Are you planning a trip to the United States and received the following response: ESTA Authorization Pending? If so, it is important to know the three types of ESTA statuses that you may encounter while applying for an ESTA. ESTA UK stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization and is an automated system used by the Department of Homeland Security to determine the eligibility of travelers to enter the United States. Depending on your application, you may receive one of three possible statuses:
- ESTA Authorization Approved
- ESTA Authorization Pending
- ESTA Travel not Authorized.
In this blog post, we will discuss each status in more detail and explain the next steps you should take.
ESTA Authorization Approved
Individuals who have been granted “authorization approved” status can now visit the United States via the visa waiver program. It is mandatory that you obey the time limits and reasons for travel that are authorized under the visa waiver program.
Your Application will be approved if you’re applying for the following reasons:
- Business
- Travel
- Health
If you are planning to stay longer than the visa waiver program allows, or if you intend to go to the U.S. for a purpose not covered by the visa waiver program, then you must apply for the appropriate visa (such as student or employment visas) instead of ESTA.
ESTA Authorization Pending
Your application is still being reviewed if you receive the status “ESTA authorization pending.” This process usually takes three days or 72 hours, but sometimes it takes longer due to system maintenance or server downtime. We suggest you wait a few hours and refresh the page to recheck your status.
- If you get the message “application not found,” your ESTA application wasn’t completed correctly.
- If your status is “travel not authorized,” this means that the application failed.
Stay calm if you see “authorization pending” and wait for the results.
Is it normal to receive an “ESTA Authorization Pending” message?
Yes, It is normal to receive this message. Sometimes, ESTA may not be approved immediately. This means that the screening process could not be completed automatically. It will need to be reviewed more carefully. Sometimes, ESTA may not be approved immediately in some cases. This means that the screening process could not be completed automatically. It will need to be reviewed more carefully.
Why is my ESTA Authorization Pending?
Your ESTA Authorization is pending, because your request was not immediately processed, as it is currently under review. This does not mean that there are any negative findings. Usually, a determination is available within 72 hours. There are countless databases that ESTA checks to ensure the safety and security of the nationals of the United States. You can read more about What Databases ESTA check in the dedicated blog post.
How can I speed up my ESTA Authorization Pending Process?
It is impossible to monitor or speed up the application process once submitted. However, it is possible to speed up the approval of your ESTA application if you provide all the necessary information. That is why we advise our customers to put all the information correctly and truthfully. As incorrect information or not submitting at all can prolong approval, or in some cases, your application can even be denied.
ESTA Travel not Authorized
Travel not authorized means you were denied authorization to travel to the U.S. for some reason. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is responsible for ESTA and will not tell travelers why they were not authorized. Even if you don’t have a severe criminal record, if your travel has been denied, it is most likely that there was a mistake in your information.
There are numerous reasons why your application may be declined:
- A history of serious crimes and convictions.
- In the past, applications for VISA and ESTA were rejected.
- Overstaying in the US in the past.
- Previously, you could have worked in the US without a visa and were pointed out by authorities when you visited the US.
- In the past, the US was denied entry for a variety of reasons.
- Previously, you were deported after they had been in the US for a certain reason.
- In the past, I lost my passport. However, after reporting the loss of an article, I found it.
- The same name as the severe criminal or international wanted person.
The application form for ESTA asks you about your past criminal and medical history as well as the status of any visa applications that have been rejected. If you incorrectly answered “Yes,” or submitted a false application that concealed a criminal or medical history, your ESTA application may be rejected.
Why would an ESTA be declined?
An ESTA can be declined for a variety of reasons. Generally, ESTA has declined if the traveler has a criminal record or if they have previously been denied entry to the US. Additionally, ESTA are also reduced if the traveler has previously violated visa requirements or if they are suspected of having a communicable disease. A traveler may also be refused an ESTA if their name is on the US government’s No Fly List or provided false or incomplete information on the ESTA application.
ESTA Authorization Pending and Approved statistics
- Figure 1 shows that just over 6,000,000 (6,050.860) applications had been received as of June 30, 2021. 90% were obtained in England, 5% in Scotland, 2% in Wales, and 2% in Northern Ireland. The highest number (591,580) of applications was received in October 2019, followed by the highest number (401,480) of completed applications. The third highest number of applications to the scheme was received at the end of the transition period (June 20,21), with 443 790.
- The highest number of applications were received from Italian, Polish, and Romanian nationals across all nationalities. This trend has continued throughout the history of the scheme. The highest number of applications from England, Scotland, and Wales came from Romanian and Polish nationals. However, the highest number of applications for Northern Ireland came from Polish and Lithuanian citizens.
- Just over 1,000,000 (1,002,280) applications were received from under-18-year-olds, 4.9 Million (4,896,420) applications were from 18-64-year olds, and 152,120 from 65-plus (7%, 81%, and 3% respectively). The proportion of applicants from Northern Ireland was noticeably higher (20%) than the rest of the UK (16% average for each country).
- Non-EEA citizens submitted 420,150 requests, with the most applications coming from India (68,810) and Pakistani (55.930), respectively, and Brazilians (43,490).
Can you reapply for an ESTA in 24 hours?
You can apply for ESTA once again, even if you have been denied travel authorization. It is a requirement that applicants can apply again for ESTA after at least 24 hours have passed since they were notified about the rejection. You can use it again if you submit incorrect application information. However, screening is stricter for travelers who have received rejection authorization, so it might take longer to receive the results.
Your status will show “authorization pending” if it is not completed. You can check your rate by refreshing the page after waiting a while. The application fee cannot be refunded even if you have entered incorrect information. After you apply for ESTA again using the correct information and have authorization, you will not be allowed to travel to the U.S. Do not panic if your application is denied due to incorrect information. Wait at least 24 hours before applying for ESTA again.
Let’s Conclude – ESTA Authorization Pending
In conclusion, there are various types of ESTA application statuses. These statuses are based on the type of application and the results of the application. The levels range from approved to denied, pending, and revoked. It is essential to be aware of the different statuses, as they can affect the individual’s ability to travel to the United States. In case your ESTA authorization is still pending and you the dedicated post has not been able to help you, that you can always get directly in touch with us, through the Contact Us form.