ESTA for Hungarian Citizens - ESTAForm.org
Hungary

ESTA for Hungarian Citizens

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Hungary joined the Visa Waiver Program in 2008, along with a number of other countries joining that year. As part of the VWP, citizens of Hungary are able to use an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation - ESTA for visits to the US instead of being required to apply for a US visa.

ESTA Requirements and Important Information

  • For US visit of a maximum 90 days at a time
  • Requires a biometric passport
  • Business, tourism, medical and transit trips to US
  • Valid for two years (or until passport expires)
  • Required for travellers flying or sailing to US
  • Use for multiple visits for US whilst valid
  • All adults and children require individual ESTA
Application for Hungarian Citizens
Apply for ESTA

Benefits of Applying for ESTA for Hungarian Citizens

There are many great benefits for Hungarian citizens using the ESTA, including the possibility of visiting the US multiple times with the same ESTA. When it is approved ESTA is valid for a period of two years, or until the passport expires. During that time, the ESTA holder can use their ESTA to visit the US as many times as they wish as long as they do not exceed the 90 day limit for a single stay.

The biggest difference between an ESTA and a US visa in terms of the application process is that the processing of the ESTA is much quicker. When you apply for a US visa, you must fill in a comprehensive DS-160 form and you are also required to visit the US Embassy to have an interview as part of the processing procedure. If you apply for an ESTA, it just involves a short online form that is submitted electronically. If approved, the ESTA travel authorisation will be linked to your passport electronically and you will be notified via email.

Very often, the processing of the ESTA will take just a few hours, which is much shorter than applying for a visa, as this process can take weeks or sometimes even months. There is also a considerably lower application fee for an ESTA compared to a visa.

How Hungarian Citizens Can Apply for ESTA

Citizens from Hungary are able to apply for ESTA using the short online form, answering a set of questions that will determine whether they are approved for the ESTA. The questions include personal information, passport details, medical questions, and the ones related to criminal activity including terrorism.

To submit the ESTA application you need to have a valid, biometric passport, an email address and a card to pay the application fee with. Once the form has been completed, it is very important to carefully check through the information provided, as any small mistake could lead to the ESTA being refused. If you need to re-apply for an ESTA then this could hold up your travel plans.

The Department of Homeland Security screens all ESTA applications to check for any risks that the applicant may pose to the US and its citizens. If any issues are presented, the application will be refused.

What Do I Need to Apply?

  • Valid electronic passport with a chip that contains biometric data and a minimum validity of six months from the intended date of entrance;
  • Legitimate email address;
  • Emergency contacts for travellers (email and phone numbers);
  • Debit or Credit Card.
Passport Requirements and Passport Validity

Citizens of VWP nations are no longer eligible to travel to or enter the United States under the VWP if they visited or were physically present in Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and/or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011., and dual citizens of VWP nations are no longer permitted to travel to the United States under the VWP.

Travellers under the VWP are exempt from this limitation if their purpose for visiting any of those nations was to serve in the armed forces of a VWP nation or to fulfil their official responsibilities as full-time employees of a VWP nation.

All foreign citizens entering the United States must have passports that are valid for at least six months beyond the time they intend to spend there. Also, the passport of a person travelling under the Visa Waiver Program must be valid for at least 90 days. If the passport is not valid for 90 days, they will not be able to travel to the United States.

If a traveller's passport from a VWP country does not meet these criteria, they should apply for a new VWP-compliant passport. Otherwise, the tourist will not be able to travel under the VWP and will need to obtain a visa to enter the United States with a valid passport.

The Application Form and Procedure for Hungarian Citizens

  • The applicant must click on the "Apply for ESTA" option in order to access the form. Fields marked with a * are obligatory, and the form cannot be submitted without them. All information must be provided in English.
  • The first part of the form asks for personal information including the user's first and last name, date of birth, place of birth, and gender. A person must also submit their residence address, contact information, and email address in addition to those fields.
  • Including employment information in the application is necessary because it shows that the applicant is not travelling to the US to work illegally. Social network information is optional.
  • Applicants must provide data on their emergency contacts.
  • The application form includes eligibility-related questions that have to be answered honestly. Homeland Security will examine each ESTA application to ensure the truthfulness of the answers.
  • When the applicant completes the form, a summary will be shown at the bottom. The applicant must complete this step to verify that the information they supplied is correct.
  • A payment screen with information on the fee amount and credit card will display in the end.

How Long Does It Take to Obtain an ESTA and When to Apply for It?

Although it is possible to apply for an ESTA at any time before boarding a plane, US Customs and Border Control advises that applicants do so at least 72 hours in advance. The time to review and approve an application is usually short (less than 20 minutes), but sometimes it takes longer.

ESTA Renewal

There is no possibility to renew an expired ESTA, so the user will have to submit a new application.

Updating Your ESTA: When Do You Need a New Travel Authorisation?

If any of the following situations arise, you must apply for a new ESTA:

  • Change of name;
  • Change in gender;
  • You’ve obtained a new passport;
  • The answers to the ESTA qualification criteria have changed;
  • The passport is close to expiration.

ESTA for Children

Any child travelling to the US must obtain an ESTA as well. Parents or legal guardians may apply for ESTA on their children's behalf, and the ESTA will be linked to the child's passport.

What to do if ESTA is Declined

An ESTA can get declined for several reasons, such as a genuine mistake on the application, or an issue with the eligibility for the ESTA. If the ESTA is refused, there is still a possibility of travelling to the US by applying for a US visa instead. To obtain a US valid visa, you will need to arrange an interview at the US Embassy in Hungary.

US Embassy Address in Hungary

U.S. Embassy Budapest
Szabadság tér 12
H-1054 Budapest, Hungary

ESTA Advantages for Hungarian citizens:
  • Can be used for multiple visits to the US, for trips of up to 90 days
  • Fast to complete application
  • Quick processing time
  • The entire ESTA procedure is carried out online, so you don’t have to visit the US Embassy in person
  • Covers tourism, business, medical or transit purposes
  • Valid for 2 years (or until the passport expires)
  • Both mobile and desktop computers can be used to make an application
  • The application fee for ESTA is cheaper than for the traditional US visa
Who Is Ineligible for an ESTA?

According to VWP, certain visitors cannot enter the US without a visa. Individuals who have been deported from the United States, those who have been refused entry into the United States, those with a criminal record, those who have been arrested, and those who have previously overstayed their visa waiver program fall into this category.

Is an ESTA the Same as a Visa?

No, ESTA for the US isn’t the same as a US visa. There are differences between the two:

  • A user can obtain an ESTA by submitting an online application. In contrast to this, the applicant must complete a DS-160 form and appear at an embassy appointment to make for a US visa.
  • US visa processing can take a very long time, while that time period is much shorter with ESTA.
  • The visa fee is higher than the Esta fee.

Written by Abisola Fikayomi

Abisola is an accomplished writer interested in US Travel, immigration, passports and visas. She’s passionate about exploring new places and cultures and willing to share her experiences, expertize and findings with others. That is her primary drive for specialising in this industry.

FAQs

Yes, with appropriate travel documents, they can.
Depending on the purpose of their visit, as well as how long the trip will take, Hungarians need a visa or an ESTA to travel to the USA.
Yes, a person can enter America with a Hungarian passport. If the person is traveling under the VWP program, they must have a passport that is valid for at least 90 days.
No, Hungarian nationals who also hold citizenship in the US or Canada do not require a visa or an ESTA. When entering the country, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recommends visitors utilize their US or Canadian passports.
While the ESTA is valid, its holder can travel to the US an unlimited number of times as long as they don’t exceed the allowed maximum of 90 days at a time.