03/11/2026

How to avoid scams while applying for ESTA

FTC

It’s that time of year when people start planning their spring and summer travels. If you have someone visiting you from another country (and they qualify for a visa waiver), they’ll need to complete an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application through the official U.S. government website or app. To help them avoid a scam, be sure to let them know that they might come across ESTA lookalike sites trying to trick people into overpaying for the application. Here are some other things to share with visiting friends or family.

1. The only place to apply is through the ESTA website or app. Scammers have copycat websites that will likely overcharge you and might not even submit your paperwork, leaving you without the travel documents you need to enter the United States. Apply through the official website: esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Lookalike sites often have similar names, so look closely at the URL.
2. The ESTA application fee is nonrefundable. Applying for ESTA costs $10.27 and there are no refunds, whether you’re approved or not. Any website that charges you more to apply — or says you can get a refund — isn’t the real site. Know that, if your application is approved, you’ll pay an additional $30 fee…and the official ESTA website only accepts credit and debit cards or PayPal. If someone charges you more or asks you to pay a different way, that’s a scam.