How to pay for ESTA application?
Paying for your ESTA is mandatory. Learn how to pay online, accepted methods, what to do if payment fails, and how to get your receipt.
Unable to pay on the official website?
Pay via a private platform, with support included (additional fees).
Your ESTA application is only valid once the payment is processed online. Without payment, the request remains pending and will not be reviewed by U.S. authorities. Travelers usually pay directly after submitting the application form, but many encounter issues such as ESTA payment failed, payment not working, or how to pay after application. Others wonder about accepted cards, methods, or how to retrieve their ESTA payment receipt. This guide explains step by step how to pay for ESTA, accepted payment methods, common problems, and solutions so you can validate your authorization without stress.
How to pay for ESTA: in brief
- 💳 Immediate payment: The ESTA is valid only after payment. Without it, the application is not submitted.
- ⏳ Technical delay: If you exit before paying, you can return and complete the payment within 7 days.
- ⚠️ Common problems: ESTA payment failed, page not working, pending status, or card declined.
- ✅ Solutions: Use another card, check your bank limits, contact your bank, or reapply for ESTA if needed.
Payment is a mandatory step to validate an ESTA application. Without it, the authorization is not sent to U.S. authorities and remains in “unpaid” status. The good news is that the process is fast and entirely online. You can pay either through the official ESTA website or via a private platform if you need alternative options. All you need is an international bank card and to follow the steps directly after completing the ESTA form.
The official ESTA website accepts only specific payment methods. If your card is not recognized, the payment will be declined and you must try another option.
📌 Accepted payment methods:
👉 Tip: check your card limit and ensure online payments are activated before attempting the transaction.
Payment must be made immediately after completing the application form. Follow these steps:
⚠️ Note: if you leave before paying, your ESTA will remain pending. You then have up to 7 days to complete the payment, otherwise the application expires automatically.
Sometimes travellers complete their ESTA form but leave the page before paying. In this case, the application remains registered but is not forwarded to U.S. authorities until payment is made. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t always need to pay immediately. The system allows a short technical grace period to return and finalise payment.
Yes ✅. If you have submitted your ESTA form without paying immediately, your application is not lost. It remains visible in the system with the status ‘awaiting payment’. You can reconnect to the official platform using:
Once you have entered this information, you will be able to access your file and complete the payment.
⚠️ Important: until payment is completed, your ESTA is not submitted or processed, meaning it has no official value for entry into the United States.
The official ESTA system provides about 7 days to complete payment.
👉 In practice:
In such cases, you must submit a new ESTA application and pay the fee again.
This 7-day period is not a deferred payment option but simply a technical window provided by the system.
📌 In summary:
- 🕒 You can pay later, but only within this short period.
- 🚫 After 7 days, the application is no longer valid.
- 🔄 The only solution is to start a new ESTA with immediate payment.
It’s not uncommon for travellers to carefully fill out the ESTA form only to be blocked at the payment stage. Without payment, the application is never sent to U.S. authorities and remains invalid. This can be stressful, especially if your departure date is near, but there are practical solutions. The first step is to identify why the ESTA payment failed.
An ESTA payment may fail for a variety of technical or banking reasons. The most common causes are:
If the payment fails, start by checking your information and try again with the same card. If the problem persists, there are several solutions available to you:
👉 As a last resort, use a private ESTA platform. These services offer alternative payment systems and support but charge higher fees than the official website. They are legal but optional.
In some cases, despite several attempts, payment remains impossible. The old application then remains unusable, as it cannot be submitted without payment. The only solution is to start again from the beginning:
⚠️ Remember: an unpaid ESTA cannot be reactivated. Only a new application with successful payment will be processed.
👉 In short, ESTA payment problems are common but rarely final. In most cases, switching cards or contacting your bank solves the issue. If not, prepaid cards or private platforms can help. If all else fails, you must reapply for ESTA.
When a traveller completes their ESTA application and proceeds to payment, the payment status may sometimes remain stuck on ‘pending’. This situation can be stressful, because until the payment is validated, the ESTA authorisation is not sent to the US authorities and therefore not processed. There are several reasons for this delay: a processing delay between your bank and the US system, a security check on the transaction, or a compatibility issue with your card.
In most cases, the status updates automatically after a few hours. It is recommended that you wait at least 24 hours before attempting any further action. During this time, check that the payment has been debited from your bank account. If the debit is visible but the ESTA remains pending, it is often simply a synchronisation delay.
However, if no transaction appears and the status remains unchanged, the payment attempt has probably failed. In this case, log back into your ESTA file via the official website with your login details (passport number, application number, date of birth) to try to pay again. If the system still refuses, it may be necessary to reapply for a new ESTA using a different credit card.
👉 Remember: a pending ESTA payment does not mean a refusal, but only a technical block. It is important to quickly check with your bank to see if the payment has gone through, then restart the procedure if necessary, in order to obtain a valid authorisation before your departure.
Find out if your question has been answered in the list below
After filling out the ESTA form, payment is required for submission. If you leave before paying, your application stays pending. You can log back into the official website with your application number, passport number, surname, and date of birth to complete the process. Until payment is validated, the ESTA remains in 'unpaid' status and will not be reviewed by U.S. authorities. Always pay as soon as possible to avoid expiration or rejection.
The ESTA system keeps an unpaid application active for up to 7 days. During this period, you can reconnect with your login details to complete payment. If you don’t, the application expires automatically, and you must submit a new form and pay again. This 7-day rule is not a deferred payment option but simply a technical grace period. To avoid delays or cancellations, it is strongly advised to pay immediately after submitting your ESTA application.
An ESTA payment failed message may appear due to card restrictions, exceeded limits, bank security blocks, or technical errors. Start by retrying with the same card, then try another international card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express). You can also call your bank to authorise international online payments. As a last resort, private ESTA platforms provide alternative payment systems and assistance but charge extra fees. Only a successfully paid application will be processed and valid for travel.
If your ESTA payment is pending, it means the transaction hasn’t yet been confirmed. Causes include bank processing delays, security checks, or technical issues. First, check if the debit appears on your bank account. If yes, the status usually updates automatically within hours. If no payment is recorded and the pending status persists, log back into the official website and retry. If nothing works, the safest solution is to submit a new ESTA application with another card.