains valid for and what activities you’re qualified for when you enter the US with an ESTA? Feel free to read on to discover more about the program.

ESTA validity period

Upon application, once your ESTA visa is granted (don’t worry, it is quite easier to obtain than regular visas), you’ll be allowed to visit and stay in just about anywhere within the US for 90 days. However, it is important to state that an ESTA visa remains valid for two years after the date of the first issue, which means that you can keep coming back time and again within this period without needing to apply for any visa again.

Is my country a part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

Unfortunately, not everyone can gain entry into the US through the help of ESTA. However, there are 38 countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program that are eligible to get their visas through ESTA. Among them are the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, France, Chile, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Greece, and lots more.

What am I allowed to do within my 90-days stay?

To the most important question of the day, “what exactly does an ESTA allow you to do in the US?” While it is almost impossible for us to discuss all of the VWP authorized activities here in this post, it is important for business and tourism minds to know that the following activities are amongst the list of authorized activities they can engage in while in the US with an ESTA visa.

Holiday – vacation: Yes, you can use the ESTA to go on a holiday in the US, visit an ailing friend, or meet up with a long time friend.
Tourism: I know you’ve been dying (no pun intended) to know whether an ESTA visa allows room for tourism. Well, there you have it! With an ESTA visa, you can visit the US and stay for up to 3-months exploring the enthralling sights of the Empire State Building and Times Square in New York, Hollywood Walk of Fame and Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, amongst many other sites.
Medical treatment: With an ESTA, travelers can come into the US to get medical treatments anytime they wish to.
Social purposes: whether you’re a member of a club, association, committee, or what have you, you can always leverage the ESTA to become involved in a social event hosted by your social, service or fraternal organization.
Business motives: If you have a reason to be in the US for business meetings, contract negotiation, consultation with business associates, or engage in other business-related activities, you can use the ESTA as a means of entry.
Event Purposes: Do you have a conference, convention, or training (whether professional, scientific, educational or business) to attend in the US? If so, ESTA can be your visa saving grace.
Trade: Yes, with an ESTA Visa, you can enter the US to trade. However, commercial traders need to know that an ESTA doesn’t qualify them to engage in any transaction that involves gainful employment in the US (such as merchants for foreign-produced goods).
Litigation: ESTA permits you to be a part of a litigation process.
Investment: As an investor seeking global expansion, you can leverage the ESTA visa as a means of gaining entry into the US. However, bear in mind that you cannot perform any productive labor or actively participate in the management of your business while in the country as a visitor.

What am I not allowed to do within my 90-days stay?

While an ESTA qualifies you for all of the above, it is important to know that it cannot and doesn’t cover you for the following activities.

Employment
Studying
Becoming a permanent US residence

Uday Tank

Uday Tank is a serial entrepreneur and content marketing leader who serves the international community at Rankwisely. He enjoys writing, including marketing, productivity, business, health, diversity, and management.

Traveling to the US: What does an ESTA qualify you for?

Holiday – vacation: Yes, you can use the ESTA to go on a holiday in the US, visit an ailing friend, or meet up with a long time friend.

Medical treatment: With an ESTA, travelers can come into the US to get medical treatments anytime they wish to.

Social purposes: whether you’re a member of a club, association, committee, or what have you, you can always leverage the ESTA to become involved in a social event hosted by your social, service or fraternal organization.

Business motives: If you have a reason to be in the US for business meetings, contract negotiation, consultation with business associates, or engage in other business-related activities, you can use the ESTA as a means of entry.

Event Purposes: Do you have a conference, convention, or training (whether professional, scientific, educational or business) to attend in the US? If so, ESTA can be your visa saving grace.

Trade: Yes, with an ESTA Visa, you can enter the US to trade. However, commercial traders need to know that an ESTA doesn’t qualify them to engage in any transaction that involves gainful employment in the US (such as merchants for foreign-produced goods).

Litigation: ESTA permits you to be a part of a litigation process.

Investment: As an investor seeking global expansion, you can leverage the ESTA visa as a means of gaining entry into the US. However, bear in mind that you cannot perform any productive labor or actively participate in the management of your business while in the country as a visitor.

Employment

Studying

Becoming a permanent US residence