ESTA Group Application: Apply for Your Family

Applying for ESTA as a Group or Family: A Step-by-step guide

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Application for Group and Family

When you are travelling to the US as a family, or other type of group, it will make it easier for you to apply for them all at the same time. This will ensure that the dates for renewal and the dates that you get confirmation are the same, provided that none of the applications are delayed for some reason. You must provide different email addresses for all applicants so that all ESTA updates are sent to each individual.
To apply for ESTA for a group or family, simply click on the Apply for Group ESTA button. You will then be required to enter the details for the each applicant, including personal details, passport details and eligibility questions. You will need to have all of the applicants' email and passports information to enable you to provide the relevant information. If you're travelling on your own or submitting an application solely for yourself, try the individual application.

Step 1 – Personal and Travel Information

  • In this section you are asked to complete your name, gender, birth date, place of birth, parents' names, your contact information, employment details and emergency contact information.
  • Next you will need to complete details regarding your travel plans, starting with a point of contact in the US which can be a friend or relative, or the details of the hotel that you are staying at.
  • This section also requires your passport information including your passport number, date of issue, citizenship and country of issue.
  • The next part in this section is a set of questions related to health and also criminal convictions and other questions that will determine your eligibility to be granted an ESTA.
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Step 2 – Check and Confirm Your Details

Making an error or answering false information can lead to your ESTA being denied. Whilst some details can be updated once you have submitted your ESTA application, most details will require a completely new ESTA application to be submitted using the correct details.
Therefore, it is really important that you check your details are correct, so spend time to read through your answers and cross-reference your passport information to ensure that everything you have answered is correct. Once you are fully happy that all of the details are accurate, you can confirm them.
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Step 3 – Choose Your Payment Method and Pay

You must make the payment for your ESTA in order for the application to be submitted and processed. Make sure that you have a valid credit or debit card to enable you to make the payment. You can find out more about the acceptable types of payment in the FAQs.
Once your payment is successfully submitted, the application will then get processed and you should receive confirmation it has been submitted, followed by an email to inform you if it has been approved.

Completing the group application

After you have completed the first ESTA, go back to the Apply for Group ESTA button and repeat the process for the next applicant, making the payment before then applying for additional applicants.
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It is important to complete all of the information that is marked with an asterisk as this information is compulsory. Also, take care not to make any mistakes with your group application, as this can result in your ESTA being denied or delayed.
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Applying for ESTA on behalf of someone else

When you are applying on behalf of another person, you must specify on the application what your relationship is to the applicant but it is fine to apply on behalf of family, or anyone else.
There is some criteria that you must follow when you are completing an ESTA application on somebody else's behalf, which you can read in the FAQ – Can a third party fill out my ESTA application for me?

Checking the status of group applications

You can check the status of any of the ESTA applications by using the unique reference number that is provided by email. By submitting them all at the same time, you should find it easier to track the progress of each member of the group, using the same email address in the contact details. If you do NOT know the Application Number of the applicant that you want to add to the group of applications, you will need more information.
If you are struggling to understand anything in the form, or want to check that you are completing it correctly then it will help to use the ESTA Application: A Step-by-Step Guide.

Written by Abisola Fikayomi

Abisola is an accomplished writer interested in US Travel, immigration, passports and visas. She’s passionate about exploring new places and cultures and willing to share her experiences, expertize and findings with others. That is her primary drive for specialising in this industry.

FAQ

When you are applying for an ESTA for a family, you will need to pay an application fee of $21 for each family member. So, for two adults and two children, this will cost $56, for example. For a family of five, the total cost would be $70.
When applying for ESTA as a group or family, one person can complete the applications with the same email address, to keep all of the application updates together. A separate application form must be completed for each member of the family or group. Make sure that you have all of the relevant information such as passport details before you apply on behalf of someone else.
It is not essential to submit all applications for group members at the same time but it will make to easier to keep track of the progress. As long as you give adequate time for the ESTA to be processed, you can submit the ESTA later than other people in the group, if necessary.
The family or group representative should complete the ESTA applications for all members of the group, or ensure that they have all been completed by the other group members. To complete the ESTA applications, you will require passport details as well as personal information, medical details and any criminal convictions.
The application result for a group of applications will be sent to whichever email address that is provided when the application is submitted. It is usually easier for groups to supply the same email address for all results to go to, so that the correspondence is easier to keep track of.
It is entirely up to the group how they want to pay the application fees. It is usually quicker and easier for one person to submit all of the applications and pay for each application fee, so that the results are all coming back to the same email address. The application fee for each member of the group is $21, so one person could make the payments using the same payment method.
To apply for a family or group ESTA, you will need to have all applicants’ passports, as well as any important details such as medical history and any historical criminal convictions. You will also require personal details for the applicants, such as full name, DOB, address and parents’ names.