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I'm a UK citizen. I want to travel to the USA for a holiday and to see some friends.

I've used an ESTA a few times in the past and it was fairly straightforward. However this time I'd like to spend longer in the USA with a break eg:

2 months in the USA. 2 months in Latin America. 2 months in the USA again.

I can't do this with a single ESTA, so how long do I need to wait between ESTA applications? The official wording is unclear so even some anecdotal advice would be helpful.

Traveller
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Evanss
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1 Answers1

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Quoting the official ESTA website FAQ:

When should I submit an application through ESTA?

Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security recommends that travel authorization applications be submitted at least 72 hours prior to travel. Unless revoked, travel authorizations are valid for two years from the date of authorization, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

(emphasis mine).

So you can do both trips with a single ESTA. You could probably even use an existing ESTA if it's still valid.

Note that it only needs to be valid at the time you enter the US, it does not even need to be valid for the whole duration of your trip. In you case, it needs to be valid on each of the two arrivals into the US.

Note however that an ESTA does not guarantee entry into the US, you still need to meet all entry requirements. While 2 months or even 2 x 2 months in a year with 2 months outside the US in between is definitely not an issue per se, they may ask questions about your intended activities in the US, what you do, how you can support yourself for 4 months in a year without working, etc.

jcaron
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