ESTA Passport Requirements: E-Passport Guide

An e-passport (electronic passport) is a traditional paper passport that contains an electronic chip. This chip stores the same information that is printed on the passport's data page, including the holder's name, date of birth, and other biographic information, as well as a digital photograph.

All travelers applying for ESTA must have an e-passport from a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) country. This requirement has been in effect since April 1, 2016. If your passport does not have an electronic chip, you are not eligible for ESTA and must apply for a B-1/B-2 visa instead.

How to identify an e-passport:

• ✓Look for the international e-passport symbol on the front cover (a rectangle with a circle and horizontal lines)
• ✓The passport should state 'biometric passport' or 'electronic passport' inside
• ✓E-passports are slightly thicker than traditional passports due to the chip
• ✓The chip is typically embedded in the back cover or center page
• ✓When opened, you may see a metallic pattern or antenna wiring

The electronic chip in your passport is read at automated border control kiosks and by immigration officers. This technology speeds up the immigration process and enhances security by making passport fraud more difficult.

Your passport must meet specific validity requirements to be eligible for ESTA and to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.

The standard rule requires that your passport be valid for at least six months beyond your intended departure date from the United States. However, there are important exceptions to this rule.

Countries exempt from the six-month rule (partial list):

• ✓United Kingdom and British territories
• ✓Ireland
• ✓France
• ✓Germany, Austria, Switzerland
• ✓Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg
• ✓Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland)
• ✓Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece
• ✓Australia, New Zealand
• ✓Japan, South Korea, Singapore
• ✓Check the official CBP website for the complete current list

Even if your country is exempt from the six-month rule, ensure your passport remains valid for your entire stay. If your passport expires while you're in the United States, you may face difficulties with hotel check-ins, car rentals, and your departure flight.

In addition to being an e-passport, your passport must also be machine-readable (MRP). A machine-readable passport has two lines of text (letters, numbers, and chevrons <<<) at the bottom of the biographical data page.

All modern e-passports are machine-readable, so if you have an e-passport, this requirement is automatically satisfied. However, it's useful to understand what makes a passport machine-readable.

Machine-readable zone characteristics:

• ✓Two lines of characters at the bottom of the photo/data page
• ✓Each line contains exactly 44 characters
• ✓Uses letters, numbers, and chevrons (<<<) as filler characters
• ✓Contains encoded information: passport type, country code, name, document number, nationality, date of birth, sex, expiration date
• ✓Optical character recognition (OCR) scanners read this zone at border control
• ✓Speeds up passport processing and reduces manual data entry errors

If you have a very old passport that is not machine-readable (issued before 2000), it will not be eligible for ESTA. You must renew your passport to obtain a modern machine-readable, electronic passport before you can apply for ESTA.

To be eligible for ESTA, you must be a citizen of one of the 42 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Your passport must be issued by one of these countries.

Current Visa Waiver Program countries (as of 2025):

• ✓Europe: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
• ✓Asia-Pacific: Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan
• ✓South America: Chile

Important notes about VWP country requirements:

• ✓You must be a citizen of a VWP country, not just a resident
• ✓Permanent residents of VWP countries who hold passports from non-VWP countries must apply for a visa
• ✓Dual citizens should use their VWP passport for ESTA application and U.S. travel
• ✓If you have citizenship from both a VWP and non-VWP country, use your VWP passport
• ✓Refugee travel documents and stateless person documents are not eligible for ESTA

Beyond validity and electronic chip requirements, your passport must be in good physical condition. Damaged passports may be rejected by airlines or U.S. immigration authorities, even if they are technically valid.

Conditions that make a passport unacceptable:

• ✓Water damage affecting the biographical page or chip
• ✓Torn or separated pages, especially the data page
• ✓Significant wear that makes information illegible
• ✓Unauthorized markings, writing, or alterations
• ✓Damaged or non-functional chip (prevents reading at automated kiosks)
• ✓Photo page lamination peeling or damaged
• ✓Excessive stamps that overlap critical information
• ✓Evidence of tampering or attempted alteration

Airlines are particularly strict about passport condition because they face fines if they transport passengers with unacceptable documents. If an airline agent has concerns about your passport condition, they may deny boarding even if the passport is technically valid.

If you notice any damage to your passport, especially to the chip area, biographical page, or machine-readable zone, renew your passport before traveling. This prevents problems at check-in or immigration.

When you renew your passport, your current ESTA becomes invalid, even if it hasn't reached its two-year expiration date. You must apply for a new ESTA using your new passport information.

Why passport renewal invalidates ESTA:

• ✓ESTA is electronically linked to a specific passport number
• ✓When you renew your passport, you receive a new passport number
• ✓The ESTA system cannot transfer an approval to a new passport
• ✓You must submit a new ESTA application ($40 fee) with new passport details
• ✓Previous ESTA approval doesn't guarantee approval of new application

If you're planning to renew your passport, consider timing carefully:

• ✓If you have upcoming U.S. travel within 2-3 months, wait until after your trip to renew your passport
• ✓If your passport expires in less than 6 months and you're not traveling soon, renew now and apply for new ESTA
• ✓If you have a valid ESTA and valid passport but passport expires soon, you can travel as long as both documents are valid on your travel dates
• ✓Budget for both passport renewal and new ESTA application fees

After receiving your new passport, wait 24-48 hours before applying for ESTA to ensure the new passport information has been registered in international databases. This prevents potential mismatches that could delay ESTA processing.

The electronic chip in your e-passport stores biometric data - unique physical characteristics that can be used to verify your identity. Understanding what data is stored and how it's used helps demystify the border control process.

Data stored in e-passport chips:

• ✓Biographical information (name, date of birth, nationality, sex)
• ✓Passport details (number, issue date, expiration date)
• ✓Digital photograph from the passport (used for facial recognition)
• ✓Digital signature to prevent data tampering
• ✓Some countries include fingerprint data (though this is less common)
• ✓Issuing country code and passport authority information

When you arrive in the United States, your e-passport chip is read at automated passport control (APC) kiosks or by CBP officers using handheld readers. The system:

• ✓Reads your biographical data from the chip
• ✓Retrieves your ESTA approval from the database
• ✓Captures your photo and compares it to the chip photo
• ✓Collects your fingerprints and stores them
• ✓Verifies that the chip data matches the printed passport
• ✓Checks for any security concerns or travel alerts

If your passport chip is damaged and cannot be read, you may still be able to travel, but expect significant delays. Officers will need to manually verify all information, and you may face enhanced screening. In some cases, damaged chips may result in denied boarding or entry.

Various special circumstances can affect passport eligibility for ESTA. Understanding these situations helps you determine whether your specific passport qualifies.

Other special passport situations:

• ✓Diplomatic and official passports: Not eligible for ESTA; must apply for appropriate visa type
• ✓Children's passports: Eligible if they are e-passports from VWP countries
• ✓Second passports: You can have multiple passports and choose which to use for ESTA
• ✓Lost/stolen passport: Report immediately, get replacement, apply for new ESTA
• ✓Damaged chip but valid passport: Technically valid but may cause entry problems
• ✓Passport issued by non-recognized government: Not eligible for ESTA

If you have multiple passports from different countries:

• ✓Choose your VWP country passport for ESTA application
• ✓Use the same passport for the entire trip (application and travel)
• ✓Don't switch passports between ESTA application and travel
• ✓If you have both VWP and non-VWP passports, always use VWP passport for U.S. travel
• ✓Be aware of dual nationality restrictions for certain countries