ESTA for minors

After months of planning, you are finally getting ready to take your family to the United States. Whether it’s the itinerary, the reservations, or the bags to fill, a trip of this magnitude can be complicated. Our experts in travel to the USA propose to make your task easier through this article by revealing the workings of this travel authorization. Whether you are a minor or an adult, each member of your family will need to apply for a US travel document.

What is ESTA authorization for minors?

The ESTA authorization is a document that allows millions of travelers to board a plane or ship to the United States each year. The ESTA is a real alternative to the different visas that are the E investor visa or the B visitor visa. The ESTA allows eligible individuals to stay in the United States for up to 90 days and allows for multiple trips during its two-year validity.

To be eligible, you must meet a few criteria:

• your passport is valid;
• your passport is biometric or electronic;
• you are from one of the countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program;
• your stay in the United States does not exceed 90 days;
• you travel by air or sea;
• you want to visit the USA for tourism or business reasons.

Just like adults, a minor will be able to undertake the following activities with an ESTA certificate:

• visit freely cities, places, monuments, on the whole territory;
• transit to the USA by air or sea;
• participate in social activities set up by associations;
• to take part in sports, musical and cultural activities on a voluntary basis;
• enroll in courses that do not provide credit toward a degree.

A person can apply for ESTA for the whole family, or a whole group, as long as he or she has all the important information such as passport numbers and personal data of each traveler. The process for obtaining an ESTA is the same for both adults and minors.

How do I obtain ESTA authorization for minors?

Like adults, minors wishing to obtain an ESTA must apply online by completing the 3-part ESTA form:

1. The first part concerns your identity: name, first name, date and place of birth, etc. ;
2. The second part will ask you to fill in the information contained in your passport;
3. The third section contains a series of closed-ended (yes or no) questions about your medical and criminal history.

In order to validate the ESTA application for a minor, a minimum of $21 in U.S. administrative fees must be paid. The free ESTA certificate does not exist.