ESTA - Travelling to the US with an Italian Passport
One of the advantages of the Italian passport is known to be the ease it brings to visiting the most diverse countries in the world. In 2022, the Italian passport ranked third among the most powerful passports in the world, according to the ranking by Consulting Henley & Partners.
Among these facilities is the absence of the need for a visa for Italians who wish to travel to the US for tourism. With the Italian passport in hand, you only need a travel authorization, called ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). The US offers a select group of citizens from countries with low immigration risk (of which Italy is a part) the possibility of entering the country without a visa, but with a simple travel authorization.
ESTA is a simplified process carried out 100% online and with a response within 72 hours, but in practice, if there is no impediment, authorization is issued in a few hours.
APPLICATION FOR ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization)
Application for ESTA is via https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta. The cost today is 14 US dollars. The process is simple and must be done by following the application form step by step. At the end you will be asked for a credit card for payment.
ATTENTION
The correct insertion of data in the ESTA form is essential for a smooth entry into the USA, especially the Italian passport data.
The form asks about other nationalities and previous passports. If possible, fill in all the requested data and do not omit any information.
If you have a valid US visa in a passport from another nationality, do not issue an ESTA. Use your current visa until it expires.