As of 19 October 2023, many Israeli passport holders are eligible to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), a program administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Below you will find answers to commonly asked questions about ESTA.  Please direct inquiries about ESTA to CBP, not to the U.S. Embassy.  The Department of State does not administer the ESTA program.

If you wish to apply for ESTA, or if you have questions not answered below, please visit the CBP website at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov   You can also contact them directly through the CBP Info Center.

What is ESTA? 

ESTA is an online travel authorization system that allows eligible Israeli passport holders to enter the United States without a visa for travel for business or pleasure for 90 days or less.

Prior to October 2023 all Israeli travelers to the United States were required to apply for a visa.  In most cases, this meant they had to schedule a visa interview.

ESTA authorization remains valid for a period of two (2) years and allows multiple entries to the United States.

You may apply for ESTA here.

Who may apply for ESTA?  

ESTA is for those arriving to the United States by air, land, or sea for business or pleasure for 90 days or less.  Examples include a trip for tourism, to see family, or to attend a business meeting.  In other words, it is for those who would otherwise travel on a B1/B2 visa.

Travelers going to the United States for studies, employment, or for any purpose for which a traveler may not enter the United States on a B1/B2 visa cannot enter the United States on ESTA and will still require the appropriate visa.

You can apply for ESTA here.

I have a visa interview scheduled.  Should I cancel it?

No.  The DS-160 fee you paid for the visa application and interview is non-refundable.

Keep your visa interview even if it is several months away and even if you intend to travel using ESTA in the interim.  Having previously been granted ESTA authorization does not preclude you from also holding a visa.

Which is better, ESTA or a B1/B2 visa?  

ESTA is more convenient, but a visa is more flexible.

ESTA travelers must apply online and, in most cases, will receive travel authorization within 24-72 hours (sometimes within just minutes.)  No interview is necessary.  ESTA costs just $21 per person and allows for multiple entries during the two-year validity of ESTA approval.

Despite these advantages, some travelers may prefer to apply for a visa.

The fee for a B1/B2 visa is currently $185, but the visa validity for an Israeli passport holder is ten (10) years and allows for multiple entries of up to 180 days at a time.  Visas also provide increased flexibility as visa holders may apply to adjust status or to extend their stay in the United States.

ESTA entry allows a maximum stay of 90 days.  It is not extendable and ESTA travelers may not adjust their status in the United States, for example, change to a student or work status.

What do I need to apply for ESTA?

The passport must be a machine-readable electronic passport with a digital chip containing biometric information about the passport owner. This has a blue cover with a picture of a microchip on the front.

The original validity for the passport must be ten (10) years for adults and five (5) years for those under the age of 18.

If you are 18+ and you have a 5-year Israeli passport you will need a 10-year passport to use ESTA.  Alternatively, you may apply for a B1/B2 visa in your 5-year passport.

I have a valid visa.  Am I required to apply for ESTA?

No.  Israeli travelers to the United States need EITHER a valid visa OR to have received ESTA approval.

I paid a fee to register under ESTA.  Should I have done that?

Yes, it costs $4 to apply for ESTA and another $17 if you are approved.

There is only ONE official ESTA registration site:  https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

There are many non-U.S. government websites that charge an additional fee for submitting the application on your behalf.  If you paid more than $21 for ESTA, then you registered through one of these non-official websites.

We strongly recommend you confirm that your registration was successful, and that the information submitted on your behalf is accurate.  If a vendor incorrectly submits an ESTA application on your behalf, an ESTA denial could result in permanent ineligibility for ESTA.

You may check the status and accuracy of your ESTA application by entering your reference number on the official ESTA website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

I submitted an ESTA application, but when I try to retrieve it, I get a message “No application found.”

When you try to retrieve your application number, you must enter the information exactly as it appeared on the approved application.

You should go to https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov and search again for your registration entering the information exactly as you did when you filed the application.

If there was a mistake on your original application, the system will not find it, and as a result you will need to reapply.  If you are still unable to locate your application, you may email CBP through their website.

My ESTA has been denied.  Am I required to apply for a visa?

Yes.  If you were denied ESTA, you must fill out a visa application, pay the visa application fee, and schedule a visa interview.

Why was my ESTA denied?

U.S. Embassy Consular staff do not administer the ESTA program and cannot answer questions about your status.

ESTA is administered by U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  However, CBP generally does not tell applicants the reason why travel authorization was denied.

We do know that some Israeli passport holders have been denied because their passport does not meet the requirements; it must be a full-validity biometric Israeli passport – see above.

Further information about ESTA denials is available from CBP’s ESTA website.

If you believe you were incorrectly denied, you may go to the DHS Travel Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP) and file a redress request.

Please note that there are no guarantees that a request for redress through DHS TRIP will resolve the Visa Waiver Program ineligibility that caused an applicant’s ESTA application to be denied.

If you have further questions about your ESTA denial, you may contact CBP directly through their Info Center.

I was refused ESTA or a visa when I held a passport in a different nationality.  I am also an Israeli citizen.  Can I register under ESTA?

A recent visa or ESTA refusal for any reason could result in denial of ESTA authorization, additional review at a U.S. port of entry, or denial of admission to the United States, even if it concerns a previous passport.

If you are uncertain whether you qualify for VWP travel, you may choose to apply for a visa.

I have received an email saying that my ESTA is due to expire.  Is this correct?

If you provided ESTA with your email address when you applied for travel authorization, you will receive an expiration notice when your ESTA is about to expire.  Be aware of scam emails, texts messages, or other communications pretending to come from the U.S. government.

The email will advise you to go to the official ESTA website to reapply.  Further information is available from the official ESTA website, https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

If I have traveled to Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and/or Yemen, am I still eligible to travel with an ESTA?

If you have traveled to Cuba since January 2021, you might not be eligible for ESTA.

If you have traveled to any of these other countries on or after March 1, 2011, you might not be eligible for ESTA.

For more details, please see the Customs & Border Protection FAQ.