What happens if I have a passport from multiple countries and/or have dual citizenship?
If you are a Visa Waiver Program traveler and you are planning to travel to the United States, the passport you intend to use for travel has to be approved and authorized. In case you obtain a new passport, you will be required to forward the travel authorization application using the new passport in ESTA. It is important to note that there is a processing fee that is chargeable upon the submission of every new application.
Furthermore, if you hold multiple citizenships, every time you leave your country of departure and upon arrival in the U.S, you will be required to produce your VWP-eligible passport before you board any plane. Additionally, it is strongly recommend that you choose one passport to use while traveling to the U.S if you discover that more than one of your citizenship countries are VWP-eligible. Always use the country’s passport you claimed for travel each time you need to enter the Untied States. Using one of the passports instead of multiple ESTA authorized passports helps in avoiding confusion and further travel delays.
If you a U.S citizen by naturalization, among the requirements you will have to meet is applying for and using a U.S passport when traveling. That is why people who have dual citizenship with the U.S and a VWP country shouldn’t apply for ESTA. There are some cases where some naturalized U.S citizens choose to use their other passports to travel, however, it is expected that they use the U.S passport while traveling to the U.S from another country, at both traveling points from the departure and arrival.
What if I don’t have a passport for that country and/or my non-VWP passport is expired and I have dual citizenship?
If you are a holder of multiple passports, ensure that you enter the information from your most recent passport, regardless of whether it is expired or not. However, if you don’t have a passport from another country and you a dual citizen, from the drop-down list on the ESTA form, select the country and leave the Passport Number field blank or, enter a sequence of zeros ‘0’.
Do I need an ESTA if I am a VWP citizen and I am traveling to the U.S for short-term tourism or business under VWP and I have a valid visitor (B1/B2) visa?
No, you do not need to apply for ESTA. You should use the passport that contains your B2 tourist visa, B1 business visa, or mixed use B1/B2 visa.
Do I need an ESTA if I am a VWP citizen and I am traveling under the VWP for short-term tourism or business and I don’t have a visitor visa?
Yes, you should apply for an ESTA if you intend to enter the United States without a visa. If you are denied an ESTA, you will need to apply for a visitor visa if you still wish to travel to the United States for tourism, business or transit purposes.
Do I need an ESTA if I am a VWP citizen and I have another type of visa like student visa (F1) but I don’t have a visitor visa, but I am traveling under the VWP for short-term tourism or business?
Yes. If you hold a passport from a VWP country, and are on a F1 student visa, you will need to obtain an ESTA or a tourist visa if you wish to conduct tourism or business activities in the United States.