ESTA Online Application for Citizens of Chile for Visiting the USA

1. Is Chile one of the VWP countries?

An ESTA can only be used by citizens of the VWP countries. Chile is included in the VWP. Therefore, all citizens of Chile can use a US ESTA instead of a Visa when visiting the USA for eligible trips.

2. Can citizens of Chile travel to the USA with ESTA?

Citizens of Chile are eligible for an ESTA when travelling to the USA for certain trips and do not need to obtain a Visa.

However, an ESTA can only be used as travel authorization if the traveller does not plan to stay in the USA for longer than 90 days, and if the purpose of the visit is travel, business or transit.

3. Do Chilean citizens need a visa for the USA?

Even though Chilean citizens can travel on an ESTA, if they or their trip is not eligible then they will need a visa instead.

ESTA requirements for Chilean citizens are the same as for all other nationals travelling on an ESTA:

• Your trip is less than 90 days
• You are travelling for business, travel or transit
• You have not previously overstayed a visa or ESTA in the USA
• You don’t have a criminal record
• You have no associations with Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Yemen or North Korea
• You don’t have a communicable disease

If you don’t fulfil all of these categories, you will be required to apply for a visa instead of an ESTA.

4. What are the Chilean passport requirements when applying for ESTA from Chile?

When travelling on an ESTA in the visa waiver program from Chile, your passport must be valid for the duration of your travels. Your ESTA will expire when your passport expires so make sure you have plenty of time left.

Your passport also needs to be an e-passport with a digital chip. If you don’t have an e-passport then you will need to apply for a visa instead.

5. How long is an ESTA valid?

From the moment of approval, each ESTA is valid for two years. You can always check the validity of your ESTA using this simple online form.

The validity of your ESTA is also influenced by your passport validity. If your passport expires within the two year ESTA validly period, it too will expire.

At this moment you will have to obtain a new passport and then apply for a new ESTA using the ESTA application form online.

6. When should I apply for my ESTA?

An ESTA application takes no longer than 30 minutes to complete, provided you have all of your documentation on hand and you can answer all of the necessary questions in the application form.

The processing is usually anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours but will be no longer than 72 hours.

It is best to apply for your ESTA as soon as you plan your travel to the USA in order to avoid any problems with having your ESTA approved on time.

A regular Visa application takes for up to two months, therefore you should plan your trip to the USA according to whether you will be able to travel on an ESTA or not.

7. How do I renew my ESTA?

There is no renewal process available for an ESTA. After your ESTA expires you will have to apply for a new authorization using the ESTA online form.

8. Is VWP a guarantee to entry into the USA?

All citizens of the VWP countries have to apply for an ESTA and provide information about their work, travel plans, criminal background etc., which means that your application can also be rejected.

Being a citizen of one of the VWP countries is therefore not a guarantee for entry into the USA.