Updating your ESTA: What you can and cannot change

An ESTA authorization is valid for two years, but some details of your travel or personal situation may change during this period. While the ESTA itself cannot be fully modified once approved, certain updates such as your email address, home address, or US accommodation details can be adjusted online. More critical data, like your passport number or identity details, always require a new application. In this guide, we explain clearly what information can be updated, what cannot, and how to ensure your ESTA remains valid for your next trip to the United States.

Update your ESTA: in brief

• ❌ No full changes – Once approved, an ESTA is final. Core data (passport, identity, eligibility answers) cannot be altered.
• ✏️ Updates allowed – You can only change your email address, home address, or travel/accommodation details in the United States.
• ⚠️ New application required – If essential data (passport number, name, date of birth) is wrong or has changed, you must submit a new ESTA and pay the fee.
• 👀 Best practice – Always review your details carefully before submission to avoid delays and ensure your authorization remains valid.

Situations in which you may need to make changes to your ESTA application:

Once your ESTA form has been submitted and the fee paid, your answers cannot be changed. You must wait for the email response before updating certain details, if necessary. The main situations where updates may be required are:

• 📝 Details of the initial application: A data entry error on the ESTA (for example, in your contact details or address) may cause problems when boarding or at border control.
• ✈️ New trip with a valid ESTA – When reusing an existing ESTA, some details such as your US address of stay should be updated.
• 🏠 Change of personal data – If your residential address or email has changed since your first application, you must update your record to stay compliant.

👉 Below, we explain which information can be updated online and which always requires a new application.

What information can be updated on your ESTA?

Not all data can be changed once your ESTA is approved. In most cases, a new application is required. Only the following details can be updated online:

• 📧 Email address – Update your contact email to maintain access to your ESTA file. This change is quick and free.
• 🏠 Residential address – If you move, update your current address to keep your authorisation valid. ⚠️ If you relocate to a country outside the ESTA programme, you must apply for a visa instead.
• 🛏️ US address of stay – You can update your accommodation details, hotel address or even arrival airport if your travel plans change.

👉 These are the only updates allowed online. Any other changes require submitting a new ESTA application.

What cannot be changed on your ESTA

The options for updating an ESTA are very limited. In most cases, if your details change, you will need to reapply. The following items can never be updated once your ESTA has been approved:

• 🛂 Passport number – The ESTA is directly linked to the passport used in your application. If your passport expires, is lost or stolen, you must apply for a new ESTA with your new passport.
• 👤 Identity details – Any change of surname, first name or gender (e.g. marriage, divorce, civil status correction) requires a new application, as these details must exactly match your passport.
• ❌ Questionnaire answers – Security and eligibility answers cannot be changed online. If they are incorrect, only a new ESTA application is possible.

👉 Summary – Whenever key data changes (passport, identity, questionnaire), you must reapply for a new ESTA. Otherwise, your authorisation may be refused at boarding or upon arrival in the United States.

Can you modify your ESTA form after submission?

Once your ESTA form has been submitted and paid, it cannot be modified. Here’s what you should know:

• ❌ No edits after payment – Once validated and paid, your application cannot be changed. The authorities process it within 72 hours, leaving no time for modifications.
• ⚠️ Impact of incorrect data – Wrong details (name, passport number, questionnaire answers) may lead to refusal of your authorisation and block your trip.
• 👀 Check before confirming – The system includes a review step: before final submission, you can carefully review all the details entered (name, date of birth, passport number, answers).

✅ Helpful tip – Spend a few extra minutes proofreading before submission. This simple check avoids having to redo your entire ESTA application later.

How to modify your ESTA file

If you need to update certain information on your ESTA, follow these steps:

• 🔑 Have your application number – Use the ESTA number provided when you first submitted your request to access your file directly.
• 🆔 If you’ve lost your number – You can still retrieve your ESTA on the official US website by entering your personal details (surname, first name, date of birth, country of origin).
• 📧🏠✈️ Authorised updates – Only three details can be modified online: your email address, your residential address, and your US destination address (accommodation or arrival airport).
• ⚡ Immediate processing – These updates are recorded instantly. The 72-hour timeframe applies only to new ESTA applications, not to authorised corrections.

Fees for modifying an ESTA authorisation

The question of fees often arises when you want to modify your ESTA. Here's what you need to know:

• 💸 Free updates – Changes to your email, residential address or US travel address are free of charge when done via the official website.
• 🛂 New application = new fee – If you need to change data that cannot be updated (passport details, identity information, questionnaire answers), you must submit a new ESTA and pay the official fee again.
• ⚠️ Beware of private websites – Some unofficial sites charge extra for simple updates. On the official site, updates are free, with email changes being the simplest and most direct.

👉 In short – Only the updates allowed on the official website are free. Any other modification requires a new paid ESTA application.

Is it possible to make a simple change to your ESTA when it has expired?

• ⏳ Limited validity period: The ESTA is valid for 2 years from the date of approval (or until the passport expires, whichever comes first). During this period, you can use the ESTA for multiple trips, provided that your details remain unchanged.
• 🔄 No automatic renewal: Once the validity has expired, there is no renewal procedure. You must submit a new complete application, as if it were the first time.
• 📝 New form = new data: The old ESTA cannot be modified after expiry. When submitting a new application, you will need to re-enter all your information, ensuring that it is accurate.
• ⚠️ No guarantee of approval: Even if you have obtained an ESTA in the past, acceptance is never automatic. All new applications are reviewed by the US authorities.
• 💳 Non-refundable fees: The official ESTA website never refunds fees in the event of a refusal. Some private websites that add service fees may offer refund guarantees, but this is rare.